The fourth instalment of the Lady Astronaut universe we are back with and back on Mars! We start out with the second mission landing on Mars and continuing preparations for expansion and settlement. However, as Elma takes her first steps on Mars, she comes face to face with secrets her team from Mission 1 have been hiding from her. Something happened, and she needs to get to the bottom of it before it ruins their current mission. However, with no one giving her the true story, she has to wonder if there are still saboteurs among the crew, or back home.
This was another fun jaunt in the Lady Astronaut universe! Although, it did feel a little less action packed and more introspective than the others. The one big “event” that Elma is trying to figure out happened on the first mission, and so we don’t see that action play out, we just learn about it. It does affect the current mission and at least one major event that occurs in this book is due to previous actions, but as a whole this book is less about the action and more about the thoughts and feelings of the new Mars inhabitants. But, if you’ve loved the other three, you should read this one to catch up with your besties, and see how they are doing! Just know it will be a bit slower than the others.
I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy, alternate history, space exploration, or just a good read. I love the alternate history aspect of this story. Mary Robinette Kowal does a good job of using real historical events (and newspaper articles) and connecting them to her alternate reality. Imagine all the Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, and changes that were occurring in the 1960s and now put them in space and trying to save humanity! I appreciated the discussion on the use of the word “colony” and “colonist”.
I was provided a free ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for my review. It is already published, but as stated it’s the fourth in a series. So check out #1, The Calculating Stars, first, and this one will be waiting for you when you’re ready!
#NetGalley #TheMartianContingency

Mystery and adventure on Mars

I loved returning to the Lady Astronaut universe after several years. This installment looks at the Second Mars Expedition, and the start of the permanent colony. Elma York, the “Lady Astronaut,” is back as the first-person narrator. Her character has grown over the years, and continues to do so during this book, but she still has her blind spots and residual unconscious biases–though to her credit, she keeps working on these as she recognizes them.

There’s a mystery at the heart of this novel. Something happened during the First Mars Expedition, something unpleasant. Something that isn’t in the official reports, and that Elma was unaware of then, because she had to remain in orbit on the spaceship. Something that may be adversely affecting the colony now. But no one—none of the members of the First Expedition who built Bradbury Base—will talk about it. Their stories don’t match, in odd little ways. And the secrecy, and her concerns about what it conceals, are deeply worrying to Elma.

A lot of the familiar characters from the previous three novels are present, either on Mars or on Earth: Parker, Nicole, Helen, Kam, Leonard, and others. Nathaniel is with Elma on Mars; I missed him and their interactions in the second book, The Fated Sky, and I was glad to have them together again. (That came out wrong; they were never “apart” in the relationship sense, merely separated by millions of kilometers of space. They did communicate via teletyped letters, but it’s not the same.) I know some readers find Nathaniel’s devotion to Elma hard to believe; he puts her and her needs first, while she has often put her need to fly and to be in space ahead of him their relationship. Reverse the genders, though, and it’s not so hard to believe; many women do this as a matter of course. (As do some of the men in my own family.) And in his own way, Nathaniel does prioritize his work, both in working long hours, and when it comes to the safety of the mission. But he loves Elma enough not to stand in the way of what she needs and wants to do; that takes strength, commitment, and dedication. I felt by the end of this book that Elma (whose love for Nathaniel is never in doubt) understands this better, and has grown to match it.

She has grown, too, in how she supports other women, how she listens. She is less brash and more forgiving. I love the Elma of the first two books as much for (most of) her flaws as for her strengths, but I’m also loving seeing what the older, wiser Elma is like, an Elma who still has anxiety but is better at dealing with it, an Elma who is learning to be both a mentor and a commander.

And of course, I love the sci-fi aspects of the story. Mary Robinette Kowal does her research, so the science is pretty much correct (though in one or two areas, she admits she resorted to minor “hand-wavium,” as she calls it.) The plot is engrossing, the pacing is very good, and as always, Kowal excels at storytelling, characterization, and worldbuilding. She is also sensitive to modern concerns around diversity and equality, addressing them in ways that make sense within the alt-historical context of the novel. The crew of the spaceship and the inhabitants of Bradbury Base are a diverse group in terms of racial/ethnic background, gender, and sexuality, though the latter isn’t as obvious to Elma as it may be to the reader.

If I have any quibble with the novel, it has to do with the secret at its heart. I found it hard to believe that those in the know would continue to keep the secret once it became possible that their secrecy might endanger the mission and the inhabitants of Bradbury Base. I also had difficulty believing that a secret of that magnitude could have been kept in the first place. I did eventually begin to understand why those involved had chosen secrecy in the first place, though.

I don’t know if there will be any more Lady Astronaut novels; this novel completes the author’s contractual obligation to the series. I hope there will, because it’s a wonderful universe and I’m sure there are more stories to tell in it, with or without Elma in them. And I would love to read them. (Which reminds me; I should go see what good fanfic I can find! Or write, for that matter.) But if this is the last book—and if chronologically, the series ends with the story that began it all, “The Lady Astronaut of Mars”*. . . well, I can accept that. Elma’s tale is complete.

A final note: I read a Kindle ARC, but if you enjoy audiobooks, I highly recommend listening to the audiobook. While I haven’t listened to this one, the author’s narration of the previous three books was excellent—which is unsurprising, given that Mary Robinette Kowal is, among her many other talents, a professional audiobook narrator.

*Warning: the short story contains some spoilers for The Martian Contingency.

Mary Robinette Kowal continues the Lady Astronaut series with The Martian Contingency. Earth's survivors of a meteorite strike seek to press outward to the solar system now reach out to settle on Mars. Elma York, the Lady Astronaut, and her husband land on the red planet only to find problems from the first Mars expedition. Can they identify the earlier problems and succeed? Good space story with adventure and political problems. Enjoy.

Elma York, often referred to as The Lady Astronaut, is bound for Mars.

After the meteor strike that destroyed Washington, Dc and triggered a global, catastrophic event, mankind began the earnest search for a new home. Elma is part of the second expedition to Mars but as she arrives she quickly realizes that something isn't right and that there may have been many problems on the First Mars Expedition that were never reported.

In addition to dealing with whatever mess was left for her from the previous expedition, Elma has to deal with more emergent issues. While making Mars habitable for families is one of the goals, hence the number of couples on the mission, having a baby is not part of the plan. But an unplanned pregnancy is just what she has to deal with. There's no question in the mind of the pregnant astronaut that the pregnancy should be terminated, but the very question brings about turmoil on earth.

Challenging the support on earth brings about other concerns over possible repercussions - including being recalled or a halt to supply ships - but the Mars astronauts are determined to stay to build the future for humanity on the red planet.

I have become quite enamored with the writing of Mary Robinette Kowal and this Lady Astronaut series is fabulous science fiction (it might be categorized as "Alternative History" as it's set in the 1950's-70's).

Elma York is precisely the sort of protagonist we want in our science fiction - in any fiction, for that matter. She's not super-human and she doesn't perform super deeds. She is smart and courageous and willing to be among the first to attempt something. She's Alan Shepard, John Glenn, and Buzz Aldrin in a woman's body.

The story is rock solid. This isn't fast-paced space opera, but there's still plenty of action and mystery to keep the reader interested.

I loved how Kowal reminds us that while missions such as this Mars expedition has a lot of major issues to be concerned with (air circulation, for instance), there are plenty of 'small' things to be considered as well:

"While we have redundancies for everything, this is now going to create shortages - specifically in birth control. The majority of our birth control options were on that cargo drop, so we're going to have to do immediate rationing."
...
"In addition to anything you brought in your personal stores, each married couple will be issued forty condoms. The pill will be reserved for a subset of women for whom it provides additional therapeutic effects. The rest of your will need to find workarounds."
There is a great sense of 'could-have-been' when reading this. Why weren't women early astronauts? Well of course we know why, given the male arrogance and dominance in the workplace (it so happens I recently watched the movie Hidden Figures on a cross country flight which helps remind me of our shameful past.)

I can't recommend the book or this series highly enough.

Looking for a good book? You don't need to have read any of the other Lady Astronaut books to fully enjoy The Martian Contingency by Mary Robinette Kowal, but you're surely going to want to read everything once you finish this.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

At times Robinette Kowal's writing and jokes can seem corny. However I think this series is strong in its character development over the series and this was a good installment. Kowal keeps the action gripping and fast-paced. I always enjoy spending time with Elma—and this book is no different.

This is one of my favorite sci-fi series. I was so excited to see that we were getting another installment of the Lady Astronaut and that we were finally going to see some action on mars. This is a fantastic continuation of an amazing series so before going any further make sure you've read the other three books before you continue reading this review.

So picking up right after the events of the second book we rejoin Elma York, the intrepid Lady Astronaut. She is joined by her husband and a cast of characters from the previous three books as they make an attempt at making Mars their home. Elma and the crew have many challenges to face in order to make ready for the next wave of Martian habitants, but she is ready for a new start on the red planet. However, Mars has its own secrets what she doesn't know could prove deadly.

I love the historical reimagining that Mary Robinette Kowal does with this series. This ticks so many different boxes for so many different types of readers. It's definitely Sci-fi but it's also definitely an Alternate History. If you enjoyed Apollo 11, Hidden Figures, or For All Mankind then this is something you might enjoy.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book NetGalley

The Martian Contingency opens with the Lady Astronaut of Mars, Dr. Elma York, landing on Mars as part of a mission to establish a permanent presence on the planet as an escape from climate disasters brought on by the Meteor that struck Chesapeake Bay in The Calculating Stars. But, can she succeed in that mission when the problems of Earth and the secrets around them keep showing up on Mars?

Kowal uses a diverse cast from across an international effort to jumpstart the space race to tell the tale of humans trying to scratch out their continued existence in places that it would be much easier to give up on. The characterization leaps off the page as Kowal's characters have to deal with real problems that would plague even a modern program, while also dealing with the historical issues she covers in dealing with a Mars program that came up in 1970 instead.

It may not be an interstellar adventure, but fans of competent people in space trying to solve the basic problem that space is a very big place that would very much like them dead will enjoy this. It's an excellent sci fi read, and an excellent continuation of Kowal's Lady Astronaut series.

Although this book can be read as a stand-alone, there is so much hinted at from the previous books, and it sounds so intriguing, that you'll want to go back and read the others in the series. Which I now plan to do.

Fans of hard science science fiction will find enough technology to be interested, but it's not overwhelming for those those who'd rather read science fiction to see the possibilities for our future. In this installment we have our astronauts working to build the physical habitat on Mars, but also creating a society distinct from Earth, by taking the best of what we have and fixing some of the errors of our past.

My only issue with the story: The inclusion of sophomoric sexual humor used by supposedly brilliant people detracted from the story, and the trad wife hobbies of the astronauts, was frustrating (and unbelievable) but this is an alternative 1970's setting so many it is fitting.

I’ve missed this world!

The Martian Contingency picks up about seven years after the main events of The Fated Sky (and immediately after the epilogue of that novel) with Elma having returned to Earth and then come back to Mars in the meantime, this time with husband Nathaniel at her side. But it's soon apparent that something terrible happened in the time while Elma was away – something that didn’t make it into any official reports.

As with the previous installment in the series, there’s a heavy aspect of mystery at play, though I’d say it’s less suspenseful than that novel was (not in a bad way!) Elma’s anxiety is largely under control, but now that’s she’s in a command position, she’s still got some growing to do in terms of self-confidence and leadership skills. I love that even in the fourth book of a series, Kowal has found ways to continue character growth. It adds to the wonderful, vibrant characterization which is one of the things I’ve loved about this series from the start.

The relationships between characters also remain a strong point. I love Nathaniel and Elma’s relationship so much. You’ve got to love a man who respects women, and his wife especially, as much as Nathaniel York. I also liked the continuing evolution of the complex relationship between Elma and Parker.

I love that, because the Mars base (and the space effort in general) is a global affair in this world, they are so devoted to multiculturalism. It really makes some of the more “modern” attitudes of the characters that exist in this timeline feel more realistic to me, rather than just a modern author trying to shoehorn progress into the past.

All in all an excellent addition to the series, and I hope there will be more to come!

Representation: POC characters, LGBTQIA+ characters, and characters of varying religions

CW: Violent racism, sexism

I absolutely loved this Mars book adding to the Lady Astronaut series. There’s a lot of drama and interpersonal issues that feel so real and compelling. Specifically, the confrontation of ethical and legal issues like racism, family planning, and sexism. I love Kowal’s writing and humor. You can’t help but root for this mission, especially the strong women and their particular obstacles. The science is grounded in reality. Highly recommend this whole series!

Mary Robinette Kowal returns to the universe she created in the award winning The Calculating Stars. It’s 1970 and Elma York is a member of the second expedition to Mars. The Martian Contingency (hard from TOR) details problems faced by the astronauts including a crashed supply dump, pregnancy, and problems exacerbated by the racial and sexual tensions of the era. On Earth the coming intense global warming effects from the meteor are beginning and I look forward to the next installment.

Compelling from the start! I loved getting to revisit these characters and this alternate universe, and it's enjoyable to see how time has progressed to 1970 both on Earth and on the Mars habitat. (Am I wrong for hoping for another companion novel from Nicole's POV?)

THE MARTIAN CONTINGENCY by Mary Robinette Kowal is her latest Lady Astronaut Novel and I am noting that there are four titles in the series because I believe they should be read in order, even though I started with the last one and was happily captivated by the characters and their adventures. Kowal won the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Award for the first book in this series, The Calculating Stars, a title in which she introduces an alternate history and the struggles in the 1950s and beyond by a group of women striving to be astronauts. Subsequent novels take place on the Moon and the latest one chronicles efforts to inhabit Mars. Throughout, Elma York is a key character, standing up for what she believes, taking on added command responsibilities, and dealing with personal and professional relationships. The publisher notes "The mission objective is more than just building the infrastructure of a habitat - they are trying to preserve the many cultures and nuances of life on Earth without importing the hate." There's an interesting contrast between actual 1970s headline stories which begin most chapters and the racism and sexism the astronaut core is working to erase. Survival, of course, is another key theme and THE MARTIAN CONTINGENCY contains both mishap and mystery, plus friction with Mission Control. Although I was surprised at the amount of "cheesy" banter between married astronauts, I definitely recommend this series. In her acknowledgments, Kowal notes how calendar and culture are so intertwined. Citing numerous holidays and using diary-like entries, she definitely conveyed that idea in this novel and she encourages readers to check out the TEDtalk "What Time is it on Mars?" Enjoy! 4.5 stars overall

https://www.ted.com/talks/nagin_cox_what_time_is_it_on_mars

An excellent edition to a terrific series! The Martian Contingency is a powerful continuation of the story of Elma York, the Lady Astronaut who is one of the pioneers of humanity's journey into space following a cataclysmic event on Earth. The characters are amazing, the storytelling is masterful, and the overall world-building and plotlines are fascinating. The entire series is highly recommended.

Did I enjoy this book?
Greatly.

Do I recommend it?
Yes. I need more people to read it and the whole series!

This series is hard sci-fi at its very best and The Martian Contingency continues that trend. What I love about the stories is that I get totally lost in them. They are one of the few books where I lose all sense of reality when reading. Robinette Kowal’s writing is so emotive. I am sure I was getting secondary anxiety at one point because my connection to Elma was just so strong. I want more than anything to be a part of the Bradbury Base crew. With their banter, comradery and flaws you can’t help falling in love with them.
The book also made me angry. Robinette Kowal is never afraid to address social issues and this one in particular filled me with justified rage. It takes real skill to be able to do this in a way that is realistic and in keeping with the story.
I couldn’t but this book down, racing through the story because I just needed to know what happened. A part of me wish I had savoured it a little more. Elma and Nathanial are one of my favourite literary couples. Even if sometimes they frustrate me to Mars and back.

If you like hard sci-fi then this is a must read. Even if you don’t like hard sci-fi you should give the first bool in the series a go because I think most people will love it.


Any criticisms?
No. Wait, the long acknowledgement that made me think I had longer left in the book hah!

Will I read it again?
Maybe. I would like to do a full series reread but *looks at TBR pile*.

Will I read the sequel?
Yes. Please. I would love a sequel but I don’t know if there will be one.

For fans of:
Imagine someone combined Hidden Figures with The Martian. I would also say the Murderbot series because it is that same level of hard sci-fi.

The Martian Contingency is the Fourth installment in author Mary Robinette Kowal's Lady Astronaut Series. Set in an alternate history where a meteorite strike in 1952 devastates Earth and accelerates humanity’s push to the stars, this novel finds Elma York aka the Lady Astronaut and her team on Mars, tasked with laying the groundwork for a permanent human presence. Elma has been instrumental in getting women in the space program, while also helping getting people to the Moon, and now Mars where the story takes place where she will have more of a command responsibility.

Elma's optimistic about building a habitat that preserves Earth’s diverse cultures without its prejudices—a noble goal in a timeline where humanity’s survival hinges on escaping a dying planet. One of the main challenges has been a terrorist group known as Earth First which has caused serious damage to the plans of saving as many people on Earth before it's too late. But from the outset, something feels off. Kowal introduces a mystery rooted in the First Mars Expedition, hinting at a disaster buried in silence.

As Elma digs deeper into what happened during First Mars Expedition that seems to be buried in secrets and silence, she and her husband Nathaniel face a litany of challenges and cascading technical failures that threaten the mission. The stakes are clear: uncovering the truth could mean the difference between a thriving Martian colony and humanity’s extinction. The science, as always, is a highlight. Kowal’s explanations are accessible yet rigorous, grounding the narrative in a way that invites readers to geek out over Martian engineering while still feeling the weight of human stakes.

Still, those less versed in STEM might find themselves skimming, though the emotional core keeps the story relatable. Those who don't like to be preached at via religion or about abortion will likely find this book highly uncomfortable since the author spends way too much time on both. Compared to the series’ earlier entries, this book pushing Elma into new territory—literally and figuratively—while wrestling with the consequences of past missions. It’s not a standalone; familiarity with The Fated Sky and The Relentless Moon enriches the experience, as callbacks to prior events and characters deepen the stakes.

Where were you in 1952 when the asteroid hit the Atlantic Ocean and destroyed the Eastern Seaboard? The US capitol moved to Kansas City and NASA began a furious program to develop space travel. The Earth is dying and the human race has to make it to Mars as soon as possible. It is now 1972 and the Second Martian Contingent had arrived on the Red Planet and are working to build a habitat. But what they discover is that several of the previously shipped cargo flights crashed on landing, leaving short supplies for planned building. And, there were major issues on the First Martian Contingent that no one ever reported. Drs. York, both Elma and her husband, Nathaniel, are stuck in the middle, trying to lead and trying to overcome all the difficulties posed by living in space and sabotage back on Earth. Trying to negotiate between their personal life and their professional lives is challenging. Trying to build a future for the human race is a really big challenge. This is an exciting continuation of The Lady Astronaut series. Highly recommended.

I'm not big on reading series. I'm always on the lookout for great new books, great new authors, and fresh stories. That said I'll often dip into a series just so I will have a reference point when talking with those who have read it. I'll often grab a book because it looks interesting and later realize it is part of a series.

I did just that with the Mary Robinette Kowal's The Martian Contingency which is definitely worth reading. Turns out it is 4th! in her Lady Astronauts series, set in the mid twentieth century. I have not read any of the previous books in the series. It stands on its own. Enough of the backstory shows up organically throughout that I never felt anything was missing that I needed to know. I love it when a book in a series can stand on its own. I had picked it up because I loved her locked room mystery in space, The Spare Man that I had mentioned in my review of Murder by Memory earlier today.

The Martian Contingency marks a disappointing turn in what was once an exciting series. Elma York, the Lady Astronaut, has made it to Mars, where humanity is working to establish a foothold on the Red Planet. Yet, despite the intriguing setting and the promise of a new frontier, this book fails to live up to the compelling character-driven narrative of its predecessors.

Part of the issue is the lack of a clear plot. While there are hints of secrets surrounding the First Mars Expedition, the story meanders with no real central conflict. Instead, we get a lot of logistical details—procedural checklists, political debates, and scientific jargon—that bog down the narrative. While it’s fascinating to imagine the complexities of building a society on Mars, it doesn’t make for the most gripping reading.

Elma herself feels sidelined here. In the first two books, she was a force—a woman navigating a male-dominated field while dealing with anxiety and a passionate relationship with her husband. In The Martian Contingency, though, Elma merely reacts to events, never truly driving the story forward. What could have been an exploration of women’s reproductive rights in a world without Roe v. Wade is reduced to a subplot that never feels fully realized.

Even though the world Kowal has created still feels immersive, it’s not enough to redeem a plot that falters in every direction. Longtime fans of the series may still find some value in revisiting this alternate history, but it’s definitely best to reread the earlier books.

What a great continuation of this series!

The Martian Contingency picks up with Elma on Mars with her husband to colonize the planet and help shift the population of humans on Earth desperate to leave as the homeworld worsens thanks to the meteor that hit so many years ago.

This book is perfect for the NASA lovers and the space enthusiasts. I believe this is the final novel in the series, so now is a great time to pick up all 4 and read them!

Thanks to Tor and NetGalley for this eARC!