Artemis by Andy Weir

Confession: I have yet to read Andy Weir's The Martian. I know what you're thinking, "How could he have missed reading that one?!" I honestly don't know. I loved the film adaptation of the book, and the kindle version has languished on my kindle for over a year. For some reason I just never got around to reading it. My negligence aside, The Martian became such a critical and commercial success that author Andy Weir has released a sophomore novel Artemis. I'm pleased to report that this novel hasn't sat dormant on my kindle. I enjoyed it so much, in fact, that I doubt you'll be able to ignore it either.

Artemis sees Weir tackling a story that takes place a little bit closer to home than his previous novel, closer to home than Mars at least. In this novel, man has conquered space and made their home on the Moon. Artemis, as the lunar colony has been named, plays host to a variety of tourists, wealthy industrialists, and the people who work for them. Jasmine Bashara, Jazz has lived most of her 20+ years on the moon. Her father is a well-regarded welder who longs for Jazz to follow in his professional footsteps, but Jazz has other plans. Her job as a porter who ships the various goods that make the city run pays only a meager salary. To earn more slugs (the currency of the moon), Jazz has turned to smuggling in contraband for some of Artemis's wealthier citizens.

A local businessman who regularly uses Jazz's smuggling services has called her in for a chat. He has a grand scheme to take over the monopolized aluminum smelting industry on the moon. The plan hinges upon someone sabotaging automated harvesters that scour the moon's surface. Jazz has the capability to both space walk and weld, skills that are paramount in successfully completing the job. In exchange for her services, Jazz would receive one million slugs, enough money to live comfortably and realize her dreams of her own business. But things will not be easy, especially in space!

I thoroughly enjoyed Artemis. The Martian was essentially an escape thriller that happened to take place on Mars. In Artemis, Andy Weir sets a fast-paced heist thriller on the moon. I'm no scientist, so I can't speak to the scientific plausibility of Weir's imagined colony. Still, Weir's consistency in quasi-scientific logic goes a long way in making this out-of-this-world fiction set in an authentic reality. Jazz is unapologetically crass at times, but operates with an unflinching moral compass that makes her instantly engaging. The supporting cast of space-dwelling misfits are equally attractive. I still haven't read The Martian, but if Artemis is any indication of the quality of entertainment that Andy Weir can concoct, I certainly won't put off reading it much longer.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2017, 49)




This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 6, 2017 and is filed under ,,,,,,,. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response.

8 Responses to “Artemis by Andy Weir”

  1. I so enjoyed this and loved Jazz. I listened but won't share my thoughts until January. I am not sure if audios are your thing, but I wholly recommend The Martian on audio. It was fantastic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love audios! It is honestly the only way I'm able to maintain my reading schedule. I'll be on the lookout for The Martian!

      Delete
  2. I read The Martian a few months after its release because of the amazing reviews. The movie did it justice which is rare! So I have this one on my to-read list. I am so glad you loved it!
    Rebecca @ The Portsmouth Review

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And now I need to finally read The Martian haha

      Delete
  3. Interesting. I loved The Martian. I absolutely did not like Artemis. In fact I put it down, couldn't stand Jazz :( Great review though!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wonder if reading The Martian first would have changed my opinion of this one. I had nothing to compare it against. Sorry to hear this one wasn’t for you.

      Delete
  4. IF it makes you feel any better, I haven't read The Martian either. I've heard great things though, obviously! Heard great things about this one too. Glad you liked it! It sounds like it's pretty realistically written and has a great main character.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm happy to hear I'm not the only one lol. Perhaps I'll get around to The Martian this new year!

      Delete

Powered by Blogger.