This is by far the most in-depth treatment of our current scientific understanding of Mars that I have run across, outside of some professional scientific journals. The author does a commendable job explaining pretty much all the technical terms and concepts required to understand the material he is presenting. This is especially true in the geology (areology) sections which comprise fully two-thirds of the book. That said, there is a *lot* of deep material here that occasionally taxed my interest because geology is really Not My Thing. I enjoyed the astrophysics and meteorology sections much more. But if you're serious about learning about Mars, I am unaware of anything else aimed at the popular, non-specialist audience that is this recent or this thorough. ( )

A comprehensive overview of Mars, sometimes easy reading and fascinating, but at other times far too detailed for those without a special interest in the planet.

The book begins with informative chapters providing an overview of early misconceptions about the planet (including beliefs about life forms, vegetation and irrigation canals) and the history of Mars exploration (including many failed missions). The author concludes with a brief but equally interesting discussion of future plans for the red planet, e.g., the potential for terraforming and colonization. Each of these chapters is well suited for the casual reader.

However, the majority of the book contains rather dry, scholarly discussions of the Martian interior, surface, atmosphere and climate. Generally, this material provides detailed information more suitable for the reader with some prior knowledge of astronomy. ( )

This is a bit dry, but it's also an amazing compendium of knowledge about Mars. If the composition of the crust of Mars or debate about the formation of its polar icecaps is interesting to you, this book will be indispensable. I personally loved it, even if it took a while to get through. ( )