Red Mars

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of death and suicidal ideation.

Red Mars begins after humanity has already colonized the “empty” planet Mars. Long fascinated by the distant planet, humanity made it the focus of stories and legends. Through scientific progress, stories gave way to data and information. When humans arrived on Mars, it ceased to be the powerful figure from religions, myths, and folklore; it “became a place” (14).

Frank Chalmers is the technical leader of the US contingent within the first 100 selected Mars colonists. He disagrees with the views of fellow colonist John Boone, who is famous as the first man on Mars. Chalmers cynically disagrees with Boone’s romantic, religious “lies” (18) that the journey to Mars changed the travelers into fundamentally different beings. During a festival, Chalmers plans to assassinate Boone. He watches Boone’s speech, given under the dome of an enormous tent that separates the people from the hostile Martian atmosphere. Among the crowd are others from the first 100.

Chalmers mingles with the different communities in the small town. The town is home to Swiss and Arab communities, which Chalmers considers well-suited to coexist with one another.