The Mars House: A Novel

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars | 555 ratings

Price: 21.88

Last update: 01-08-2025


About this item

Bloomsbury presents The Mars House by Natasha Pulley, read by Daniel de Bourg.

A compulsively readable queer sci-fi novel about a marriage of convenience between a Mars politician and an Earth refugee.

Named as one of Amazon's Best Books of 2024 So Far

As Recommended By: Amazon * LitHub * Gizmodo * New Scientist * LGBTQ Reads * Reactor Magazine * KOBO Canada * BookRiot

In the wake of an environmental catastrophe, January, once a principal in London's Royal Ballet, has become a refugee in Tharsis, the terraformed colony on Mars. There, January’s life is dictated by his status as an Earthstronger—a person whose body is not adjusted to lower gravity and so poses a danger to those born on, or naturalized to, Mars. January’s job choices, housing, and even transportation are dictated by this second-class status, and now a xenophobic politician named Aubrey Gale is running on a platform that would make it all worse: Gale wants all Earthstrongers to naturalize, a process that is always disabling and sometimes deadly.

When Gale chooses January for an on-the-spot press junket interview that goes horribly awry, January’s life is thrown into chaos, but Gale’s political fortunes are damaged, too. Gale proposes a solution to both their problems: a five year made-for-the-press marriage that would secure January’s future without naturalization and ensure Gale’s political success. But when January accepts the offer, he discovers that Gale is not at all like they appear in the press. They're kind, compassionate, and much more difficult to hate than January would prefer. As their romantic relationship develops, the political situation worsens, and January discovers Gale has an enemy, someone willing to destroy all of Tharsis to make them pay—and January may be the only person standing in the way.

Thrilling immersive and utterly timely, Natasha Pulley’s new novel is a gripping story about privilege, strength, and life across class divisions, perfect for listeners of Sarah Gailey and Tamsyn Muir.


Top reviews from the United States

  • East Bay Jon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent SF story with important social questions built into the world
    Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2024
    This story works on so many levels.

    The world-building is thorough and unique - what would Mars be like 200 or so years after human settlement dominated by Chinese ex-pats? How would 7th generation 'natural' Martians adapted to 1/4 Earth gravity deal with a steady influx of 'Earthstrong' folks too strong for many people's own good and still acculturated to collapsing cultures on Earth? And what if the dominant culture had eliminated gender (but Earth hadn't)?

    The central story can be over-simplified as an unexpected partnership-turning-romance (?) between two vastly different humans (each truly unique, and wonderfully drawn), amid rising political and cultural disruption. With plenty of good moments and many delicately foreshadowed plot developments and twists. And with very thought-provoking takes on immigration, gender, and conflicting cultural loyalties.

    No book is perfect, but this one's wonderful, and a must read for anyone heavily drawn to any of the themes above. I'm pushing this on all my SF fan friends, and on younger folks adamant about gender and empowerment in the Real World.
  • Dyana Aset
    4.0 out of 5 stars Life on Mars is hard...
    Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2024
    ...especially if you're a refugee, and different from the people who were born on Mars. January Stirling was a ballet dancer in London, but global warming sank the city and the only place taking ballet dancers was Russia...which is probably going to get in a nuclear war with the U.S. So January takes a ship to terraformed Mars, where gender is blunted, everyone is extremely tall and fragile by Earth standards. January, like many refugees in the real world, lives in penury until he is rescued by a powerful politician who wants to marry him for political reasons. And then stuff happens...The only reason I'm not giving this 5 stars is that it startles me whenever I read bald-faced hatred of the United States. Clearly this author feels this way. And in the book L.A. is a bomb crater. Thanks for blowing up my home, NOT!
  • Gerald Conroy
    5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant storyteller with a compelling new style
    Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2024
    Natasha Pulley is the first author in many years to trigger a compulsive desire to read everything she has written. Fresh, clever, and endlessly surprising. She is today’s leader in her genre. Can’t wait for her next masterpiece.
  • M. A. Wolfson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Best Pulley Book Yet
    Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2024
    I have read every other book written by Natasha Pulley. Mars House mesmerized with captivating characters, thrilling plot and world building that pulled me in. Mars and the future of humanity comes to life with Pulley’s prose.

    The main character January is a great traveling companion. Perhaps my only criticism is there were times I hoped we were given more detail or certain elements of the plot were expanded to allow us to explore Mars or January’s experiences. It’s a long book but I wanted more and hope Pulley writes more about Tharsis.
  • deborah williams
    5.0 out of 5 stars Compulsive speculative read
    Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2024
    Immensely enjoyable read that has a lot to say about when how fear can rule a society, but does so in a fair way. And how a lack of possession and understanding of all the facts can distort the views of the “other”,
    The distant scenes of the earth on fire are unforgettable.
    Yes whimsical at times with her animal characters, but all to the good.
  • Plot Trysts
    4.0 out of 5 stars 5 star reading experience, 3 star themes
    Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2024
    The Mars House: five star reading experience with three star themes. I was invested in everything on the page and as long as I didn't think too hard about it, it was pretty perfect. First, some basics: this is hard science fiction. Earth is a flaming garbage heap, and there are climate refugees who need to escape their homelands. Some of them immigrate to Mars. Martian society was founded eight generations ago and has its own culture, adapted to the higher radiation and lower gravity of life on that planet. "Earthstrong" refugees are stronger and faster on Mars, although their life expectancy is lower; Martian "Naturals" are taller, slimmer, and have been genetically modified for the Martian climate. Earthstrongers don't know their own strength, making them a danger to their Natural neighbors.⁠ They can "naturalize," a process of acclimatizing to the Martian environment, but it's a difficult process that leaves even the luckiest with some kind of nerve damage. Without naturalizing, they can work only the most menial jobs, where their strength is an asset.⁠
    ⁠
    It's in this setting that we meet MC January, an Earthstrong refugee. In his former life, he was the principal of the London Ballet. On Mars, he barely ekes out a living in a water factory. His dry British humor lands him in jail for threatening the life of a Senator. When he gets out, he's surprised to be offered a political marriage of convenience to that same Senator. January's only other choice as a convicted felon is forced naturalization, so he reluctantly agrees ... only to find himself falling for Senator Gale, who might be a "Naturals First" politician, but who's also ... really nice?⁠
    ⁠
    Like I said, reading this book was a real pleasure. It might be lengthy, but I loved reading about Martian society, January's conflicted feelings about his place in it, and the slow (slooooow!) burn romance between him and Gale. It made me tear up at several points. After finishing it, though, I had to sit with my feelings and really think about what the book is trying to say. ⁠
    ⁠
    Look, here's the thing: Gale is a right wing, immigration zero politician who marries January for the optics. I feel like Pulley is working with themes she's not sure what to do with. Speculative fiction is supposed to be fun, but it's also supposed to make you think. You know how some monster romance can end up using problematic images and themes without really meaning to? That's what it feels like here. For example, Earthstrong immigrants are truly dangerous to the Martian population. Gale is justified in being afraid of these immigrants - they lost a leg in an Earthstrong riot. If this is translated into today's world, are we meant to read this through the lens of European countries actually being at danger of losing their culture by accepting refugees from other parts of the world?

    But like I said, I was soooo invested in this romance and this world. I blew through this long book in two days. I cried at the end. I just don't know if I can fully enjoy it in the way I like to enjoy my books. (I love when my critical thinking center is engaged, and if I let that happen here, it will just be critical.)

    This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
  • Leslie DeLange
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story
    Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2024
    So many important ideas, examined with warmth, honesty and honor. And enough twists and turns that I caught myself gasping and saying, Oh, my! or Didn't see that coming!

    Interesting characters, mostly loveable. Really well written and very hard to put down! I feel I've been left hanging, though. Hope that means there will be a part two.

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