Artemis. It’s a new stand alone from Andy Weir, whose first
novel, The Martian, was a masterclass in producing an engaging and accessible
work of sci-fi whilst also getting the science bit right. It later got made
into a rather good film with Matt Damon. So Artemis has some rather large shoes
to fill.
So, what is Artemis? It’s…a few things, actually. The top of
which is, it’s heist story. On the moon. It’s not just that, of course. The
protagonist, Jasmine (“Jazz”) Bashara is being offered an opportunity to change
her life – and we’ll get on to that shortly. What I’m saying is that, though
this is a heist story, one where careful planning and unexpected reversals are
the order of the day, it’s also a story about a woman looking to make something
of herself, and the book is as much about character and personality as it is
about chases through vacuum and dubious law enforcement.
The world – well, it’s in some ways familiar, in others…less
so. The moon is a harsh place, at least externally. It’s cold, dead, and the
slightest mistake could kill you. There’s a certain sterile beauty to it, to be
fair – but Weir has built a moon which can kill, and emphasises the fragility
of life in that environment. The larger part of the world, though, is in the
city which humanity has settled. It has a certain retro vibe to it – domes
rising out of the moonrock, habitable areas underground as well as above.
Relatively small, the cultural cadences of science and technology are
interspersed throughout – this is a people who make up for their lack of
numbers with intellectual capital and skill. The city bustles and thrives, and
the industry around it – aluminium, for example – helps sustain it; it
certainly feels both alive, and familiar – and at the same time, ever so
slightly strange.
Character-wise – well, the main focus is on Jasmine. I have
a lot of affection for Jazz, as she’s known – a smart-mouthed young woman, with
a laser-like intelligence and an impressive facility for saying the wrong thing
at the wrong time, or otherwise putting her proverbial foot in it. Still, she
has a sharp tone, and a degree of hustle and charm which it’s a lot of fun to
read along with. We pick up some of her history through the text. This lets us
explore wider issues as well, like how parenting, or nationality work on the
moon, or the role of currency in the context of moon-living. Jazz is energetic
and cheerfully self-serving, and if there’s hints of larger issues there –
guilt, issues with authority, family difficulties – then they help make a more
nuanced character.
Jazz is backed up by a fairly large ensemble cast – from
snide EVA instructors who also happen to be ex-boyfriends, to seemingly baffled
scientists. Jazz’s father, a man seemingly confounded by his daughter’s ability
to do absolutely anything other than apply herself, steals every scene that
he’s in, with a combination of pragmatic competence and an obvious love for his
daughter that pours off the page. There’s others of course – engineers in life
support, and a particularly persistent lawman. I think my only complaint is
that we don’t see enough of them. They’re there, and serve the plot rather
well, and give Jazz the contrasts and banter in her life that we need to see –
but I’d love to have seen them in more depth.
The plot…well, as usual, no spoilers. But it’s a lot of fun.
In some ways it’s a slow burn, as facets of a plan come together. But there’s
enough going on at every stage to keep you turning the pages. When things do
kick off, then there’s heart-in-mouth moments aplenty, tension broken with
chases, brawls, and the occasional explosion. It’s a journey in exuberant
prose, which is taking joy in both the science and discovery of it all, and in
the personal dramas, the horrible mistakes, the bare-knuckle recoveries and the
personal triumphs.
It’s not The Martian, but that’s a good thing. Artemis is
strong enough to stand on its own. It’s clever, fast-paced, tense, and carries
moments of sparkling humour and emotional weight. If you were a fan of The
Martian, then yes, you should give this one a read. If you’re coming to Weir’s
work for the first time – this is very much worth the time.
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