Mars. The red planet, Earth’s neighbor in the solar system.
Before the Roman Empire’s expansion throughout Europe and the Mediterranean, Mars was a god of fertility and agriculture. In due course Mars became the Romans’ god of war, symbol of power and potency. Power over the land leads to power over the people…
But what about a different view, in which people have power over themselves, and this is looked on to be of immense value? In our time Gandhi and Guevara, among countless others before and since, expressed their desire for such; it is indeed the heart of humanity’s pursuit toward the ultimate civilization.
This is the most powerful theme within the Mars trilogy by visionary author Kim Stanley Robinson. Packed with scientific plausibilities, believable characters, and amazing events, the Mars trilogy takes humanity away from where we are stuck today behind invisible borderlines on Earth, and on to Mars, the future, and beyond. Mars presents scenarios that to the layperson seem absolutely achievable, provided that technology be allowed to rise beyond its current military and governmental confines. The author encourages his readers to consider the state of a world in which all individual peoples’ true passions and talents drive the progress of their communities and civilization, as opposed to one driven by money belonging to the rich and powerful few. Imagine the freedom, in its purest sense, that would be attained.
Mars is roughly 35 million miles away. But how long will it take us to get to the Mars of Robinson’s mind? I’m on my way…
Join me! Read the Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson, and let me know what you think…
Red Mars. New York: Bantam Books, 1993.
Green Mars. New York: Bantam Books, 1994.
Blue Mars. New York: Bantam Books, 1996.
Mars
February 9, 2010
Mars. The red planet, Earth’s neighbor in the solar system.
Before the Roman Empire’s expansion throughout Europe and the Mediterranean, Mars was a god of fertility and agriculture. In due course Mars became the Romans’ god of war, symbol of power and potency. Power over the land leads to power over the people…
But what about a different view, in which people have power over themselves, and this is looked on to be of immense value? In our time Gandhi and Guevara, among countless others before and since, expressed their desire for such; it is indeed the heart of humanity’s pursuit toward the ultimate civilization.
This is the most powerful theme within the Mars trilogy by visionary author Kim Stanley Robinson. Packed with scientific plausibilities, believable characters, and amazing events, the Mars trilogy takes humanity away from where we are stuck today behind invisible borderlines on Earth, and on to Mars, the future, and beyond. Mars presents scenarios that to the layperson seem absolutely achievable, provided that technology be allowed to rise beyond its current military and governmental confines. The author encourages his readers to consider the state of a world in which all individual peoples’ true passions and talents drive the progress of their communities and civilization, as opposed to one driven by money belonging to the rich and powerful few. Imagine the freedom, in its purest sense, that would be attained.
Mars is roughly 35 million miles away. But how long will it take us to get to the Mars of Robinson’s mind? I’m on my way…
Join me! Read the Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson, and let me know what you think…
Red Mars. New York: Bantam Books, 1993.
Green Mars. New York: Bantam Books, 1994.
Blue Mars. New York: Bantam Books, 1996.
Posted in Book review, Commentary, mars | 1 Comment »
Tags: book, freedom, humanity, kim stanley robinson, mars, peace, science fiction