This may be the best book I've read so far this year. An outstanding work of science fiction - incredibly compelling storyline and three dimensional characters. I haven't read any of the previous books and was frankly surprised there were others - that is too say, this book can definitely stand on its own. The technological advances of society were fascinating and believable; the AI entity definitely gave a "2001" Hal vibe; the question of mental health, internal chip manipulation, "immersive" memory, or someone masterfully controlling things kept me constantly guessing and wondering what it could be. Dr. Anna Kubrin's self evaluation of her depression and disconnect with being a mother were so so refreshing in a world where women are still made to feel that giving birth can be their only purpose and must be the source of supreme happiness.

Everything about this book was fantastic, will look forward to other books by this author.

I'm finding that scifi these days are running together. Its hard for me to get into something that seems like it has been done a million times. With this book, I felt like it was the same old same old. I was neither here nor there with it and frankly, I can't even give a good review, because I wasn't invested in the story.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Another excellent story from Ms. Newman, set in the same future history narrative as two others, but all can be read and appreciated on their own without confusion. She is very good at creating characters you can care about even when they aren't the most noble or sympathetic.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Upon landing on Mars, geologist/artist Anna Kubrin is immediately suspicious of her surroundings after spotting a series of ominous clues scattered in and around her Martian research facility. She’s unable to ascertain whether she is actually in danger or if it is all a paranoid delusion. Either way, she’s at risk, but nothing will keep her from uncovering the truth.

This was a wonderfully captivating read that I really enjoyed. Author Emma Newman has a masterful way of imbuing her protagonists with vulnerability and emotional depth. It is clear, based on her dedication and acknowledgements, that Newman’s own personal experiences greatly shaped and informed how she painted Anna in this novel, which adds a refreshing layer of authenticity to the narrative. The first half of the novel focuses heavily on Anna and the life she left behind on Earth. At times, the story is bogged down by her internal monologue and crippling self-doubt, but this serves to establish the character and makes way for a strong second half filled with the story beats and action that I knew was waiting to be unveiled.

Although less haunting than Planetfall (2015) and featuring a less complex crime story than After Atlas (2016), Before Mars is a compelling mystery box novel and a worthy addition to the Planetfall universe. With three books released and another on the way, Newman is crafting a superb series of interconnected works, with each subsequent book sprouting a new narrative thread while building upon the stories of the previous books. These books have been excellent and each new one I devour further solidifies their must-read status for me. I hope the story continues well beyond the next installment that is due next year.

(Disclaimer: I received this free book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

This seemed to me very similar in plots to a variety of other books I've recently read. It was like The Martian meets The Girl on the Train. It felt like while it took place on Mars, a lot of the actual action or page time in the book was devoted to the character's mindframe and the suspense. Don't get me wrong, there were some great questions about technology, which I'll get to below, but the suspense and characters sort of over powered the book. Anna is a great character, but I'm totally biased. I love when mothers portray a different image of motherhood than what we expect. For Anna, it wasn't this instant love connection with her child, and there are real struggles and challenges she has with being a mother. I almost skipped from these sections because they were fascinating.

(There's a bunch of "crazy" words thrown around. Mostly because Anna can be paranoid and the suspense. But still seemed insensitive).

My main concern with this book was pacing. It felt like there would be tons of suspense, then all introspection, then a tiny bit more suspense, and then repeat. It didn't feel fluid and it felt more like being jerked around.

At the time I requested this I hadn't realized this was book 3 in a series. I am unable to provide a review at this time.

I enjoyed this space adventure even without having read the two previous books in the Planetfall series. Normally the first person narrative is not my favorite style of novel but in this case it was necessary so readers can follow the thought processes as Dr. Anna Kubrin works her way through her feelings for those she left behind on Earth and her new associations with the crew of Mars Principa. The travel time between Earth and Mars is months long and Anna was alone. She spent much of her time in mersives, maybe too much time for her mental health. Anna cannot understand some of the unusual incidents she begins to experience as soon as she leaves the transport ship and joins the crew members of the base.

Mars Principa is the name of both the base and the AI that runs it for the GaborCorp. Anna and her husband both worked for Gabor when she found herself fast-tracked to a place on the next shuttle to the planet because of her work designation of geologist, but perhaps more as an artist who will paint the Mars landscape and therefore provide more profit for the GaborCorp bottom line. Not everyone at the base is glad to see Anna filling a spot on Mars, but would anyone truly want to harm her? The mysteries around Anna and the footprint she finds in a previously unexplored portion of the Mars surface lead to a very well constructed story filled with one surprise after another. The ending of this book does not feel like it is the final book of a trilogy so I think the Planetfall series will continue.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group Ace for a digital galley of this book.

I've been tremendously enjoying Emma Newman's Planetfall trilogy, and it's possible that this is my favorite book by her so far. The themes of how our mental well-being is influenced by our world, how technology connects us and how far to trust it, and how end-stage capitalism might work all carry through in this novel.

OCD and anxiety were part of her main characters' mindset in the books earlier in the series. This time, we get to explore whether paranoia doesn't mean that they really aren't out to get you.

The main character, Anna Kubrin, is a geologist and an artist. She arrives on Mars to pursue both of these professions, although it will probably be her paintings that will be of most interest to everyone on earth. She's left behind a husband and baby and a lot of ambivalence about marriage and motherhood. Since I've always viewed motherhood with some trepidation, I felt relieved to read about a woman to whom motherhood does not come naturally.

Anna is joining a small crew at the station: the host of a reality show about the Mars research station, a psychologist, an engineer, and a doctor. She's suspicious of the psychologist for reasons both past and current. This uneasiness flares when she discovers a note in her room (in her own handwriting!) warning her not to trust the psychologist. She also discovers that the wedding band she had shipped to Mars with her is not her true ring- it doesn't have engraving inside it. What to make of this situation, especially when the psychologist is warning her that she might be suffering from spending too much of her solo Mars flight in virtual reality and may be experiencing hallucinations?

The reason this is probably my favorite book of the series is that Anna is my favorite character. She's honest about her feelings about her husband and child even when that's unflattering. She's smart, reads people well, and is resourceful. As she tries to solve a mystery that she can't let anyone else even know exists, she utilizes the technology that the author has extrapolated from what we already use- drones, mapping tech, virtual reality, AI- in conjunction with her own logic. Anna has learned to doubt herself and her own perceptions long before the Mars flight. The gaslighting and feeding of self-doubt from her own loved ones makes it hard to trust yourself. And in a world where virtual reality is seamless, how can you really tell if you're seeing things or not? Anna must learn to trust herself again, and that was my favorite part of her journey.

If you're anything like me, the cliffhanger from the last book stunned you. I want so much to find out what happened to the starship- will it reach the planet of God's City? What is happening on that planet?? This book does not move that larger storyline further, but I got interested enough in what was happening on Mars that I was willing to be sidetracked. I REALLY want to see what happens next, though!

This book kept me turning pages until the very end. Emma Newman's writing style brings a possible - and very realistic - future into focus without missing a beat in the plot. I loved it!

A terrific read with a strong complex main character in Dr. Anna Kubrin. Sent to the Mars colony as a geologist and artist things start out badly when it seems that someone is trying to gaslight her. Who or what can she trust and why is someone doing this? Lots of twists and turns, surprises and "whoa" moments. Just a great read.