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I just couldn't help mentioning my book, Proteus Rising, since we're talking about a trip to Mars. Proteus is about genetic engineering and Artificial Intelligence in a hard SF novel with sociological overtones. I was a scientist, and often got frustrated by NASA's manned space program--which often times seems to have nothing more to offer than the images of people in space doing busy work. When asked why spend billions on manned space, NASA seems to have no more vision than to resurrect hackneyed sound bites about "man's exploratory nature." That may be true, but it isn't sufficiently compelling to spend hundreds of billions on manned space as opposed to sending robots, which most scientists prefer.

I thought the most compelling case for manned space could best be encapsulated in a novel--show don't tell. In Proteus, I present my own vision of what the next stage in human expansion could offer--options not available on a crowded world with limited resources. You can't live by proxy, and that's the best argument against robots only.

Anyway, anyone interested in my vision of human life on Mars, go to:

Speculative Fiction Review (or visit my site)

You can download the first four chapters for free in PDF format.

I think the Kim Stanley Robinson books on Mars are a pretty good speculation on the mars concept. There are a lot of problems with going to mars though, with death from radiation poisoning on route being the most obvious, though I am sure that with enough time, money, and intellect, its not an insurmountable one. I'd say that when and if a mission is launched it will be a joint effort involving everyone with a space program and money, so NASA of course, the Russians, us Europeans, the Chinese, the Japanese will all be involved, its going to be an incredible adventure when it happens, but not a cheap one. Of course as a scientific person, my opinion is that it is worth it, as we'd only waste the money on something nasty and dangerous otherwise (as we always seem to do).

I will check out your chapters when I get the time.

You're right, Kim Stanley Robinson's three Mars books were pretty good. Recently, if you want a real, documentary style blow-by-blow account of a Mars trip, check out Gregory Benford's "Mars Race." Proteus Rising doesn't deal with the initial settlement of Mars as these other books do, it takes place in 2331, when a vast settlement is a reality, issues such as you described, i.e. radiation, low gravity, lack of an atmosphere, and lack of a planetary magnetic field have been settled through engineering as well as genetic enhancement. The story is mostly concerned with a new, genetically different Martian race who are, as you describe, the descendents of most of the Earth's current people. The crux of the story is sociological, and the consequences of the environment that force major changes in the human race. I think that if Mars is ever settled, these will be the most profound outcomes.

Specfiction;503652 wrote: You're right, Kim Stanley Robinson's three Mars books were pretty good. Recently, if you want a real, documentary style blow-by-blow account of a Mars trip, check out Gregory Benford's "Mars Race." Proteus Rising doesn't deal with the initial settlement of Mars as these other books do, it takes place in 2331, when a vast settlement is a reality, issues such as you described, i.e. radiation, low gravity, lack of an atmosphere, and lack of a planetary magnetic field have been settled through engineering as well as genetic enhancement. The story is mostly concerned with a new, genetically different Martian race who are, as you describe, the descendents of most of the Earth's current people. The crux of the story is sociological, and the consequences of the environment that force major changes in the human race. I think that if Mars is ever settled, these will be the most profound outcomes.


Okay, I will certainly have a look at your work, it sounds interesting. And indeed some of the things you describe could develop as issues, should the colonization of mars involve these ideas when it does happen. Thanks for the info.

I made the time period 2331 because applicability of science always lags discovery. For example, Clarke's 2001. Although we've been to the moon in the late 60's, nothing has happened since then. Minsky said that we'd have thinking computers in the 1980's-90's--like HAL in 2001--hasn't happened. That doesn't mean it can't happen--like deep genetic engineering of people--but it means that both the technologic methodology and the social and political systems don't move very quickly. I made the setting Mars because I think it will be a frontier setting, with urgent priorities, that will permit such large changes.

The most interesting aspect of expanding into space (if it happens) will be the movement of society, politically as well as culturally. Proteus is at its core an optimistic story even though it's ripe with conflict--I hope if it happens, we are sufficiently strong to take the high road.