“I bounded over the gray, dusty terrain toward the huge dome of Conrad Bubble.”

From Andy Weir’s Artemis.

Jasmine Bashara lives on the Moon, in fact, she has lived almost all her life in the Moon’s international city of Artemis.  The only daughter of a Saudi Arabian welder, she rebelled long ago and struck out to fend for herself on the Moon’s only city; Jazz currently works as a porter (and a smuggler), but her goal is to become certified to give tours outside the city, on the surface.  When her plans of becoming a certified tour guide are put on hold, Jazz must look for other methods to help keep herself out of poverty.  One of Jazz’s regular (smuggling) customers, Trond, approaches her with just such a plan.  While there is quite a booming tourism business in Artemis, there is also a steady business producing aluminum, with glass and oxygen being created through the process; Trond has plans to buy out the major smelting factory on Artemis, but he needs Jazz’s help/sabotage to pull everything off.  While Jazz is unsure if she can come up with a plan that will work, the huge payoff for completing the job urges her forward, straight into a life-threatening adventure that will change Artemis forever.

Right from the first page, this book is fast, both in pace and wit.  Jazz’s character is a strong narrator for a story that is literally out of this world.  Weir manages to create a story that feels completely plausible; there are countless science facts and tidbits mixed into the story that makes the fictional story come to life.  The blend of genres makes for a refreshing read, as the story is equal parts thriller, science fiction, and mystery.  The imagery and characters are diverse and unique, but perfectly written for their role in the novel.  Artemis is a fun, captivating read that is almost impossible to put down!