(My thanks to NetGalley!).

So I chose to read this book because it seemed like a good science fiction story about a group of astronauts doing a hyperrealistic trip to Mars. Is it real? Is it a simulation? This book was billed as "The Martian meets Station Eleven" - both books I really enjoyed. Though, really, this book shouldn't be compared to The Martian and Station Eleven because, well, those books were exciting and packed with action. The Wanderers isn't an exciting sci-fi action/adventure/survival story. It's 99% Human Angst and 1% sci-fi. The "is it real, or is it a simulation?" takes up a surprisingly little amount of the plot. The plot is mostly people thinking about their feelings. This wouldn't have been so bad if it was a small part of the story, with the focus being on the real/not real. Except it's not. This is more a literary novel about humanity. Not a story about whether or not astronauts went to Mars. Since I was expecting a action/adventure/survival story with lots of character like The Martian and Station Eleven, I was left disappointed. I was in the mood for adventures in space, not "The Personal Thoughts and Feelings of the Cosmonaut's Son who Hooks Up With Random Strangers" or "The Rambling and Nonsensical Thoughts of the Japanese Astronaut's Wife who Doesn't Get Other People."

That's not to say this book is bad - it's well-written and Howrey really gets into each of the character's heads - it just wasn't what I expected. Unfortunately, I went in to this book looking for a completely different story than what I got. Don't pick up this book if you're in the mood for Space Adventures. Grab this book if you're in the mood for a complex look at the nature of humanity and the lives of the families of astronauts.

Also, don't hold out hope for definitive answers, either. Howrey keeps things purposefully a little vague, so if you're looking for absolute answers and resolutions, this might not be the book for you.

The blurb for this book is "Station Eleven meets The Martian," which set the bar quite high as those were two of my favorite books of the last few years. Plot-wise the blurb is not really quite on target - this book is about 3 astronauts preparing for the first manned mission to Mars. But it does give you a feel for the vibe of the book, which is literary, realistic fiction set in a near-future world. Not so much a thriller as a character study, but what a beautifully written and interesting character study it was. 4.5 stars.

Started reading it but didn't capture my attention enough to continue the story. Very dull.

Last weekend I had made preparations to be able to fully emerge myself into a wonderful story... But what I found was a completely different experience. First of all, I really feel The Wanderers suffers from false advertisement. Why? It's being compared to The Martian (which is one of my all time favorite stories), and the two books just couldn't have been more different. I think I won't be the only one to pick up this novel expecting something else, which is a shame because the right target group might enjoy this story a lot better than I did. The Wanderers is more about the psychological effects of the three astronauts who are TRAINING for a mission to Mars (yes, they don't even go to Mars), and talks mostly about feelings, relationships and what effects such a mission can have on both the astronauts and their family. The story did started to grow on me later on, but I have to be honest to myself and say I don't think I would have made it to that part if this wouldn't have been an ARC. The writing is interesting, but a bit dense and combined with the slow pace it was quite a struggle to get through this book. I had also mixed experiences with the main characters. What I liked is that they represented a multi-cultural group and the diversity in characters is a huge bonus. The psychological effects of the long term Mars mission simulation are probably the most intriguing part of The Wanderers, but that doesn't mean I actually liked every character. All in all not at all what I was expecting.

The Wanderers by Meg Howrey is a highly recommended novel exploring the psychology of a Mars mission on the astronauts and their families.

Aerospace giant Prime Space has chosen three astronauts for its upcoming mission to Mars. Helen Kane, Yoshihiro Tanaka, and Sergei Kuznetsov have been selected for the mission, but first they must undergo a 17-month realistic simulation in the Utah desert in an operation known as Eidolon. This simulation will force the three to endure both the physical and emotional pressures of what the trip might entail for the crew. Not only are their technical, physical, and interpersonal skills tested, they are also under constant surveillance by the Prime Space’s team of "obbers" as are their family members. As their time in isolation increases both astronauts and family members question the stories they chose to tell and what is being told to them.

The Wanderers explores the psychological aspects of a long mission to Mars on both astronauts and family members. The narrative focuses on what all of the characters are thinking. Not only do we have the distinct voices of Helen, Yoshihiro, and Sergei, but also Mireille (Helen's daughter), Madoka (Yoshi's wife), and Dmitri (Sergei's 16-year-old son), and a member of the "obbers."

What we have here is a character study of all the people involved rather than a science fiction novel. It is well written and there is an incredible depth of insight into the characters, making them complex, realistic people. Two important things to note are that not all the characters stories have closure and the novel does feel a bit slow at times.

While the psychological insight and exploration of the different characters is interesting, what drew me to this title was the phrase "Station Eleven meets The Martian." Since these are two novels I loved and both were in my top ten lists for their publication years, I was sure The Wanderers would be a winner. While the writing is certainly good and the insight interesting, the novel was done a disservice with the comparison to these other two novels. I will admit that I felt let down. Probably a 3.5 rounded up

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of the Penguin Publishing group.
on 3/8/17 http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1933962759
on Amazon and B&N after publication date

This book tried too hard to be something that it just wasn't. I found myself flipping ahead just to get to the end.

This novel is being touted as Station Eleven meets The Martian. My advice is to disregard those comparisons, which are not accurate and enjoy this book on it's own merits. In this novel, space exploration is becoming more corporate and less governmental and Prime is set to send a team of three astronauts to Mars in four years. In the meantime, they have undertaken to do a full simulation on Earth of the mission, throwing simulated troubles in the way of the astronauts and see what aspects need to be tweaked before liftoff. The plot, in many ways, is beside the point. This is not a fast-paced thrill ride of Science Fiction. Underscored by that fact that all of the action is merely a simulation and not really happening, the meat and potatoes of this book is in the characters. We meet the three members of the crew, a member of their ground crew, and their closest family members. The tension between those who go and those who stay, committing to relationships and committing to occupations are at the forefront. The narrative shifts POV among these characters throughout the novel. Recommended.

I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!

I don't know what to think about this book, for one I appreciate it's focus on the psychological aspect of the human mind when it's pushed to the extreme and all that this entails on a physical level as well. The main characters are in a simulation for most of the book , they are training to go to Mars and need to spend time together in a fake landing to see if they are psychologically prepared for the real thing , you can see how they are pressured and how they bend but not break, you get to see their personal lives and all the characters that it entails. But I can honestly said that while all of that is appreciated by me , I did not have fun reading this one .... it was too technical to be fiction and too internally focused to be a non fiction book..... maybe I wasn't the right person to read this .... But if you are looking for another "The martian" ,(as I was ) this is not it!.

The only common elements between The Wanderers and The Martian are that they both involve astronauts and Mars.

This book follows three astronauts, Helen Kane, Sergei Kuznetsov, and Yoshi Tanaka, as they embark on a seventeen month simulation to Mars for Prime Space. Assuming all goes well, they will partake in the first ever trip to Mars following the simulation.

This book also follows Helen's daughter, Mireille, Sergei's son, Dmitri, Yoshi's wife, Madoka, and a member of Prime Space, Luke. These perspectives show how the choice of the astronauts to be in space affect them and their everyday lives.

This is a deeply introspective novel more so than a space/sci-fi novel that it is portrayed. The language can be very formal at times, which sometimes works and other times doesn't. I also personally thought some of the additional perspectives, such as Dmitri, were unnecessary and didn't add anything. Honestly, I would've preferred more from the astronauts and less/none of everyone else.

I really just want to know whether they actually went to Mars.

Thinking this is a sci-fi or dystopian book is an error. This a a sociological and psychological supposition into the lives (and by extension the lives of their families) of three astronauts preparing for a spaceflight to Mars. This is an in depth thought collection of the feelings of those involved contrasting who they think they are with who they perceive they are and who they are perceived to be. We all have a public facade that we show the world and few are allowed inside to see us as we truly are.At times we have no clue who we are. I personally found little story-line to this book and quickly tired of the character introspection especially the sexual fantasy of the different characters, even the children). I was unable to finish the book because the ramblings did not interest me; but if you enjoy reading deep introspection -go for it!

Selling this as The Martian crossed with Station Eleven is unfair, they are two of my all time favourite books and this isn't even close to being a patch on either of them. The writing was nice but also very cold, this book stripped away the humour of The Martian and provided the reader with bland character studies. I like a good character focused novel but this was not my type of character study and it's being mis-sold and mis-marketed as something it's not (i.e. as being for fans of hard science fiction) and is likely targeting the wrong audience as a result.

I'm about 3.5 stars here.

Aerospace behemoth Prime Space, which has made its presence known in NASA's waning years, has a plan to put the first humans on Mars in four years. The company has selected the perfect crew for this mission—Helen Kane, Sergei Kuznetsov, and Yoshihiro Tanaka—each of them leaders in their own country's space program who have participated on the International Space Station. The three are chosen for their complementary skills, personalities, and backgrounds, which should mesh perfectly during their mission.

Given the risky nature of their mission, the three will spend 17 months in the Utah wilderness in an amazingly realistic simulation of every aspect of the mission, from launch to the return home. Prime Space's Mission Control will throw everything they can at the crew, from equipment malfunctions, atmospheric anomalies, personal crises, even imminent failure, to observe their actions and reactions in order to determine what things will need to be tweaked when the actual mission rolls around.

Beyond the mechanics of their journey into space, Helen, Sergei, and Yoshi are observed by Prime Space's team of "obbers" around the clock, who monitor not only their physical reactions to situations they are thrown into, but their psychological, emotional, and interpersonal relationships and interactions as well, even how they react to the messages they receive from their own family and friends. And the "obbers" aren't just watching them, they're also watching those closest to them—Helen's daughter, Sergei's sons, and Yoshi's wife—each of whom has their own challenges, both related and unrelated to their family members' imminent journey to Mars.

To spend this much time in close proximity with each other and know that you are being watched around the clock is challenging, yet the three are determined to present the most stable personas to those watching, those who could make the decision to bounce them from the real mission. Yet as the simulated mission proceeds, each faces their own doubts, fears, and regrets, and even struggle with the concept of what is truly real and what is being simulated to test them. Meanwhile, their family members are dealing with their own epiphanies, and how they feel about the absence of their loved ones.

For a book under 400 pages, at times The Wanderers has an almost sweeping, epic feel, as it covers weighty topics such as travel to other planets, the issue of personal legacy, and how astronauts are forced to cope with the double-edged sword of wanting to be there for their families yet constantly wanting to push the boundaries of exploration. But at other times it feels very intimate, as the astronauts deal with their personal feelings of fear, paranoia, regret, loss, and confusion.

There's a lot going on in this book—sometimes that works, and sometimes it doesn't. The book shifts perspective among the crew members, as well as Helen's daughter, Yoshi's wife, and one of Sergei's sons, and a member of the "obbers." I honestly think the book could have been equally as powerful without the family members' perspectives, because apart from one instance, the stories never really got closure. At times the book gets weighted down with technical speak, but luckily that doesn't last long, because the power of this novel truly comes from each of the astronauts, their self-discovery, and their interactions with one another.

I've been a fan of Meg Howrey since her very first novel, Blind Sight (see my review), and you can tell she did a tremendous amount of research to make this book feel authentic. But what I loved most were her storytelling, the complexity of her characters, and the imagery she uses. I thought the pacing of the book was a bit slow, but at its heart the story was very compelling.

NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

Howrey's latest--after The Cranes Dance and Blind Sight, both of which I ALSO loved, and so clearly I need to pay more attention to this author--is an excellent, excellent literary novel about a trio of cosmonauts training for a mission to Mars--and the families they're isolated from. Just totally gripping, compelling, interesting, engrossing, and every other adjective that means I didn't want to put this down. I mean, this is much more psychological than action-packed, but it is not any less fascinating for that (and maybe more so). I have not read The Martian and so can't compare them, but I definitely highly recommend this. A.

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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will released in March.

The wanderers is a deep character study of the astronauts who are living in the most detailed simulation ever as they prepare for interplanetary space exploration . As the crew in simulation and their families live through 17 month shakedown, Ms.Howrey explores the crew's psyches,personalities motivations and fantasies as they are affected by the "voyage"as well as their family members live teir lives in the real world.Her science is mostly spot on but it is merely a framework on which to hang character explorations.This is not a space adventure in the vein of The Martian nor is it traditional science fiction .But the author follows the crew with wit and insight

DNF @32%

Went into this story really excited about the concept, a mission to Mars. The first human to go to Mars. Bu ultimately this ended up to give me the impression of an extremely slow plot, where there is just analyzing of family life and four years of preparation ahead of the astronauts. I tried to get into this multiple times over a full week, and sadly was not invested enough with the story to continue.

If I picked one word to describe this book it would be "sedate."

Sedate and introspective aren't necessarily what I look for in a space-themed book. That is what I got in THE WANDERERS.

This is a tale of three astronauts - one American female, a Japanese male, and a male Russian - who have been chosen to go through the ultimate simulation exercise. They will be out in the Utah desert for 17 months simulating the first ever manned space flight to Mars.

They were chosen for their compatibility and their love of space.

There are a few interesting nuggets of space flight information included with the story but what the reader really gets is in-depth character studies of the astronauts AND some of the family members "left behind."

The story is well-written and mostly kept my interest but I was hoping for more action and excitement.

I'm glad I read the story but will not keep it for my library and re-read it at intervals.

I received this book from Putnam Books through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.

After I read "The Cranes Dance" Meg Howrey immediately became one of my favorite writers, and now, after reading "The Wanderers" my opinion of her work has only grown. The world she has created in this book shows us an exceptional group of explorers in Helen, Sergei and Yoshihiro, and the author's ability to create a magical merging of the inner and outer space of their world makes this a very special book.

A exceptionally space opera about memory, family, and passion. Measured & lyrical; beautifully written prose.

A private space exploration company is mounting a manned mission to Mars. Before they send a team for real, they plan an elaborate training event that will as closely as possible match the conditions and potential problems the team might face in the real mission. The ordeal, though simulated, is no less dramatic for the astronauts, their families, and the crew. The lines between fiction and reality become blurred and none of the participants is left unchanged. Part literary fiction, part sci-fi, all amazing.