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Lady Astronaut Universe #4
The Martian Contingency
Years after a meteorite strike obliterated Washington, D.C.—triggering an extinction-level global warming event—Earth’s survivors have started an international effort to establish homes on space stations and the Moon.
The next step � Mars.
Elma York, the Lady Astronaut, lands on the Red Planet, optimistic about preparing for the first true wave of inhabitants. 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.
But from the moment she arrives, something is off.
Disturbing signs hint at a hidden disaster during the First Mars Expedition that never made it into the official transcript. As Elma and her crew try to investigate, they face a wall of silence and obfuscation. Their attempts to build a thriving Martian community grind to a halt.
What you don’t know CAN harm you. And if the truth doesn’t come to light, the ripple effects could leave humanity stranded on a dying Earth�
The next step � Mars.
Elma York, the Lady Astronaut, lands on the Red Planet, optimistic about preparing for the first true wave of inhabitants. 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.
But from the moment she arrives, something is off.
Disturbing signs hint at a hidden disaster during the First Mars Expedition that never made it into the official transcript. As Elma and her crew try to investigate, they face a wall of silence and obfuscation. Their attempts to build a thriving Martian community grind to a halt.
What you don’t know CAN harm you. And if the truth doesn’t come to light, the ripple effects could leave humanity stranded on a dying Earth�
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 18, 2025
307 people are currently reading
6,182 people want to read
About the author
Mary Robinette Kowal
250Ìýbooks5,236ÌýfollowersMary Robinette Kowal is the author of the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award winning alternate history novel The Calculating Stars, the first book in the Lady Astronaut series which continues in 2025 with The Martian Contingency. She is also the author of The Glamourist Histories series, Ghost Talkers, The Spare Man and has received the Astounding Award for Best New Writer, four Hugo awards, the Nebula and Locus awards. Her stories appear in Asimov’s, Uncanny, and several Year’s Best anthologies. Mary Robinette has also worked as a professional puppeteer, is a member of the award-winning podcast Writing Excuses, and performs as a voice actor (SAG/AFTRA), recording fiction for authors including Seanan McGuire, Cory Doctorow, and Neal Stephenson. She lives in Denver with her husband Robert, their dog Guppy, and their “talkingâ€� cat Elsie.
Her novel Calculating Stars is one of only eighteen novels to win the Hugo, Nebula and Locus awards in a single year.
Her novel Calculating Stars is one of only eighteen novels to win the Hugo, Nebula and Locus awards in a single year.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
April 6, 2025
4.0 Stars
As a longtime fan of the Lady Astronaut series, I have been anticipating this final book for years. As expected, it was enjoyable to return back to this timeline with familiar characters. I was a touch disappointed that a few of my favourite characters barely made appearances on this volume.
I enjoyed this one but it felt like more of an epilogue or companion story as it added little to advance the story. I found the twists and turns to be quite unsubstantial. They didn't really change the course of the story or have lasting consequences.
That being said, if you are like me, and love the story and characters you will still want to read this one. I enjoyed my time visiting the characters once more and am sad that it's now done.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
As a longtime fan of the Lady Astronaut series, I have been anticipating this final book for years. As expected, it was enjoyable to return back to this timeline with familiar characters. I was a touch disappointed that a few of my favourite characters barely made appearances on this volume.
I enjoyed this one but it felt like more of an epilogue or companion story as it added little to advance the story. I found the twists and turns to be quite unsubstantial. They didn't really change the course of the story or have lasting consequences.
That being said, if you are like me, and love the story and characters you will still want to read this one. I enjoyed my time visiting the characters once more and am sad that it's now done.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
June 6, 2024
Arc’s haven’t been released yet, so I have no idea why there are already one star reviews. Leaving a five star review to combat them.
April 2, 2025
I’m going to be honest, one of my most anticipated books of 2025 was a bit of a letdown for me.
The Lady Astronaut series has been one of my all time favourites, and I absolutely loved the first three books. Despite Elma’s over-sweetness at times in and , she has a core of strength that you could depend on in books that tended to have a strong story and emotionally impacting action. When Nicole became the central figure of , her dynamic character really shone and again, the story pulled you in.
I felt the story in this final book kind of dragged. There were some horrible events that occurred that Elma discovers through the course of the book, when honestly, it would have been much more impactful to read about them as they happened. The fact that the main emergency (the fallout of which then leads to other serious complications) has passed lessened the sense of urgency in the book.
One other observation that started to get to me too was the overarching theme of the “normal� and “healthy� sex life between Elma and Nathaniel. Often this might not bother me as much as I know it irks others, but this is a book that very specifically attempts to challenge social norms about gender, race, religion, and abortion, and which devotes discussion to ideas such as alternatives to the word “colony� for the new home humans are building on Mars. In that context of challenging current social systems the continued labelling of Elma and Nathaniel’s relationship as normal and healthy for a married couple, instead of one just right for them, really felt inappropriate.
So, in the end, while I’m glad to have read it and completed the series, I also felt disappointed.
The Lady Astronaut series has been one of my all time favourites, and I absolutely loved the first three books. Despite Elma’s over-sweetness at times in and , she has a core of strength that you could depend on in books that tended to have a strong story and emotionally impacting action. When Nicole became the central figure of , her dynamic character really shone and again, the story pulled you in.
I felt the story in this final book kind of dragged. There were some horrible events that occurred that Elma discovers through the course of the book, when honestly, it would have been much more impactful to read about them as they happened. The fact that the main emergency (the fallout of which then leads to other serious complications) has passed lessened the sense of urgency in the book.
One other observation that started to get to me too was the overarching theme of the “normal� and “healthy� sex life between Elma and Nathaniel. Often this might not bother me as much as I know it irks others, but this is a book that very specifically attempts to challenge social norms about gender, race, religion, and abortion, and which devotes discussion to ideas such as alternatives to the word “colony� for the new home humans are building on Mars. In that context of challenging current social systems the continued labelling of Elma and Nathaniel’s relationship as normal and healthy for a married couple, instead of one just right for them, really felt inappropriate.
So, in the end, while I’m glad to have read it and completed the series, I also felt disappointed.
February 16, 2025
A thoroughly satisfying continuation of the Lady Astronaut series. We are back to Elma as the point of view character, and the setting has shifted (as you might expect from the title) to Mars from the Moon. Elma is part of the second IAC Mars mission, charged with expanding the habitat so that additional habitants can join the initial team and begin building a larger community on Mars. Elma, as one of the longest-tenured astronauts, now has command responsibilities. Elma struggles at times with the challenges of (re)building relationships when power dynamics have changed. The challenges that come with that responsibility continue to accumulate, as she slowly learns of things that happened on the first Mars mission that directly affect the current one. This event affects not only the technical side (mechanical failures cascade from some of it, putting the habitants in danger), but every interaction she has with her colleagues and loved ones.
Kowal continues to build riveting, fast-paced action, with thoughtful, powerful character development. I’m always happy to spend time with Elma, and this novel is no exception.
Highly recommended.
Kowal continues to build riveting, fast-paced action, with thoughtful, powerful character development. I’m always happy to spend time with Elma, and this novel is no exception.
Highly recommended.
March 24, 2025
3 and a half stars, rounded up.
A new Lady Astronaut novel is always a bit of a treat: Mary Robinette Kowal is a great writer, who managed to build a fantastic world of speculative historical science fiction (say that 4 times really fast!) and fill it with lovable characters I have been rooting for since the short story that started this whole thing. Her books are also fast paced and packed with an urgency that means it’s very easy to sit down and just gobble it all down rather quickly, and isn’t that a fun thing to do with one’s evening? I couldn’t wait to get back to Elma’s side of the story, so naturally, when my pre-ordered copy arrived, all other books were told they would have to wait a bit longer before I got to them.
It’s been sixteen years since the meteorite crashed onto the American East Coast and killed millions of people, upended the structure of the world as we knew it, and Elma York and her team haven’t been wasting their time: there is now a base on Mars (the Bradbury Base � you have no idea how loud I squeaked when I read that) and Elma has been chosen to be second in command, a position she is not entirely comfortable with. Even less so when she begins to piece together that her colleagues from the first expedition are keeping things from her. She doesn’t get much time to dwell on this, however, as bad luck and malfunctions begin to cause urgent problems she needs to deal with before addressing the secrets her team has been keeping. After events of the previous book, it is natural that everyone would wonder if the issues the base has to deal with is sabotage or merely an accident.
The atmosphere of secrecy is very well captured, and I can see how in a pressure-cooker of an environment, this would become a big pain point really fast. This sort of stuff is toxic even when your life isn’t constantly at risk, so I can’t begin to imagine how much worst it feels when you are one mechanical malfunction away from death. Elma’s importer syndrome and struggles with anxiety are captured quite realistically, as are her friends� attempt at managing her compulsive problem-solving mania. And as usual, her relationship with her husband Nathaniel is the poignant cornerstone of her adventures: if you have read the original short story that started this whole series, you’ll know that love is really at the core of Elma’s character and that all her actions are ultimately informed by it, and Kowal makes it as moving as ever.
Kowal’s research into the scientific aspect of her story continues to impress me, as she walks a fine line that keeps her books from falling into hard sci-fi while still giving her readers tangible explanations as to how everything actually works, and I really appreciate the way she gives us what we need to know without turning her novels into astrophysics or engineering lectures. She understands that the story is what matters first and foremost, but she keeps her world coherent and grounded in real science, which is perfect.
That being said, as with the other books in this series, sometimes the technical takes a bit of the fun away: I don’t need to read the checklists of things pilots need to be aware of when landing spacecrafts, really; I care much more about the people. And I think that while Kowal’s efforts at creating a diverse and representative set of characters is wonderful, there are moments when it feels either didactic or shoehorned in. I agree with her on al counts, and I too wonder how different cultures will keep their celebrations and preserve their patrimony in an environment that doesn’t match their calendars, but this is a lot.
I can’t rate her lower than 3 though, because the ‘what if� she imagined fascinates me, and Elma is a character for the ages, in the best tradition of old-school sci-fi.
If you enjoyed this series so far, don’t miss this one, but don’t expect it to reinvent the wheel either.
A new Lady Astronaut novel is always a bit of a treat: Mary Robinette Kowal is a great writer, who managed to build a fantastic world of speculative historical science fiction (say that 4 times really fast!) and fill it with lovable characters I have been rooting for since the short story that started this whole thing. Her books are also fast paced and packed with an urgency that means it’s very easy to sit down and just gobble it all down rather quickly, and isn’t that a fun thing to do with one’s evening? I couldn’t wait to get back to Elma’s side of the story, so naturally, when my pre-ordered copy arrived, all other books were told they would have to wait a bit longer before I got to them.
It’s been sixteen years since the meteorite crashed onto the American East Coast and killed millions of people, upended the structure of the world as we knew it, and Elma York and her team haven’t been wasting their time: there is now a base on Mars (the Bradbury Base � you have no idea how loud I squeaked when I read that) and Elma has been chosen to be second in command, a position she is not entirely comfortable with. Even less so when she begins to piece together that her colleagues from the first expedition are keeping things from her. She doesn’t get much time to dwell on this, however, as bad luck and malfunctions begin to cause urgent problems she needs to deal with before addressing the secrets her team has been keeping. After events of the previous book, it is natural that everyone would wonder if the issues the base has to deal with is sabotage or merely an accident.
The atmosphere of secrecy is very well captured, and I can see how in a pressure-cooker of an environment, this would become a big pain point really fast. This sort of stuff is toxic even when your life isn’t constantly at risk, so I can’t begin to imagine how much worst it feels when you are one mechanical malfunction away from death. Elma’s importer syndrome and struggles with anxiety are captured quite realistically, as are her friends� attempt at managing her compulsive problem-solving mania. And as usual, her relationship with her husband Nathaniel is the poignant cornerstone of her adventures: if you have read the original short story that started this whole series, you’ll know that love is really at the core of Elma’s character and that all her actions are ultimately informed by it, and Kowal makes it as moving as ever.
Kowal’s research into the scientific aspect of her story continues to impress me, as she walks a fine line that keeps her books from falling into hard sci-fi while still giving her readers tangible explanations as to how everything actually works, and I really appreciate the way she gives us what we need to know without turning her novels into astrophysics or engineering lectures. She understands that the story is what matters first and foremost, but she keeps her world coherent and grounded in real science, which is perfect.
That being said, as with the other books in this series, sometimes the technical takes a bit of the fun away: I don’t need to read the checklists of things pilots need to be aware of when landing spacecrafts, really; I care much more about the people. And I think that while Kowal’s efforts at creating a diverse and representative set of characters is wonderful, there are moments when it feels either didactic or shoehorned in. I agree with her on al counts, and I too wonder how different cultures will keep their celebrations and preserve their patrimony in an environment that doesn’t match their calendars, but this is a lot.
I can’t rate her lower than 3 though, because the ‘what if� she imagined fascinates me, and Elma is a character for the ages, in the best tradition of old-school sci-fi.
If you enjoyed this series so far, don’t miss this one, but don’t expect it to reinvent the wheel either.
March 16, 2025
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.
I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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.
I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 15, 2025
I am a fan of the Lady Astronaut series, so I was delighted to be offered the opportunity to review the latest entry. When I say I didn’t like it as much as The Relentless Moon, you have to understand that I’m not sure I put The Relentless Moon down. It was the kind of propulsive narrative that grabs you and won’t let go.
This had a good bit of tension, and moved briskly, but it took a while to get going, and the stakes never felt quite as high. I also think I just like Nicole as a narrator better than I like Elma. But I loved the calendar structure to this one, and we got a bunch of really fun new characters to work in the background.
As this is number four in a series, we get to play one of my favorite review games: should I read this book if I like the series, and should I read this series if I haven’t started it. If you are a fan of the series, you should definitely read this book. It has all the things you enjoy about the prior entries--people in all their wonderful complexity, relationships that model trust and equality, and a planet spanning future that everyone gets to be a part of. If you haven’t started the series--and want to know if you’d like it, you definitely should start at the beginning. And I think if you cry at Apollo 13, if you liked Hidden Figures, if you loved The Martian, you’ll enjoy this book.
Ad astra per aspera.
I received an advance reader copy in exchange for this honest review.
This had a good bit of tension, and moved briskly, but it took a while to get going, and the stakes never felt quite as high. I also think I just like Nicole as a narrator better than I like Elma. But I loved the calendar structure to this one, and we got a bunch of really fun new characters to work in the background.
As this is number four in a series, we get to play one of my favorite review games: should I read this book if I like the series, and should I read this series if I haven’t started it. If you are a fan of the series, you should definitely read this book. It has all the things you enjoy about the prior entries--people in all their wonderful complexity, relationships that model trust and equality, and a planet spanning future that everyone gets to be a part of. If you haven’t started the series--and want to know if you’d like it, you definitely should start at the beginning. And I think if you cry at Apollo 13, if you liked Hidden Figures, if you loved The Martian, you’ll enjoy this book.
Ad astra per aspera.
I received an advance reader copy in exchange for this honest review.
March 19, 2025
Elma York the Lady Astronaut is back in Mary Robinette Kowel’s fourth book in this series.
The Martian Contingency picks back up with Elma on Mars, this time with her brilliant husband as part of the team. The team is there to colonize Mars so that the population of Earth can have another planet to flee to as Earth gradually becomes non-habitable.
I’m such a NASA geek so I love astronauts and space travel and space and gravity or no gravity or low gravity or any thing related to any of this. I love the moon and Mars and colonizing planets. I love the science of it all! Mary Robinette holds nothing back at explaining the science! Did I understand it all? Heck no! But I got enough to get the gist.
I enjoyed this story so much and would love if there were more books to this storyline. Alas, I think there were only 4 books in this series. Maybe we’ll see some short stories though. A gal can only hope.
*Thanks so much to partner Tor Books and NetGalley for the gifted eARC!*
I’m definitely going to need a trophy print copy for my library.
The Martian Contingency picks back up with Elma on Mars, this time with her brilliant husband as part of the team. The team is there to colonize Mars so that the population of Earth can have another planet to flee to as Earth gradually becomes non-habitable.
I’m such a NASA geek so I love astronauts and space travel and space and gravity or no gravity or low gravity or any thing related to any of this. I love the moon and Mars and colonizing planets. I love the science of it all! Mary Robinette holds nothing back at explaining the science! Did I understand it all? Heck no! But I got enough to get the gist.
I enjoyed this story so much and would love if there were more books to this storyline. Alas, I think there were only 4 books in this series. Maybe we’ll see some short stories though. A gal can only hope.
*Thanks so much to partner Tor Books and NetGalley for the gifted eARC!*
I’m definitely going to need a trophy print copy for my library.
March 24, 2025
I feel about these books exactly how I feel about Connie Willis's Oxford time travel series: they are very flawed but I love them devotedly. This one was a little disappointing, plot-wise, but as always I adore the characters and I am such a sucker for Mars colonization stories that I can't help but enjoy it.
April 17, 2025
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, , 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.
* * * * *
Review originally published on 4/17/2025 on my blog, .
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.
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, , 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.
* * * * *
Review originally published on 4/17/2025 on my blog, .
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.
March 25, 2025
In the fourth book, it’s 1970 and Elma York, The Lady Astronaut, finally lands on Mars with her husband Nathaniel with the second wave of settlers. Earth hasn’t had a clear sky since the asteroid hit it and the mere chance of seeing stars at night is lifting their spirits.
But from the start, Elma feels something’s off. Accidents have clearly taken place during the first wave of settlers that no one has reported back to earth and hateful messages have been painted on the wall. No one is willing to tell her anything when she tries to ask about it, even though she’s the second in command.
Small accidents keep happening too. They’re fairly harmless at first—until they aren’t. It’s clear that they’re deliberate sabotage. But is it someone on the planet with them behind it, or is the mastermind back on earth?
Despite the intriguing premise, this was surprisingly boring book. Focus was on technical details and religious rituals, and even the who dunnit was solved elsewhere behind the scenes. Most of the cast was new, the familiar characters like Stetson Parker only appeared through radio transmissions, and even Elma and Nathaniel spent large part of the book apart. The new characters were none of them interesting, nor were they given any backstories that would’ve made them more than talking heads, useful for each scene only.
Character relations were antagonist. Instead of building the inclusivity through open conversation, nothing happened until after a confrontation, however small. It made the whole process feel angry and negative instead of a hopeful chance to build a better world mentioned in the book’s description. It made for a heavy read and I didn’t enjoy this as much as I hoped I would.
In the end, everything was solved as well as it could be. Elma and Nathaniel settled down to their forever home, and they seemed content with where they are now. If this was the last book, it leaves them in a good place. But there’s a lot to explore in space left.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
But from the start, Elma feels something’s off. Accidents have clearly taken place during the first wave of settlers that no one has reported back to earth and hateful messages have been painted on the wall. No one is willing to tell her anything when she tries to ask about it, even though she’s the second in command.
Small accidents keep happening too. They’re fairly harmless at first—until they aren’t. It’s clear that they’re deliberate sabotage. But is it someone on the planet with them behind it, or is the mastermind back on earth?
Despite the intriguing premise, this was surprisingly boring book. Focus was on technical details and religious rituals, and even the who dunnit was solved elsewhere behind the scenes. Most of the cast was new, the familiar characters like Stetson Parker only appeared through radio transmissions, and even Elma and Nathaniel spent large part of the book apart. The new characters were none of them interesting, nor were they given any backstories that would’ve made them more than talking heads, useful for each scene only.
Character relations were antagonist. Instead of building the inclusivity through open conversation, nothing happened until after a confrontation, however small. It made the whole process feel angry and negative instead of a hopeful chance to build a better world mentioned in the book’s description. It made for a heavy read and I didn’t enjoy this as much as I hoped I would.
In the end, everything was solved as well as it could be. Elma and Nathaniel settled down to their forever home, and they seemed content with where they are now. If this was the last book, it leaves them in a good place. But there’s a lot to explore in space left.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 20, 2025
I received a copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for a review, my opinion is my own and also, I've preordered a paper copy anyway, because I have the whole series on my shelf.
I have to hand it to Kowal this time. Some of the elements that have previously bugged me (Elma's biases; the fact that Earth Firsters are evil but also correct, Earth should be saved first, if only because anything else is planet-cidal, and eco-cidal, and just unbearably tragic and evil) get addressed at least somewhat. In fact, so much of this book is about how well-meaning ignorance is still harmful, and how we need to make conscious effort to learn what we don't know we don't know, in order to be able to establish trust and collaboration. Elma is still not my favourite character, and I wouldn't mind being in another POV instead at times, but the lovingly crafted world yields dividends, the plot is beyond gripping (the processes! The worldbuilding detail! and the way I kept getting anxious to find out what the solution would turn out to be to each new arising problem!) and I stayed up past my curfew to read just one more chapter (and then it was a hundred pages later).
I have to hand it to Kowal this time. Some of the elements that have previously bugged me (Elma's biases; the fact that Earth Firsters are evil but also correct, Earth should be saved first, if only because anything else is planet-cidal, and eco-cidal, and just unbearably tragic and evil) get addressed at least somewhat. In fact, so much of this book is about how well-meaning ignorance is still harmful, and how we need to make conscious effort to learn what we don't know we don't know, in order to be able to establish trust and collaboration. Elma is still not my favourite character, and I wouldn't mind being in another POV instead at times, but the lovingly crafted world yields dividends, the plot is beyond gripping (the processes! The worldbuilding detail! and the way I kept getting anxious to find out what the solution would turn out to be to each new arising problem!) and I stayed up past my curfew to read just one more chapter (and then it was a hundred pages later).
March 24, 2025
honestly I’m knocking one star off because you can only use rocket science innuendo so many times
March 14, 2025
I recieved an e-book ARC of this book on NetGalley from the Publisher Tor in exchange for an honest review: Thank you Tor and NetGalley for this copy of the book.
This is the fourth book in Mary Robinette's "Lady Astronaut" series. This book continues to both highlight many of the strengths and weaknesses of the series overall.
I did really enjoy the Habitat storyline in the first half of the book. The discussion of all that was needed to make the base more permanent was really fascinating. The dangers of Mars are well realized here and I really understood the hard work that was ahead for our characters.
I also was intrigued that the mystery about the First Expedition and what happened that Elma (and the reader) doesn't know about. I had ideas behind the mystery, but I thought that Kowal's answers for it were in line with the series and really fascinating.
I also enjoyed reading the dynamic between Elm and Nathaniel. Although I don't appreciate having to read the more...ahem...physical nature of their relationship, their banter is sweet and fun to read, and they make for fascinating characters on the screen.
I did enjoy the humor in the book, particularly when the characters are problem solving and freudien slips abound. I was laughing out loud at many of these moments.
While not a major part of the book, I enjoyed the glimpses into the political difficulties of continuing Mars missions, and reading how the crew made decisions to maximize public support was fun to read.
I also really enjoyed a lot of the other characters, such as Leonard, Nicole, and what little we see of Wilburt. I actually would love to see more Wilburt in subsequent books.
One more positive is that the book moves at a very fast pace. I was never bored or felt like the book was moving too slow at all. That's an excellent aspect that books 2 and 3 in this series didn't have.
Now I do have some critiques.
First of all: the book has a major issue that had me scratching my head. If the IAC did not want or expect children to be born on Mars during the Second Expedition...why on Earth (or maybe why on Mars) did they decide to make the crew almost entirely married couples. This seems to be asking for pregnancies to happen, especially when the oldest couple is like 48 and still...ahem...active. There is a small reason for a specific couple that is explained, but not for the rest. Seems like a really unwise move.
Also: the book has a plot device that requires the separation of the sexes so that the women are all in orbit and the men are on the planet. Kowal gives explanations for this, but it really read like a contrivance just to cause the social issues in the book and also cause a problem with a certain character back on earth. This isn't a minor issue, as its a major plot point in the book too!
My final criticism in the book comes from a worldview perspective. The book has a very pro-abortion/anti-natalism perspective that doesn't really fit in optimistic space stories like this. A major portion of the book, particularly the second half of the book, is dedicated to a plotpoint about a lady astronette getting pregnant, and trying to determine whether to have an abortion or to keep the baby. This plot point might have worked if handled differently. Unfortunately, not only does the character make the obviously wrong choice in the book, but the argument is heavily weighed in one direction, and there is no solid counter argument or major consequence for the characters' actions. Science Fiction books have this wonderful opportunity to promote Natalism in a way that won't be heavy handed, and unfortunately, this book missed the mark. (
Overall, I enjoyed the novel, but I was really frustrated with it at the same time. It reads super fast, and had a lot that I loved. Unfortunately, it loses some points for some plot issues, contrivences, and just very blatant messaging. 7 out of 10.
This is the fourth book in Mary Robinette's "Lady Astronaut" series. This book continues to both highlight many of the strengths and weaknesses of the series overall.
I did really enjoy the Habitat storyline in the first half of the book. The discussion of all that was needed to make the base more permanent was really fascinating. The dangers of Mars are well realized here and I really understood the hard work that was ahead for our characters.
I also was intrigued that the mystery about the First Expedition and what happened that Elma (and the reader) doesn't know about. I had ideas behind the mystery, but I thought that Kowal's answers for it were in line with the series and really fascinating.
I also enjoyed reading the dynamic between Elm and Nathaniel. Although I don't appreciate having to read the more...ahem...physical nature of their relationship, their banter is sweet and fun to read, and they make for fascinating characters on the screen.
I did enjoy the humor in the book, particularly when the characters are problem solving and freudien slips abound. I was laughing out loud at many of these moments.
While not a major part of the book, I enjoyed the glimpses into the political difficulties of continuing Mars missions, and reading how the crew made decisions to maximize public support was fun to read.
I also really enjoyed a lot of the other characters, such as Leonard, Nicole, and what little we see of Wilburt. I actually would love to see more Wilburt in subsequent books.
One more positive is that the book moves at a very fast pace. I was never bored or felt like the book was moving too slow at all. That's an excellent aspect that books 2 and 3 in this series didn't have.
Now I do have some critiques.
First of all: the book has a major issue that had me scratching my head. If the IAC did not want or expect children to be born on Mars during the Second Expedition...why on Earth (or maybe why on Mars) did they decide to make the crew almost entirely married couples. This seems to be asking for pregnancies to happen, especially when the oldest couple is like 48 and still...ahem...active. There is a small reason for a specific couple that is explained, but not for the rest. Seems like a really unwise move.
Also: the book has a plot device that requires the separation of the sexes so that the women are all in orbit and the men are on the planet. Kowal gives explanations for this, but it really read like a contrivance just to cause the social issues in the book and also cause a problem with a certain character back on earth. This isn't a minor issue, as its a major plot point in the book too!
My final criticism in the book comes from a worldview perspective. The book has a very pro-abortion/anti-natalism perspective that doesn't really fit in optimistic space stories like this. A major portion of the book, particularly the second half of the book, is dedicated to a plotpoint about a lady astronette getting pregnant, and trying to determine whether to have an abortion or to keep the baby. This plot point might have worked if handled differently. Unfortunately, not only does the character make the obviously wrong choice in the book, but the argument is heavily weighed in one direction, and there is no solid counter argument or major consequence for the characters' actions. Science Fiction books have this wonderful opportunity to promote Natalism in a way that won't be heavy handed, and unfortunately, this book missed the mark. (
Overall, I enjoyed the novel, but I was really frustrated with it at the same time. It reads super fast, and had a lot that I loved. Unfortunately, it loses some points for some plot issues, contrivences, and just very blatant messaging. 7 out of 10.
March 28, 2025
4.5 stars. A terrific addition to the world of the Lady Astronaut.
April 1, 2025
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!
April 13, 2025
I am a bit disappointed with this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 3 entries in this series. I like the characters, the 50’s- and 60’s setting and sense of technical revolution. This book lacks some of these elements. I also missed the sense of urgency to leave the Earth, because of the dying planet, the writer barely mentioned this aspect. I don’t know if there will be another book about the lady astronauts, I would probably read it as well.
February 17, 2025
Kowal’s writing is good enough that it’s hard to see Lady Astornaut dipping below a pretty decent level of quality. There’s some competence porn in the face of disaster, some solid interpersonal relationships, some triumphs over regressive forces.
But there have been some cracks showing, and they were a bit more visible here than in the past. None of these complaints are original to me, but I kinda saw them more this book: the characters go so far out of their way to communicate in a healthy manner that it sometimes feels they never have real miscommunications. It’s so focused on them talking like ordinary people that there’s a series of PG-13 sex jokes that are truly out of control. And because we’re now four books deep in the characters working to get along, it feels like they aren’t any antagonists left, and every problem is caused by people refusing to communicate about what had been done by past antagonists, despite heavy foreshadowing for most of the book.
For my money, The Relentless Moon was the pinnacle of this series. The villains were beautifully humanized, the espionage plot made it impossible to put down, the lead’s physical and mental injuries were genuine barriers to her life, and all the competence porn was still there.
In The Martian Contingency, the competence porn remains, but most of the rest has faded. The villains are just villains, the reveals are heavily foreshadowed, many of the lead’s personal struggles are well-managed from past books, and so…we get a pretty well-written and smart woman solving problems and leveraging the system to advance progressive goals. It’s decent, but it’s missing a spark.
First impression: 12/20. Full review to come at
But there have been some cracks showing, and they were a bit more visible here than in the past. None of these complaints are original to me, but I kinda saw them more this book: the characters go so far out of their way to communicate in a healthy manner that it sometimes feels they never have real miscommunications. It’s so focused on them talking like ordinary people that there’s a series of PG-13 sex jokes that are truly out of control. And because we’re now four books deep in the characters working to get along, it feels like they aren’t any antagonists left, and every problem is caused by people refusing to communicate about what had been done by past antagonists, despite heavy foreshadowing for most of the book.
For my money, The Relentless Moon was the pinnacle of this series. The villains were beautifully humanized, the espionage plot made it impossible to put down, the lead’s physical and mental injuries were genuine barriers to her life, and all the competence porn was still there.
In The Martian Contingency, the competence porn remains, but most of the rest has faded. The villains are just villains, the reveals are heavily foreshadowed, many of the lead’s personal struggles are well-managed from past books, and so…we get a pretty well-written and smart woman solving problems and leveraging the system to advance progressive goals. It’s decent, but it’s missing a spark.
First impression: 12/20. Full review to come at
March 24, 2025
This is, I firmly believe, the concluding volume in the Lady Astronaut series. It's a satisfying conclusion.
The Second Mars Expedition is attempting to make a permanent home on Mars, but politics back on Earth is still having an effect. Meanwhile, our first-person narrator Elma York increasingly feels that some members of the First Expedition are keeping some secrets from her. These secrets are exposed in a dramatic way that threatens the lives of inhabitants and the possible future of the Mars base.
I quite enjoyed the shift in narrator of the third volume to Nicole Wargin, who is very different from Elma York. However, Nicole doesn't go to Mars (not really a spoiler), so we need to go back to Elma to conclude the series (which is only natural).
In reviews of the earlier books I commented on how much technical detail was included, comparing it to “The Martian�. This is 1970s technology though, closer to Apollo technology rather than contemporary. It's startling to realize they are still using slide rules, but it fits the times.
The technical detail can be quite lengthy, but adds verisimilitude to a story in a way that most science fiction today doesn't attempt. The research is long and hard, as Kowal notes in the acknowledgments, and this is one of those books that has an extensive bibliography for those who want to read more about the actual science and events of the time.
This whole series is a celebration of the ambition of the space program and the unwavering dedication of the people who devote their life's work to it. One of the themes is that we need all our different abilities and backgrounds to succeed, and that professionalism, training, and a commitment to telling the whole truth (which fails at key points to drive the plot) is what enables humans to achieve goals beyond their individual capabilities.
The Second Mars Expedition is attempting to make a permanent home on Mars, but politics back on Earth is still having an effect. Meanwhile, our first-person narrator Elma York increasingly feels that some members of the First Expedition are keeping some secrets from her. These secrets are exposed in a dramatic way that threatens the lives of inhabitants and the possible future of the Mars base.
I quite enjoyed the shift in narrator of the third volume to Nicole Wargin, who is very different from Elma York. However, Nicole doesn't go to Mars (not really a spoiler), so we need to go back to Elma to conclude the series (which is only natural).
In reviews of the earlier books I commented on how much technical detail was included, comparing it to “The Martian�. This is 1970s technology though, closer to Apollo technology rather than contemporary. It's startling to realize they are still using slide rules, but it fits the times.
The technical detail can be quite lengthy, but adds verisimilitude to a story in a way that most science fiction today doesn't attempt. The research is long and hard, as Kowal notes in the acknowledgments, and this is one of those books that has an extensive bibliography for those who want to read more about the actual science and events of the time.
This whole series is a celebration of the ambition of the space program and the unwavering dedication of the people who devote their life's work to it. One of the themes is that we need all our different abilities and backgrounds to succeed, and that professionalism, training, and a commitment to telling the whole truth (which fails at key points to drive the plot) is what enables humans to achieve goals beyond their individual capabilities.
April 6, 2025
I’ve been waiting for almost five years to finally read the fourth novel in the Lady Astronaut universe, the third to feature Elma York as the primary POV. Unfortunately, this one is definitely a mixed bag for me, especially if it’s to be the last book in the series as Kowal has indicated. On the one hand, it’s still very technical in its approach, giving tons of reasons as to how the Martian habitat (do NOT call it a colony; Elma will hate your guts) has to deal with nearly impossible odds stacked against the survival of everyone living within.
Overall, though, this one undeniably feels like a string of short stories that were stretched to form a novel, with surprisingly little tension between individual story threads (though some of those individual threads are very gripping by themselves.) Additionally, while Kowal does a great job representing a variety of diverse cultures and experiences (and highlighting the disgusting racism that fueled old boy villain Vanderbilt deBeer, whose characterization feels tons more apropos now that Elon Musk fills in the role of “incurably racist Afrikaner� in today’s world), there are still a few issues that I’m surprised she didn’t address better. Namely, the character of Kam, whom Kowal admitted to having had Elma unintentionally misgender in the second book because Kam wouldn’t have been able to come out as a trans man yet. I honestly think it would’ve been better to have had the detail of Kam’s gender identity come up in this book instead, because Kowal’s idea of a workaround is to have Elma go out of her way not to refer to Kam with any gendered pronouns, as if to say that the character is supposed to be unaware of Kam’s true gender even though the author and reader know better. Then again, it’s not a first for Kowal, handling character genders in an unusual way - I still remember how in The Spare Man, she had everyone introduce their pronouns alongside their names, but also did away with gendered honorifics.
Kowal may not get everything right, but again, it’s the technical details of the world building where she shines the most. That, and also the in universe news articles at the start of each chapter, many adapted from real world articles of the time. It’s also interesting to see how the Martian calendar is developed - the Martian months are named by adding “m� at the end of their abbreviations, resulting in names like “Marm,� “Maym,� “Julm,� and “Octm;� there are seven sols of the week with their names taken from ours; they use terms like “yestersol� and “tosol;� and they need to match various religious celebrations to the old calendar as well (Jewish, Christian, and Hindu holidays among them.)
I really do hope to see more of this series from Kowal, though if this is truly the last in the series…well, I understand.
Overall, though, this one undeniably feels like a string of short stories that were stretched to form a novel, with surprisingly little tension between individual story threads (though some of those individual threads are very gripping by themselves.) Additionally, while Kowal does a great job representing a variety of diverse cultures and experiences (and highlighting the disgusting racism that fueled old boy villain Vanderbilt deBeer, whose characterization feels tons more apropos now that Elon Musk fills in the role of “incurably racist Afrikaner� in today’s world), there are still a few issues that I’m surprised she didn’t address better. Namely, the character of Kam, whom Kowal admitted to having had Elma unintentionally misgender in the second book because Kam wouldn’t have been able to come out as a trans man yet. I honestly think it would’ve been better to have had the detail of Kam’s gender identity come up in this book instead, because Kowal’s idea of a workaround is to have Elma go out of her way not to refer to Kam with any gendered pronouns, as if to say that the character is supposed to be unaware of Kam’s true gender even though the author and reader know better. Then again, it’s not a first for Kowal, handling character genders in an unusual way - I still remember how in The Spare Man, she had everyone introduce their pronouns alongside their names, but also did away with gendered honorifics.
Kowal may not get everything right, but again, it’s the technical details of the world building where she shines the most. That, and also the in universe news articles at the start of each chapter, many adapted from real world articles of the time. It’s also interesting to see how the Martian calendar is developed - the Martian months are named by adding “m� at the end of their abbreviations, resulting in names like “Marm,� “Maym,� “Julm,� and “Octm;� there are seven sols of the week with their names taken from ours; they use terms like “yestersol� and “tosol;� and they need to match various religious celebrations to the old calendar as well (Jewish, Christian, and Hindu holidays among them.)
I really do hope to see more of this series from Kowal, though if this is truly the last in the series…well, I understand.
April 7, 2025
Another solid entry in the series. This made for interesting reading alongside A City on Mars by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith (which, incidentally, is cited in the bibliography of The Martian Contingency ). There are references in this book to events which I think happened in short stories that I haven't read, or maybe they were in The Relentless Moon and I just forgot, I'm not sure which. In any case, I did often feel like I was missing some information which would have given me a better understanding of the nuances of the narrative.
As with the other books in this series, I think Kowal has done an excellent job with inclusivity and representation among her characters, and with bringing a modern perspective to her alternate history. I will say, though, that I could have done with slightly less of Elma York's frequent description of how into her husband she is. To be fair, this wasn't over the top, and I think it's a good change to see a romantic relationship of many years depicted in a positive way (it also just occurred to me -- it's perhaps maybe a tiny bit Heinleinesque in a good way). I just found it a little repetitive.
Content warnings hidden behind spoiler tag:
As with the other books in this series, I think Kowal has done an excellent job with inclusivity and representation among her characters, and with bringing a modern perspective to her alternate history. I will say, though, that I could have done with slightly less of Elma York's frequent description of how into her husband she is. To be fair, this wasn't over the top, and I think it's a good change to see a romantic relationship of many years depicted in a positive way (it also just occurred to me -- it's perhaps maybe a tiny bit Heinleinesque in a good way). I just found it a little repetitive.
Content warnings hidden behind spoiler tag:
April 7, 2025
Another solid installment with a flawed (but ever stronger!) main character, a realistic and functioning marriage, complex coworker dynamics that have developed over a long time, secrets, politics, and of course space and Mars. I started typing that sentence at 4 stars and I'm going up to 5 because what am I really holding out for? Within the genre of realistic near-present-time space exploration, this is exemplary. And, as you are already aware because nobody hops straight into book #4 of a series, it continues to be feminist as all get-out.
Kowal never goes easy on her characters, or their marriages. This episode brings serious health concerns for Nathan into the picture, along with hot flashes for Elma (me too, Elma, me too). There's also a truly excellent narrative arc about an unwanted pregnancy in low gravity -- and the many entities that seek to control whether the pregnant woman is allowed to abort. That struck me as exceptionally realistic, up to and including the political pressures on the President of the US.
My suspension of disbelief was jolted a little by the treatment of one trans character. Elma is sweet and accepting, but also entirely vanilla (enthusiastic about sex with her husband, but also a self-described "prude" who, in an especially funny scene, can only partially join in an explicit discussion with other women about non-penetrative sex). So could Elma and other fairly mainstream people, in an alternate 1960s, really have been so easygoing about someone transitioning socially? Of course I'd like to think so, but that arc kind of screamed "2020s" to me.
The conclusion of this book is not in the format of the others in the Lady Astronaut series, and it may actually be over at this point. If so, well, I'm sure to re-read it some year and I can't wait to see what Kowal writes next.
Kowal never goes easy on her characters, or their marriages. This episode brings serious health concerns for Nathan into the picture, along with hot flashes for Elma (me too, Elma, me too). There's also a truly excellent narrative arc about an unwanted pregnancy in low gravity -- and the many entities that seek to control whether the pregnant woman is allowed to abort. That struck me as exceptionally realistic, up to and including the political pressures on the President of the US.
My suspension of disbelief was jolted a little by the treatment of one trans character. Elma is sweet and accepting, but also entirely vanilla (enthusiastic about sex with her husband, but also a self-described "prude" who, in an especially funny scene, can only partially join in an explicit discussion with other women about non-penetrative sex). So could Elma and other fairly mainstream people, in an alternate 1960s, really have been so easygoing about someone transitioning socially? Of course I'd like to think so, but that arc kind of screamed "2020s" to me.
The conclusion of this book is not in the format of the others in the Lady Astronaut series, and it may actually be over at this point. If so, well, I'm sure to re-read it some year and I can't wait to see what Kowal writes next.
March 26, 2025
Such a great mix of character and adventure-based Sci-fi. There were questions (would the settlement on Mars succeed?) and mystery (what happened REDACTED when REDACTED) along with personal and interpersonal challenges for the characters, and the pleasure of watching these characters grow and age in this fourth book in the series. I laughed, I cried, I felt like I was THERE. Raced through this installment and am looking forward to going back to the beginning to read the whole series again.
This is a great example of how sci-fi can be uplifting and not boring, both at the same time. If you're a fan of Andy Weir's The Martian and Project Hail Mary and looking for your next read in a similar 'mood', you should love this series.
This is a great example of how sci-fi can be uplifting and not boring, both at the same time. If you're a fan of Andy Weir's The Martian and Project Hail Mary and looking for your next read in a similar 'mood', you should love this series.
March 27, 2025
It's been a while since I read the last book in this series. Apparently that one was set on the moon and featured Nicole instead of Elma and the book I loved the most.
This book returns to Elma and Mars. I'm not sure how much was the return to Elma and how much was just the plot not being as strong, but this one wasn't as good as the last.
Don't get me wrong I still enjoyed it, and would read another one if she writes one, but at points of the book Elma was getting on my nerves and the interactions with some of the other characters did as well.
Once again Mary Robinette Kowal does an excellent job narrating her own book. The audio is a great option for this series.
3.5 Stars rounded up.
This book returns to Elma and Mars. I'm not sure how much was the return to Elma and how much was just the plot not being as strong, but this one wasn't as good as the last.
Don't get me wrong I still enjoyed it, and would read another one if she writes one, but at points of the book Elma was getting on my nerves and the interactions with some of the other characters did as well.
Once again Mary Robinette Kowal does an excellent job narrating her own book. The audio is a great option for this series.
3.5 Stars rounded up.
March 20, 2025
Pub Day in the UK is March 27th
Really enjoyed book 4 in the Lady Astronaut series. A base on Mars has been established and the first "Martians" have moved in. Among the usual problems of working in an uninhabitable environment the members of the first Mars mission, to establish the base, are keeping a secret.
Another strong entry in this series. Gender, race, but also culture and religion, as well as body autonomy play just as much a role as who has jurisdiction on Mars and should it be named a colony.
I seriously hope this wasn't the last book in the series.
Really enjoyed book 4 in the Lady Astronaut series. A base on Mars has been established and the first "Martians" have moved in. Among the usual problems of working in an uninhabitable environment the members of the first Mars mission, to establish the base, are keeping a secret.
Another strong entry in this series. Gender, race, but also culture and religion, as well as body autonomy play just as much a role as who has jurisdiction on Mars and should it be named a colony.
I seriously hope this wasn't the last book in the series.
March 31, 2025
Loved this new installment. Not the fastest paced, craziest tempo. But good characters and a plot that makes you keep turning pages. Elma and Nathaniel are my favorite, I’m happy to be back with them on Mars!! The tech was all reasonable and familiar based on earlier books, making it seem like life on Mars is not that difficult (if you’ve got a colony or two on the moon already). Maybe it will be a thing in the future.
The only part that I really struggled with is changing every -day to -sol. Man, my brain struggled with it. Even though I know why it was that way.
The only part that I really struggled with is changing every -day to -sol. Man, my brain struggled with it. Even though I know why it was that way.
April 16, 2025
HabÃa muchas ganas de otro libro de Lady Astronaut después de que el anterior fuese con otro personaje.
Tienes dudas de si Elma es judÃa? o curiosidad por si juega a esconder el teleñeco con su marido en cuanto tiene ocasión? no te preocupes que página si página no tendrás un recordatorio. También creo que es el que más perspectiva feminista tiene de todos (que si los has leÃdo sabes que van cargaditos).
No se si habrá más libros en la saga pero la verdad es que me ha encantado y sobre todo sus personajes.
Tienes dudas de si Elma es judÃa? o curiosidad por si juega a esconder el teleñeco con su marido en cuanto tiene ocasión? no te preocupes que página si página no tendrás un recordatorio. También creo que es el que más perspectiva feminista tiene de todos (que si los has leÃdo sabes que van cargaditos).
No se si habrá más libros en la saga pero la verdad es que me ha encantado y sobre todo sus personajes.
March 21, 2025
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Science Fiction / Space Exploration / Alternative History
*Rating* 3.0
*Thoughts*
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.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
*Genre* Science Fiction / Space Exploration / Alternative History
*Rating* 3.0
*Thoughts*
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.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
March 25, 2025
A bittersweet experience -- getting to spend hours with Elma York inside the amazing mind of Mary Robinette Kowal -- and then it's over and Elma disappears back into the pages. Kowal works so damn hard on her writing, on the scientific detail, the characters and the fascinating way her alt-history has diverged from ours. To any television viewer who has become entranced with AppleTV+ show "For All Mankind" The Lady Astronaut series would be the perfect recommendation to a new reader. The show can feel very male-oriented at times and Kowal's work would offer some real balance.
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