Return to Mars
- There is also a 1955 juvenile science fiction novel of this name by W. E. Johns.
- The title 'Return to Mars' was used by authors Anthony Pollock and Brian Crowley in 1989, published by Magistra (Australia) as non-fiction.
 Cover of the US paperback edition | |
| Author | Ben Bova |
|---|---|
| Series | Grand Tour |
| Genre | Science Fiction |
| Publisher | Harper Collins |
Publication date | 8 June 1999 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 416 (Hardcover edition) |
| ISBN | 978-0-380-97640-9 |
| OCLC | 40881619 |
| 813/.54 21 | |
| LC Class | PS3552.O84 R47 1999 |
| Preceded by | Mars |
| Followed by | Mars Life |
Return to Mars is a science fiction novel by Ben Bova. This novel is part of the Grand Tour series of novels. It was first published in 1999 and is a sequel to Ben Bova's novel Mars.
Plot summary
Navajo geologist Jamie Waterman returned to Earth as a hero, travelling the globe, giving speeches on Mars, and supporting a return voyage. Now six years later, Waterman gets to return to his beloved red planet, and to the mysterious dwelling in the Valles Marineris region. However, the second voyage has sponsorship not from governments, but from corporations, most notably from millionaire Daryl Trumball, whose son is sent on the mission to make his father proud... and money. Now, Jamie finds himself locked in a war between Trumball's wishes of exploiting the planet, his job as mission director, and his own desires to explore the cliff dwelling that could hold the key to discovering the planet's past inhabitants.
Characters
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- Jamie Waterman - main character of the "Mars" novels by Ben Bova; he drives the discovery of microbial life on Mars, as well as of a distant cliff-dwelling. Waterman seems to have a connection to Mars, as connections between his Navajo beliefs and the Red Planet become entangled
- Dex Trumball - son of millionaire Daryl Trumball, at first he is the antagonist; as his goal of making money for his father and Waterman's view on preserving Mars conflict
- Vijay Shektar - an Australian-raised psychologist with Indian heritage; she falls in love with Waterman
- Stacy Dezhurova
- Possum/Wiley Craig
- Tomas Rodriguez
- Trudy Hall
- Daryl C. Trumball - a heartless millionaire, whose only joy is to make money. He sponsors the second Mars mission after his son convinces him that he could make money off the expedition
- Pete Connors - an astronaut on the first mission, and friend to Jamie
Reception
Publishers Weekly, in its 1999 review, wrote that Bova made the hard science aspects of this novel vivid and appealing. His characters were "less enchanting and the inclusion of a saboteur seems like overkill, since the environment he describes more than capable of destroying anyone for simple carelessness."[1]
Publication history
- 1999, USA, EOS Harper Collins ISBN 978-0-380-97640-9, Pub Date 8 June 1999, Hardcover
- 1999, UK Hodder & Stoughton ISBN 978-0-340-70795-1, Pub Date 1999, Hardcover
- 1999, UK, New English Library ISBN 978-0-340-70796-8, Pub Date 18 Nov 1999, Paperback
- 2000, USA, EOS Harper Collins ISBN 978-0-380-79725-7, Pub Date 3 July 2000, Paperback
References
External links
- Return to Mars title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
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