Book Review: Artemis by Andy Weir
Synopsis
Jasmine “Jazz” Bashara lives in humanity’s first lunar colony, Artemis. She never signed up to be a hero—she just wanted to get rich. Not crazy, eccentric-billionaire rich, like many of the visitors to Artemis, but rich enough to move out of her coffin-sized apartment and eat something better than flavored algae. Rich enough to pay off a debt she’s owed for a long time. (Barnes & Noble, 2026)
When a chance at a lucrative heist presents itself, Jazz can’t say no. But engineering the perfect crime is just the start of her problems, because that little heist is about to land her in the middle of a conspiracy that threatens the future of Artemis itself.
Trapped between competing forces, pursued by a killer and the law alike, she’ll have to hatch a truly spectacular scheme to have a chance at staying alive and saving her city. Jazz is no hero, but she is a very good criminal.
Review
Artemis begins with Jazz reeling from failing her EVA exam, which she needs to join the EVA Guild. Members of the guild lead groups of tourists across the lunar surface and earn a significantly better living. She tries to talk her way into passing, but Bob Lewis, former US Marine and head trainer, doesn’t budge. He tells her to try again and focus on the quality of her equipment.
The story centers around Jazz, a clever, sarcastic porter and small-time smuggler who dreams of escaping poverty. She’s an engaging protagonist whose intelligence, resilience, and moral ambiguity make her both flawed and relatable. Unlike the idealistic heroes often found in science fiction, she survives through quick thinking, technical expertise, and sheer determination. Her growth from a self-serving opportunist to someone willing to risk everything for others forms the emotional core of the story.
“How dare you call me lazy? I’d come up with a scathing retort but, meh, I’m just not motivated.”
Weir once again showcases his talent for making complex engineering and scientific concepts accessible without slowing down the narrative pace. Themes of survival, greed, class inequality, and redemption are woven throughout the novel, highlighting the real-world challenges of building a human society beyond Earth.
Weir’s signature worldbuilding shines brightest here:
- Lunar Economics: The realistic financial friction between tourists, workers, and corporations.
- Life-Support Mechanics: Detailed systems keeping the dome breathable and safe.
- Industrial Realism: Meticulously researched aluminum-smelting processes that anchor the plot.
The fast-paced plot keeps the tension high as Jazz relies on her sharp technical instincts and criminal ingenuity to pull off a spectacular multi-stage scheme.
However, Jazz’s dialogue and internal monologue can feel somewhat forced and juvenile at times, occasionally undermining the tension. While it doesn’t quite match the sheer survivalist charm of Mark Watney’s journey in The Martian, Artemis still delivers a fun, fast-moving sci-fi crime caper.
The Bottom Line
Artemis by Andy Weir is a fast-paced science fiction thriller that blends suspense, humor, and real-world science into an entertaining lunar adventure. If you enjoy hard science paired with high-stakes action, it is well worth the trip to the moon.
“People will trust a reliable criminal more readily than a shady businessman.”
Get your copy of Artemis today!
About the Author
Andy Weir built a career as a software engineer until the success of his first published novel, The Martian, allowed him to live out his dream of writing full-time. He is a lifelong space nerd and a devoted hobbyist of subjects such as relativistic physics, orbital mechanics, and the history of manned spaceflight.
Bonus
If you enjoyed the fast-paced survival, witty problem-solving, and high-stakes criminal plots of Andy Weir’s Artemis, these sci-fi heist and mystery novels offer a similar blend of technical intrigue and fast-paced schemes.
High-Stakes Sci-Fi Heists
The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi features post-human master criminal Jean le Flambeur breaking out of prison to pull off an impossible heist across a high-tech moving city on Mars.
Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds follows a security operative hunting a ruthless killer through a bizarre, virus-corrupted sci-fi metropolis while navigating high-stakes crime networks.
Space-Bound Sci-Fi Mysteries
Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty combines a locked-room murder mystery with cloning technology as a spaceship crew wakes up to find their previous bodies murdered and their recent memories wiped.
Leviathan Wakes by S.A. Corey pairs a hard-boiled detective on an asteroid belt with an ice-miner captain as they unravel a system-wide conspiracy triggered by a missing girl.
Which Should You Pick?
For an intricate, mind-bending criminal heist set in a futuristic solar system, go with The Quantum Thief.
For a claustrophobic, locked-room whodunit packed with survival tension, start with Six Wakes.
For a grounded space-noir investigation with vast geopolitical stakes, choose Leviathan Wakes.
SA Examiner 