Artemis

I knew a copy of Andy Weir's second novel, Artemis (#714) was going to be under the tree for me when a library notice came that it was being held for me a few days before Christmas, and my husband told me to cancel it.


Jazz Bashara has lived most of her young life on the moon in the modular city of Artemis.  She's smart, but has had a falling out with her father, a skilled welder.  Although he has tried to pass along his knowledge, Jazz isn't interested in doing welding for the rest of her life.  In fact, she hasn't really figured out exactly what it is she wants to do with one exception: she wants to make enough money to be rich.  Her low level job as a courier frees her to run her own money-making scans, but it's also put her in the cross hairs of the security forces on the moon.  One more strike against her record, and Jazz faces permanent deportation back to her home country of Saudi Arabia on earth.  But one of her customers for her illegal smuggling business has just offered her a job that could set Jazz up for the rest of her life.  It's just too good to pass up, and that's the problem.  It gets him killed and paints a target on Jazz's back.  With literally no place to escape to, can Jazz use her wits to come out of things alive, when she's not even sure what's at stake?


It's your classic locked room mystery set in exotic locale of a moon colony with a healthy dose of caper thrown in for good measure.  Lots of twists and turns, a heroine who is likable, smart and ethical in her own crooked way.  Some interesting science mixed with humor, as in Weir's previous novel, The Martian. I found it thoroughly entertaining.