Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter: The Long Mars

Hi everyone

This was my second time reading Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxters The Long Mars; the third book in The Long Earth series. You can find my other reviews here. 

"2040-2045: In the years after the cataclysmic Yellowstone eruption there is massive economic dislocation as populations flee Datum Earth to myriad Long Earth worlds. Sally, Joshua, and Lobsang are all involved in this perilous work when, out of the blue, Sally is contacted by her long-vanished father and inventor of the original Stepper device, Willis Linsay. He tells her he is planning a fantastic voyage across the Long Mars and wants her to accompany him. But Sally soon learns that Willis has ulterior motives ...
Meanwhile U. S. Navy Commander Maggie Kauffman has embarked on an incredible journey of her own, leading an expedition to the outer limits of the far Long Earth.
For Joshua, the crisis he faces is much closer to home. He becomes embroiled in the plight of the Next: the super-bright post-humans who are beginning to emerge from their 'long childhood' in the community called Happy Landings, located deep in the Long Earth. Ignorance and fear are causing 'normal' human society to turn against the Next - and a dramatic showdown seems inevitable . . . "

This was a mixed reading experience. 

The first half of the book flew by, I was completely hooked by the adventure and the worldbuilding. But by the time I reached the second half, it started to drag. The problem? Both Maggie and Sally spend most of the book just exploring, stepping from world to world with too little happening to keep the momentum going. There are a few interesting moments, but they’re too few and far between to maintain the excitement.

That said, I did enjoy the writing and the story. The ideas are fascinating, and the characters are as compelling as ever. It’s just that the book feels too long for what actually happens.

Overall, it was still an enjoyable read, but I wish the pacing had been tighter and the adventures more dynamic. If you love exploration-heavy sci-fi with big ideas, you might still appreciate it, but don’t expect non-stop action.

Have you read The Long Mars? Did you feel the same way, or did it keep you engaged the whole way through? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!
Helena