10 Best Books Like Red Mars

If you loved Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, here are the most similar books our readers recommend.

Science Fiction02003640 pages

In 2026, one hundred colonists embark on humanity's most ambitious project: the terraforming of Mars, using massive mirrors, melted polar caps, and deep planetary drilling to transform the red planet into a habitable world. As the colonists work to reshape an entire planet, they find themselves divided between those who dream of a new Earth and those who believe Mars should remain untouched, setting the stage for conflicts that will determine the future of two worlds.

We may earn a small commission from purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.

Detailed Recommendations

Quick Comparison: Books Like Red Mars

BookAuthorRatingYearPagesBest For
DuneFrank Herbert02019Closest match
The Mercy of Gods📚 Series starterJames S. A. Corey4.52024Start a new series
Stranded (Starship of the Ancients)A.K. DuBoff4.32025419Similar vibes
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyDouglas Adams01979169Similar vibes
RedshirtsJohn Scalzi3.92012320Similar vibes
Ender's GameOrson Scott Card02004Similar vibes
Cloud Cuckoo LandAnthony Doerr4.22021641Similar vibes
Operation Bounce HouseMatt Dinniman4.12026448Similar vibes
The HostStephenie Meyer02008Similar vibes
The Three-Body ProblemCixin Liu0Similar vibes

Authors Who Write Like Kim Stanley Robinson

If you enjoy Kim Stanley Robinson's writing style, explore these similar authors.

Frequently Asked Questions

What books are most similar to Red Mars?

The most similar books to Red Mars are Dune, The Mercy of Gods, Stranded (Starship of the Ancients).

What should I read after Red Mars?

After finishing Red Mars, readers most commonly pick up Dune next.

Who writes books like Kim Stanley Robinson?

Authors similar to Kim Stanley Robinson include Matt Haig, Andy Weir, John Ringo, Matt Dinniman, A.K. DuBoff.

What genre is Red Mars?

Red Mars is a Science Fiction novel by Kim Stanley Robinson, published in 2003. It features elements of Mars, Space Opera.

How long is Red Mars?

Red Mars is 640 pages long.

About Red Mars

In his most ambitious project to date, award-winning author Kim Stanley Robinson utilizes years of research and cutting-edge science in the first of three novels that will chronicle the colonization of Mars.For eons, sandstorms have swept the barren desolate landscape of the red planet. For centuries, Mars has beckoned to mankind to come and conquer its hostile climate. Now, in the year 2026, a group of one hundred colonists is about to fulfill that destiny.John Boone, Maya Toitavna, Frank Chalmers, and Arkady Bogdanov lead a mission whose ultimate goal is the terraforming of Mars. For some, Mars will become a passion driving them to daring acts of courage and madness; for others it offers and opportunity to strip the planet of its riches. And for the genetic "alchemists, " Mars presents a chance to create a biomedical miracle, a breakthrough that could change all we know about life...and death.The colonists place giant satellite mirrors in Martian orbit to reflect light to the planets surface. Black dust sprinkled on the polar caps will capture warmth and melt the ice. And massive tunnels, kilometers in depth, will be drilled into the Martian mantle to create stupendous vents of hot gases. Against this backdrop of epic upheaval, rivalries, loves, and friendships will form and fall to pieces--for there are those who will fight to the death to prevent Mars from ever being changed.Brilliantly imagined, breathtaking in scope and ingenuity, Red Mars is an epic scientific saga, chronicling the next step in human evolution and creating a world in its entirety. Red Mars shows us a future, with both glory and tarnish, that awes with complexity and inspires with vision.From the Paperback edition.

Themes & Topics