Fun enjoyable read.

Artemis by Andy Weir, author of The Martian, is based on a 26-year-old woman called Jasmine Bashara (known as Jazz). Jazz lives on the moon at a colony called Artemis, and works as a porter and smuggler. She has dreams of becoming rich - or at least richer than what she is now. When she gets a chance to earn a lot of money, she takes it. However, she finds herself getting involved in a plot to take over the authority of Artemis and an assassin working with the conspirators starts hunting her. Jazz needs to figure out a way to escape the assassin and not get caught by the authorities while also saving the city with the help of some unlikely allies.

Andy Weir's second novel is an excellent follow-up to his first book, The Martian, continuing its interplanetary adventure/survival science fiction theme. The amount of research done for this book is immense and is incorporated clearly throughout the book. I also really liked the many bits of humor in the story. The plot of the novel was very clever and is upheld strongly with no breaks. However, Artemis contains a fair amount of harsh language and swear words. I recommend this book to people who enjoy the theme of adventure on celestial bodies. -Nikolai, Grade 8

Exciting book, read it in one sitting. Sometimes the narration was a little strange in a way that took me out of the story but the scientific details woven in and the interesting world-building kept me interested regardless. I appreciated that the author specified that members of the communities represented in the book weighed in on the character's feelings about her background. I am glad I waited a while after "The Martian" to read this one though, it needs to be read as its own story.

Fast-paced, sarcastic, and suspenseful, Andy Weir’s Artemis is a roller-coaster ride from start to finish. The plot was riveting, and I had a hard time putting the book down. However... I didn’t love it. I found that at times, although I greatly admired her intelligence and strength, I couldn’t bring myself to root for the main character. Even at the end of the book, I don’t think she grew enough for me to want to revisit her. On a different note— what was unique about Artemis as a sci-fi novel is that the chemistry and economics behind the story actually made sense and were explained. Personally, I didn’t mind knowing the science behind the characters’ schemes, although much of it felt unnecessary or forced. Aside from this, Artemis was very well-written, with diverse, almost uncomfortably realistic characters, intriguing (if not particularly compelling) settings, and intricate plots. Although I didn’t enjoy Artemis as much as I’d hoped I would, I can absolutely appreciate the thought that went into it, and give it ⅗ stars. If you’re a fan of realistic sci-fi, breakneck twists, and loads of sarcasm, Artemis is definitely worth a read! @Ayama of the Teen Review Board at the Hamilton Public Library

Great book with more details than most around the science. Written from a female first person perspective. Quick read (~305 pgs ~ 1day) and with the chapters linking nicely without any major jumps in time.

Outstanding science detail, partially eclipsed by meh characters and writing:

Back in 2016, when I was between jobs, I read Andy Weir’s The Martian. That book, among a few things, contributed significantly in rekindling my interest in Astronomy and Space, subsequently leading to several joyful hours of observing and imaging the night sky—not to mention several $$$ of equipment purchase. So I have special regard for Mr. Weir.

In Artemis, his second book, Mr Weir’s attention to science detail and science based problem solving in the plot, are once again outstanding. That of course, is the most important element—why else read sci-fi?—and the reason I give this book four stars. But he regurgitates what feel like the same characters from The Martian in a plot that is less compelling and in many ways ‘made for Hollywood.’

I listened to the audio narrated by Rosario Dawson. I did enjoy her style of narration, but I wasn't as big a fan of the story for Artemis. Set on the moon, there were some references to differences and restrictions for living on the moon, but I kind of wanted more. After reading The Martian and the level of detail in that book, I felt this one was just a little lacking.

Artemis is Weir’s follow up effort to The Martian, his first book and one that was turned into the blockbuster movie with Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain. The main character is Jazz Bashara, a non-practicing Muslim girl from Saudi Arabia who lives with 2,000 other humans in Artemis, the first and only colony on the moon. She’s a low-level criminal with a good heart, an amazing brain, a 100% smart-ass attitude.

This book reminded me a lot of The Martian and Ready Player One, in that they are sort of sci-fi/tech suspense stories. As a reader, I could tell that the female lead character was created by a man, and it was obvious throughout. It wasn’t any less entertaining because of this, but Jazz did seem to me to lack a little depth or nuance. She was a compelling main character, however, and would be a great lead character for a blockbuster movie.

I loved the time and effort Weir committed to creating a realistic world on the moon, addressing politics, economics, and a whole lot of technical detail. The build-up to the climax never really had me on the edge of my seat, however, and besides wanting to see what Jazz's new relationship with her father might look like, I didn't feel like I wanted more when the book ended.

4 / 5 Merritt Badges

I quite enjoyed this novel. The author didn’t put in too much technical/scientific information. That may be interesting for some readers but I was just looking for an interesting story. Andy Weir definitely delivers with this one. And I also enjoyed the section regarding the economics of space travel. I would sign up for this trip myself if I was still around.

👍💕👍😉

This imaginative tale comes from Andy Weir, the author of The Martian. Although it may be another novel in space, it is a different type of story altogether. Set in a city on the moon, we follow the tale of Jazz Bashara, a lowly porter who takes smuggling jobs on the side to make ends meet. She accepts a new job, in the hopes of a big payday to finally change her circumstances in life, but quickly finds herself in way over her head. She seeks out help from an unlikely cast of supporting character—each more interesting than the last. From the immersive setting to the complex characters, this is a compelling tale that is one-part heist and two-parts adventure.