About the Author

Kim Stanley Robinson was born in 1952 and, after travelling and working around the world, has now settled in his beloved California. He is widely regarded as the finest science fiction writer working today, noted as much for the verisimilitude of his characters as the meticulously researched hard science basis of his work. He has won just about every major sf award there is to win.

Reviews

Praise for Kim Stanley Robinson: 'The ultimate in future history' Daily Mail 'One of the finest works of American SF' The Times 'Essential reading for the colonists of the next century' Arthur C. Clarke

The dream of terraforming and settling Mars becomes reality as a hundred individuals link their fate to that of the red planet, bringing with them their hopes and frailties, their hidden fears, latent violence, and uncompromising dedication. The author of the award-winning Mars trilogy interweaves a series of stories that stretch from preliminary training missions in Antarctica to the events surrounding the drafting of a Martian constitution. Robinson uses a variety of narrative styles to reflect the broad scope of human drama that surrounds the taming of a new and dangerous world. Recommended for most libraries. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/99.] Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

YA-The description on the dust jacket of this collection of short stories and one novella might lead readers to think these stories simply expand on Robinson's "Mars Trilogy" (Bantam). Actually, with each story, the author presents a fresh perspective, further expanding the possibilities beyond the story in the trilogy-and subverts any tendency to view it as the "Mars Canon." In fact, the first story tells how the decision was made not to colonize Mars. Subsequent stories explore the red planet and life there-human and otherwise-with great imagination, variety, and humor. For those who have read the trilogy, these stories can be enjoyed as alternate histories or as return visits to familiar places and characters-often with a twist. For those who have not tackled it, they stand on their own as beautifully crafted and accessible examples of science-fiction writing at its best. Whether exploring the planet's badlands with a group of extreme eco-tourists, considering the Constitution of Mars (and how and why it works), or examining the nature of life from a very entertaining variety of perspectives, this collection will be a treat for any thoughtful reader.-Christine C. Menefee, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.