Mars: A beginner’s guide to exploring the Red Planet

This little book (112 pages) is full of facts and information related to Mars, From the earliest times of mans interest to the latest possibilites of physical exploration.It's well written with plenty of excellent images that help illustrate the written word.It even has a good section on how and what you need to view Mars.I really enjoyed reading it and think it would suit someone who already has an interest or indeed it may spark an interest in a very relevant topic.Great as a stocking filler or even just as a gift - well worth the price and there are more in the series.

The book itself isn’t particularly attractive as it’s just a typical paperback book printed onto just thick enough paper of an acceptable quality level, not unlike what you’d see in a standard textbook. With that said though it did arrive in acceptable condition and the overall formatting and print quality is great. However, there is the odd ink splotch/smudge, and I can quite clearly see the stuff on the next page through the blank sections of the pages which does spoil things a bit.The content is certainly tailored more to someone who is inclined to be or already interested in astronomy as a whole, with the particular focus of this specific book being Mars. For those who may be just interested in the history of observing Mars, its formation, evolution and the future of the planet this book is generally okay but not strictly for them. I say this because the book has an entire 17-page chapter dedicated to observing the planet yourself which is an entirely separate rabbit hole that the people who may just want to know a bit more about Mars, may not be at all interested in.The book and product listing are in this odd limbo between advertising and delivering itself as a general purpose book about everything Mars for ‘anyone’, but also heavily caters to trying to get people into the astronomy side of things at the same time. The book spends a non-insignificant portion of the book on finding Mars, observing it, describing the equipment required to do so, mentions three different pieces of software and how to take photos and process them into cleaned up stills and videos. Which, while useful for someone who is looking to get started in astronomy, is almost entirely useless for someone generally interested in Mars specifically. Unless they’re interested enough to read about how the software programs and various pieces of gear work and how they may ultimately help them or others observe and document Mars.The observing Mars chapter isn’t bad by any stretch, but it certainly feels like something that could’ve been included as a separate supplementary inclusion as an online article, pull-out piece or leaflet for those who happen to be keenly interested in observing Mars or astronomy as a hobby, leaving more room for a bit more about the planet itself.Despite my minor gripes above, I did quite enjoy the book and I happily read through the entire thing and learned quite a bit along the way. The current price of £7.89 feels fair enough for what it is, and I'd have no issue recommending it to people with an interest in both astronomy and Mars itself. But I probably wouldn’t as readily recommend it for those just looking for an interesting read about what we know about the planet itself so far, but I suppose there are quite a few books suitable for them out there already and this fills a slightly different niche.

This is a fascinating, well written and well structured book. It's quite small in size, making it really convenient for taking with you e.g. as a read when commuting. It's written in very clear language even for someone with little prior knowledge about space, and is easy to dip in and out of. It does feel like it is written for an adult audience in mind (given the smaller font size and 'textbook' style page layout) but as the language is very accessible there's no reason why an interested older child couldn't enjoy it too.

This book is really interesting. It seems pitched at adults, but I feel that even teenagers with a love for space would be able to access most of the material without too much trouble. What I particularly liked is that the book nuggets information into really compact chunks with subheadings to make it clear what information the book is trying to impart. The pictures are really well presented and add to the intrigue of our fascinating space neighbour. For a planet that is often seen as just a red desert, it’s a very interesting planet.

This is a pretty comprehensive guide to Mars. It's well written and informative - which it should be since the author has studied physics and astronomy and worked at the Greenwich Observatory for ten years!This is a beginners guide and the language is accessible charting man's fascination with Mars from ancient times to the present day. Some of the explanations are really good and simplify the subject to just the right level so even real beginners can understand the concepts involved, others are, necessarily, more complex - somethings it just isn't possible to simplify to the most basic level, but that's ok because knowledge is a cumulative thing - get the basics down and the rest will follow to the level the reader needs. I've got a pretty good grounding in Chemistry and Biology, less so Physics but I get by and most of this was very comprehensible to me, and the bits that weren't (e.g. software used to produce photographs of the planet) are probably the bits I'm not so interested in anyway.The illustrations are good - the pictures are clear, crisp and relevant to the subject. All in all this is a good 'beginner's guide'.At £8.45 (as at 20 September 2024) this is a well priced little book that would make a great stocking filler for anyone with a burgeoning interest in the subject.

At 111 pages, this is a fairly slim volume but it packs in a lot of information.It covers anything you could really want to know about Mars and is presented in a very factual way.The type is fairly small and some pages look quite overwhelming, when just text only. However there are plenty of images too, so it's not that intimidating to read.It covers everything from the planet's history and geography through to the best way to view it and space missions to find out more.Definitely one for adults/older children but provides loads of facts/information for anyone interested in the Red Planet.