The idea of living on the moon has been in mankind’s collective thought since it first realized there were other planets and such aside from Earth and maybe we could get to them. Of course, sci-fi books, movies and television have explored the idea almost since the beginning as well. In the forthcoming novel Artemis by Andy Weir, Earth has managed to establish a city on the moon. It’s a great place to live or visit – as long as you have the money for it. 

The protagonist, Jazz Bashara, is part of the low-income working class and does some smuggling on the side to make ends meet. An opportunity arises that could make her life easier, but it’s risky. Not surprisingly, she intends to go for it, but steps into the middle of a conspiracy involving Earth, the moon, government and mobsters. It might be just a little tricky to not only get away with what was supposed to be the perfect crime, but to stay alive.

If you’re wondering why the name Andy Weir sounds familiar, he’s the author of The Martian, which was turned into a movie starring Matt Damon. And if you enjoyed that novel (and/or movie), you will probably enjoy Artemis. The author has a consistent writing style and voice. Though it’s obviously a completely different plot that leans more towards the fiction realm, there’s still plenty of science involved (it is set on the moon, after all). However, I found some of the dumbed down explanations of the science elements a bit repetitive. I also wasn’t a big fan of the main character, though she does grow on you a bit.

Overall, I’d go with about 3.5 out of 5 for Artemis. It’s enjoyable enough for what it is and a relatively quick read. Plus, it’s easy to picture this as a movie, which I’m sure we can expect in a couple years. The release date is November 14, but you can pre-order the novel on Amazon and other sites.