Having loved the first book, I decided to read the rest of the trilogy. And this book was even more rewarding than the last.

The setup is great, picking up a few years after the disastrous revolution of 2061. Most of the First Hundred are in hiding, and we are introduced to the next generation of Martians, who go on to take up the revolutionary cause. The situation on Earth grows ever more dire, and the enthusiasm of the Martian youth is at odds with the careful machinations of the First Hundred.

The way the second part of the story builds on some of the secondary characters is incredible. Sax Russell goes from a dedicated scientist to an inflamed revolutionary, Maya Toitonova goes from a mercurial romantic interest to a carefully planning and self-aware leader, and Nadia Cherenevsky becomes a skilled arbitrator and leader.

The journey here is a bit more important than the destination, but I think the ending is supposed to stand in stark contrast to how things ended in Red Mars. Rather than a failed revolution with many dead, it ends with a peaceful flight from disaster led by competent leaders who end up saving thousands.

There are no real heros in this series, which I appreciate. People grow and change. They do things you may or may not agree with, and they do it for reasons that make some sense. Robinson allows the somewhat two-dimensional characters of the first novel become fleshed out as we spend time with them, and they become real people.

Loving this series so far, and have immediately started the third book, Blue Mars