Post by: Helena Trooperman
Dated: 5th May 2025

Isbn: 9780553448146
Title: Artemis, book 2
Author: Andy Weir
Narrated by: Rosario Dawson

 

***** Fast, absorbing, & on my read again pile

This is my second read through. I loved it the first time, second time it’s every bit as awesome. It won’t be my last re-read. That I’m sure of. The world building is short and woven into the story near the beginning. I definitely felt the mind meld happen — a great omen from the start for this settler sci-fi. Also, on a trip to Indigo, I spotted the paperback. Well worth the extra purchase for my sci-fi shelf, with all kinds of schematics and images of their settlement buildings on the moon surface. Beautifully crafted.

The Blurb

Jasmine Bashara never signed up to be a hero. She just wanted to get rich. Not crazy, eccentric-billionaire rich, like many of the visitors to her hometown of Artemis, humanity’s first and only lunar colony. Just rich enough to move out of her coffin-sized apartment and eat something better than flavored algae. Rich enough to pay off a debt she’s owed for a long time.

So when a chance at a huge score finally comes her way, Jazz can’t say no. But engineering the perfect crime is just the start of her problems — because her little heist is about to land her in the middle of a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself.

Trapped between competing forces, pursued by a killer and the law alike, she’ll have to hatch a truly spectacular scheme to have a chance at staying alive and saving her city.

Jazz is no hero, but she is a very good criminal. That’ll have to do.

Noteworthy: Above is the Canadian blurb but imagine my surprise at how different the British blurb is. I’ll let you discover that for yourself.

Book Review Time

You get a taste for her life, her decision making, how antsy she is, and her cleverness.

Written in first person, for an up close feel Jasminda (Jazz) Bashara is a lovable rogue. Born in Saudi and moved to Artemis when she was six. Through her eyes we get to live in the only city on the moon. There’s another storyline; she has a pen friend she made when she was younger, who is on Earth. This storyline grows gradually throughout and pieces together her matrix of heist relationships and how they came to be. It’s a stroke of pure originality, you have to read/listen to, to appreciate.

She drives the heist storyline from the get go and deals with it as things don’t go to plan.

I just love this story of the city that is established but still finding it’s way economically. The unique connect of characters from all over the world hits the mark in that the Brit is the bartender and not the main character. The leader of Artemis City is from Kenya. There are many other countries represented including Rudi who is Canadian law enforcement, (without his surge uniform.)

A ‘them and us’ scenario is slowly evolving and it’s delicious. How the city begins to protect itself against organized crime taking their living.

I’m already reading Artemis for the second time, so it’s a shame I can’t get the story on Kobo Plus, where the author, Andy Weir, would get paid every time I read/listen to it.

***** Story & Overall to go on my prestigious read again pile

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(Don’t forget to switch to your country’s store.) Available on Kobo, Amazon ebook Buy Link

Audiobook Performance

Rosario Dawson’s performance is 8 hours 57 minutes. Mastery of accents, just the right amount of sarcasm as required, and a sprinkle of hurt in her voice pulls on the heart strings – wow!   ***** Outstanding & memorable performance.

Prefer the audiobook: on Amazon. Not available in Canada in English on Kobo, only in Québécois French is it Kobo Plus. Also available on Kobo in many languages.

Kobo is a Canadian – Japanese organization who have good ethics for readers and authors. I suggest being part of the Kobo plus subscription, to get unlimited listens, or unlimited listens and ebooks which is comparable to the Audible subscription for one credit per calendar month.

Other Stories by…

1. The Martian
2. Artemis
3. Hail Mary

Until next time, keep calm and read on, Helena

NEXT MONTH… Ed’s Pick (RHS) Get ready for a trip into fractal space and the walk of a lifetime with a New York Times bestselling author.