10 things you need to know before reading Artemis

artemis-andy-weir-cover-788×306-2.jpg

Features

10 things you need to know about Andy Weir’s Artemis

A gripping sci-fi thriller from the author of The Martian

Artemis

A twisty, high concept thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of global phenomenon, The Martian

Artemis does for the moon what The Martian did for Mars. His second novel concerns a likeable protagonist in peril, saved by her own resourcefulness, in a tale that leaves readers better informed about science than they were before they read it...Plus the narrator has real charm. There's no question that this novel is going to be a hit

Jazz, Weir’s main character, is a moon-born version of Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander. She is young, rebellious and a petty criminal...Weir’s great strength, as he showed in The Martian, is to make us believe. His future society living inside massive domes built not far from where Armstrong set foot in 1969 is utterly plausible.

Weir has done it again: he’s created a diverse and fantastic new world, filled with eclectic and memorable characters, and woven them into a dazzling work of contemporary science fiction – one that’s chock-full of actual science. Artemis is everything you could hope for in a follow-up to his smash debut The Martian: another smart, fun, fast-paced adventure that you won’t be able to put down, featuring a heroine who’s equal parts Ellen Ripley, Arya Stark, and Jyn Erso. I can’t recommend it enough!

All the things I loved about The Martian are here in spades—the hard science Weir somehow makes accessible and riveting, the masterful, never-see-it-coming plotting, but most of all the voice of his new protagonist, Jazz Bashara—an irreverent, witty, vulnerable heroine, who, just like Mark Watney, is exactly the kind of character you’ll want to spend a book with. With Artemis, Andy Weir has done the impossible—he’s topped The Martian with a sci-fi-noir-thriller set in a city on the moon. What more do you want from life? Go read it!

Weir's great skill, as he already proved with The Martian, is his attention to detail. Artemis is a triumph of imagination

Artemis is more than just a sci-fi caper; it’s also an insight into how humans could exist on the moon — and in space.

Andy Weir is back. His second sci-fi novel, Artemis is an action-packed techno-thriller of the first order.

Jazz Bashara makes for an intriguing protagonist and Artemis is a smart and sharp novel. A sci-fi crowd pleaser made for the big screen

Weir plausibly depicts near-future colonization technology, and showcases the opportunists and laborers who eke out a living in this expensive, precarious habitat.

This exciting, whip-smart thrill-ride boasts a wonderful cast of characters, a wide cultural milieu and the appeal of a striking young woman as the main character...one of the best science fiction novels of the year!

It’s a great read, as much of a page-turner as The Martian was... the characters are engaging, the setting understandable and the pace begins fast and continues throughout to the end.

A fast-moving heist set on the Moon

Artemis is a fantastic view into what it would be like to live and work on the lunar landscape, wrapped up in smart and gripping novel. A must-read for any future lunar dwellers.

Artemis is the book that proves Weir is the heir to the mantle of classic science fiction master. An addictive, fast-paced read, perfect for a long journey or a bit of daily escapism. If you're after a moon adventure...book a flight to Artemis today.

Narrated by a kick-ass leading lady, this thriller has it all – a smart plot, laugh-out-loud funny moments, and really cool science. A four-star read

A superior near-future thriller...the sophisticated world building incorporates politics and economics, as well as scientifically plausible ways for a small city to function on the lunar surface. The independent, wisecracking lead could easily sustain a series. Weir leavens the hard SF with a healthy dose of humour.

Revitalizes the Lunar-colony scenario, with the author’s characteristic blend of engineering know-how and survival suspense...Jazz is a great heroine, tough with a soft core, crooked with inner honesty

Artemis stands on its own as an enjoyable thriller...especially as tension mounts towards the end. It's an easy read, and Weir's introduction of plenty of thought-through science and engineering makes it a pleasure for those who like their science fiction as close as possible to physical reality

Weir's action-packed second novel stars tough antihero Jasmine (Jazz) Bashara and offers a gratifyingly thrilling plot (two words: moon heist) while providing enough hard science that you'll finish the book feeling like an expert in metallurgy, lunar surface exploration and the limitations of EVA suits

a breezy, propulsive read…Weir has set an action-adventure in space, where a resourceful protagonist improvises scientific solutions to escalating dangers

Andy Weir does for the Moon in Artemis what he did for Mars in The Martian – that is, he incorporates a solid mix of known technology and science with a bit of tech-fiction to further enhance a great story. In this case…it’s a great caper.

An entertaining read for space geeks, and a strong follow-up to The Martian.

A hit like The Martian is hard to follow-up, but it seems Andy Weir has no trouble keeping the good ideas coming, producing another yet novel with realistic hard science and entertaining adventure…a speculative genre that blends thrilling adventure and fun with realistic and believable science… The action crescendos and doesn’t stop until we reach a boiling point in the climax, giving rise to some of the most intense chapters I’ve ever read, with the added bonus of making you want to fistpump the air yelling, ‘GO SCIENCE!’

[A] riveting space adventure…grounded in science, but…wrapped around the tale of a crime and set at the first and only city on the moon

Weir has done so much research and put so much thought into his new story, he makes what’s currently impossible sound possible

Set in Artemis, a city on the moon, this thriller by the author of The Martian features a young woman caught in a high-stakes criminal plot. Plus fun science-based details of moon-living logistics

A fun page-turner which should appeal to fans of sci-fi, not to mention anyone who digs a good caper

a lively read that combines some of The Martian’s space-science themes with elements of political intrigue, heist plotting, a dash of neo-noir, and…the economic implications of lunar colonization—all with some comedy throughout

After managing to bring hard, accurate science to the masses with The Martian, Andy Weir cuts loose with a lunar-set heist caper that should both please those who enjoy his attention and those who fell for his obvious ability to spin an entertaining yarn. The city of Artemis is meticulously constructed...it's a living, breathing place that's fun to explore and Jazz makes for an excellent guide. A SF thriller that wants you to have fun and it delivers

Weir has written yet another clever and action-fuelled story packed with the author's trademark wry humour and fast-paced science. Artemis is pure entertainment - a fun and adventurous book brimming with wit, intelligence and ingenuity

Weir excels when it comes to geeky references, snarky humour and scenes of ingenious scientific problem-solving

Andy Weir built a two-decade career as a software engineer until the success of his first published novel, The Martian, allowed him to live out his dream of writing full-time. He is a lifelong space nerd and a devoted hobbyist of such subjects as relativistic physics, orbital mechanics, and the history of manned spaceflight. He also mixes a mean cocktail. He lives in California.

Ever had a bad day? Try having one on the moon... 
 
'Fascinating' Tim Peake, Sunday Times bestselling author of Ask an Astronaut 
______________________ 
WELCOME TO ARTEMIS. The first city on the moon. 
Population 2,000. Mostly tourists. 
Some criminals. 
 
Jazz Bashara is one of the criminals. She lives in a poor area of Artemis and subsidises her work as a porter with smuggling contraband onto the moon. But it's not enough. 
 
So when she's offered the chance to make a lot of money she jumps at it. But though planning a crime in 1/6th gravity may be more fun, it's also a lot more dangerous. 
 
When you live on the moon, of course you have a dark side... 
______________________ 
Andy Weir's new stunning science-based thriller PROJECT HAIL MARY is available now. 
______________________ 
What everyone's saying about the follow-up to The Martian: 
 
'A smart, fun, fast-paced adventure that you won't be able to put down' Ernest Cline, bestselling author of Ready Player One 
 
'What a page turner!' Milda on Goodreads, 5 stars 
 
'Fast paced, high octane and highly entertaining' Chrys on Netgalley, 5 stars 
 
'Artemis does for the moon what The Martian did for Mars' Guardian 
 
'A first rate thriller, this had me hooked from beginning to end' Robert on Netgalley, 5 stars 
 
'An absolute must read' Lauren on Goodreads, 5 stars 
 
'A clever and action-fuelled story' Culturefly 
 
'For those who loved The Martian, you won't be disappointed' Liz on Netgalley, 5 stars

Young Readers Edition

The Martian

A Young Readers Edition of the Number 1 Sunday Times bestselling phenomenon.

Watney's gallows humour and his brushes with death as he uses every ounce of his intelligence and astronaut's training to claw his way out of the pit will have you laughing and gasping by turns. I read this book in a weekend. I didn't think I'd have the time to - but Andy Weir's edge-of-the-seat storytelling didn't leave me any choice.

Richard Madeley, Richard and Judy Book Club

Andy Weir's terrific 'lost in space' novel is an absolute page turner from first to last ... Tautly-written, full of extraordinary and fascinating detail about life in a frozen red desert so far from home, The Martian is one of the best thrillers either of us has read in years. Highly recommended.

Judy Finnigan, Richard and Judy Book Club

The best book I've read in ages. Clear your schedule before you crack the seal. This story will take your breath away faster than a hull breech. Smart, funny, and white-knuckle intense, The Martian is everything you want from a novel.

New York Times bestselling author of Wool

In the Young Readers Edition of The Martian: 
 
Classroom-appropriate language 
Discussion questions and activities 
Q&amp;A with Andy Weir 
 
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. 
 
Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. 
 
After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive – and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. 
 
Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. Damaged machinery, the unforgiving environment, or plain old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. 
 
But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit, he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

The international bestseller behind the Oscar-winning blockbuster film

A high concept thriller and genre busting classic, now a major motion picture starring Matt Damon

Accomplished…believable but suspenseful as [Watney] battles against the odds for survival

like Gravity meets Robinson Crusoe – utterly nail-biting and memorable.

A book I just couldn’t put down! It has the very rare combination of a good, original story, interestingly real characters and fascinating technical accuracy…reads like MacGyver meets Mysterious Island.

Commander of the International Space Station and author of An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth

The amount of research here is astounding. We’re suckers for well-grounded fiction, and on the technical side, The Martian is exemplary ... witty ... funny

The Martian kicked my ass! Weir has crafted a relentlessly entertaining and inventive survival thriller, a MacGyver-trapped-on-Mars tale that feels just as real and harrowing as the true story of Apollo 13.

New York Times bestselling author of Ready Player One

Weir’s debut is easily the best SF novel of the year so far

An impressively geeky debut novel ... the technical details keep the story relentlessly precise and the suspense ramped up

Strong, resilient, and gutsy. It's Robinson Crusoe on Mars, 21st century style. Set aside a chunk of free time when you start this one. You're going to need it because you won't want to put it down.

Think Apollo 13 ... on Mars! ... A saga of courage, ingenuity and humour - and utterly convincing thanks to superb research. The best space disaster story since Clarke's A Fall of Moondust.

jaw-clenchingly gripping ... a modern-day Apollo13

Brilliant…a celebration of human ingenuity [and] the purest example of real-science sci-fi for many years…Utterly compelling.

Don’t be put off thinking this is a sci-fi book – it’s so much more than that. Utterly brilliant.

One of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time, an incredible story about an astronaut marooned on Mars. This is no science fiction tale: the technology is beautifully researched and based on what is currently envisioned for a manned flight to Mars. It feels so real it could almost be nonfiction, and yet it has the narrative drive and power of a rocket launch. This is Apollo 13 times ten. I could not put this book down.

#1 New York Times bestselling author of Impact and Blasphemy

Gripping…shapes up like Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe as written by someone brighter.

Larry Niven, multiple Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author of the Ringworld series and Lucifer’s Hammer

The tension simply never lets up, from the first page to the last, and at no point does the believability falter for even a second. You can't shake the feeling that this could all really happen.

Patrick Lee, New York Times bestselling author of The Breach and Ghost Country

Weir has fashioned in Mark Watney one of the most appealing, funny and resourceful characters in recent fiction ... gripping

one of the best survival stories you’ll ever read (think Robinson Crusoe on Mars only more extreme).

Sharp, funny and thrilling, with just the right amount of geekery.

Apollo 13-meets-Robinson-Crusoe-on-Mars, and I guess for those who enjoyed the films Gravity or Moon, this one will be a literary equivalent ... I was, in the end, totally won over by this book in its celebration of how humans can deal with anything the harshness of science and extreme environments can pose, and it kept me reading longer than I meant to

one of the most thrilling and absorbing novels I have ever read

Riveting...a tightly constructed and completely believable story of a man's ingenuity and strength in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

Weir combines the heart-stopping with the humorous in this brilliant debut novel... the perfect mix of action and space adventure.

An exciting, insightful science- based tale [that] kept me turning the pages to see what ingenious solution our hero would concoct to survive yet anotherimpossible dilemma

_________________________ 
A survival story for the 21st century and the international bestseller behind the major film from Ridley Scott, starring Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain. 
 
I'm stranded on Mars. 
 
I have no way to communicate with Earth. 
 
I'm in a habitat designed to last 31 days. 
 
If the oxygenator breaks down, I'll suffocate. If the water reclaimer breaks down, I'll die of thirst. If the hab breaches, I'll just kind of explode. If none of those things happen, I'll eventually run out of food and starve to death. 
 
So yeah. I'm screwed. 
 
Andy Weir's second novel Artemis is now available, and his latest novel Project Hail Mary is now available for preorder. 
_________________________ 
 
'A saga of courage, ingenuity and humour... utterly convincing' STEPHEN BAXTER

Andy Weir

Brilliantly funny and enjoyable. One of the plausible science fiction books I've ever read

Warm-hearted, surprising, unputdownable . . . The ultimate page turner

If you like a lot of science in your science fiction, Andy Weir is the writer for you . . . This one has everything fans of old school SF (like me) love.

Life-affirming [and] wonderfully well conceived

Weir's finest work to date . . . This is the one book I read last year that I am certain I can recommend to anyone, no matter who, and know they'll love it.

The most enjoyable hard SF I ave read in years: funny, well plotted and full of surprises.

One of the most original, compelling, and fun voyages I've ever taken. Weir imbues every page of this rollicking adventure with an unabashed love and respect for science, while giving us a prescient glimpse of where it could take us and how it might save us.

Andy Weir's brilliant Project Hail Mary...is one of those stirring sci-fi novels about every government on Earth banding together, through science, to save civilization from collapse. I loved it.

[Weir] has a gift for making astrophysics and the like not just painless but fascinating . . . hard to put down.

Charting the desperate last-chance mission of a lone astronaut to safeguard our planet, Project Hail Mary is a riveting interstellar adventure

Undisputedly the best book I've read in a very, very long time. Mark my words: Project Hail Mary is destined to become a classic.

Andy Weir proves once again that he is a singular talent. Project Hail Mary is so fascinating and propulsive that it's downright addictive. From the first page as Ryland wakes up not knowing who or where he is, I was hooked

Taylor Jenkins Reid, Sunday Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six

As gripping and cleverly constructed as The Martian but with a stunning twist, Project Hail Mary is a brilliantly nerdy thriller about the things we all have in common.

Intricate and filled with hairpin turns and reversals

A smart, unpredictable novel that makes for highly recommended summer reading

This joyous space romp is a smart and satisfying ode to the power of science and the ties that bind us.

[I]f it ain't broke, don't fix it, especially when it's as much fun as Project Hail Mary.

Weir returns with gusto . . . his writing flows naturally, and his characters and dialogue crackle with energy. With this novel, he takes his place as a genuine star in the mainstream SF world.

A suspenseful portrait of human ingenuity and resilience [that] builds to an unexpectedly moving ending. A winner.

Fun, fast and oh so factual. It's perfect if you're a fan of smart people solving their problems by being smart . . . A book that will undoubtedly be seen circling the book clubs and coffee tables of even the most casual fiction fans, but that shouldn't detract from the fact that it is a passionate sci-fi, where even the most hardcore readers can enjoy its bounty of philosophical predicaments and technical takeaways

An unforgettable story of survival and the power of friendship - nothing short of a science-fiction masterwork.

The Martian author Andy Weir returns with another space-survival saga, chocka dense with dry scientific debate, but also humour, humanity, a nourish case of memory loss and a credible injection of fantasy.

Science and fiction in near-perfect harmony . . . Few novels are such a brilliant advert for STEM. Science-ing the shit" out of a problem is what [Weir] is best at.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING NOVEL 
A BARRACK OBAMA READING PICK 
SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING RYAN GOSLING 
 
A lone astronaut. 
An impossible mission. 
An ally he never imagined. 
 
'The most enjoyable hard SF I have read in years' GUARDIAN 
 
'Weir's finest work to date. . . This is the one book I read last year that I am certain I can recommend to anyone, no matter who, and know they'll love it.' BRANDON SANDERSON 
 
'If you like a lot of science in your science fiction, Andy Weir is the writer for you. . . This one has everything fans of old school SF (like me) love.' GEORGE R.R. MARTIN 
 
'Brilliantly funny and enjoyable. One of the most plausible science fiction books I've ever read' TIM PEAKE, astronaut 
________________________________________ 
 
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission - and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish. 
 
Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. 
 
All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company. 
 
His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it's up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery-and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species. 
 
And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he's got to do it all alone. 
 
Or does he? 
 
An irresistible interstellar adventure as only Andy Weir could imagine it, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian -- while taking us to places it never dreamed of going. 
________________________________________ 
'One of the most original, compelling, and fun voyages I've ever taken.' ERNEST CLINE, author of Ready Player One and Ready Player Two 
 
'Undisputedly the best book I've read in a very, very long time. Mark my words: Project Hail Mary is destined to become a classic.' BLAKE CROUCH 
 
'Andy Weir's brilliant Project Hail Mary...is one of those stirring sci-fi novels about every government on Earth banding together, through science, to save civilisation from collapse. I loved it.' THE TIMES 
 
'A suspenseful portrait of human ingenuity and resilience [that] builds to an unexpectedly moving ending. A winner.' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 
 
'Weir returns with gusto . . . his writing flows naturally, and his characters and dialogue crackle with energy. With this novel, he takes his place as a genuine star in the mainstream SF world.' BOOKLIST

Andy Weir

Praise for Project Hail Mary

Brilliantly funny and enjoyable. One of the plausible science fiction books I've ever read

Warm-hearted, surprising, unputdownable . . . The ultimate page turner

If you like a lot of science in your science fiction, Andy Weir is the writer for you . . . This one has everything fans of old school SF (like me) love.

Brilliantly funny and enjoyable. One of the plausible science fiction books I've ever read

Warm-hearted, surprising, unputdownable . . . The ultimate page turner

If you like a lot of science in your science fiction, Andy Weir is the writer for you . . . This one has everything fans of old school SF (like me) love.

Brilliantly funny and enjoyable. One of the plausible science fiction books I've ever read

Warm-hearted, surprising, unputdownable . . . The ultimate page turner

If you like a lot of science in your science fiction, Andy Weir is the writer for you . . . This one has everything fans of old school SF (like me) love.

Books by Andy Weir

Articles featuring Andy Weir

10 things you need to know about Andy Weir’s Artemis

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter