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袣芯屑械褌褘 袨芯褉褌邪
Mars was harsh and unforgiving, but for the colonists who called it home, its future was as bright as the comets that hung in the night sky, for locked in those icy bodies were the water and gases that would make Mars live again, mined from the vast Oort Cloud beyond Pluto. Young Dekker DeWoe yearned to become an Oort miner. But when he finally arrived on Earth to begin training, the mining project was abruptly canceled. Then he began to hear rumors of a plan to force the restoration of the mining -- a plan that would result in the deaths of millions . . .
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1992
7 people are currently reading
180 people want to read
About the author
Frederik Pohl
1,107听books1,037听followersFrederik George Pohl, Jr. was an American science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career spanning over seventy years. From about 1959 until 1969, Pohl edited Galaxy magazine and its sister magazine IF winning the Hugo for IF three years in a row. His writing also won him three Hugos and multiple Nebula Awards. He became a Nebula Grand Master in 1993.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 13, 2021
This is one of Pohl's better hard-sf/space novels, showing an optimistic future of Martian colonization, asteroid mining, etc. It's also a good coming-of-age story, and might be shelved as "YA" if it were to come out currently. Pohl always had some satiric societal observations to make, but here his obvious main focus was on the science and the story. The ending didn't quite round up everything as convincingly as one might want, but it's an enjoyable book.
July 28, 2016
Fine writing torpedoed by idiot plot
"Mining the Oort" opens well, with one of Pohl's trademark everyman protags -- here, Dekker DeWoe(!), a teenager in Sagdayev deme, an inconsequential Martian settlement -- who's uprooted to take shelter from the first comet crash in a grand long-term effort to terraform Mars!
Dekker's Dad was an Oort miner who washed out -- drink & drugs -- and never came home. His Martian Mom rises quickly (and rather implausibly) from struggling single mom to the Senator from Marsgov. Dekker meets an Earthgirl, his Mom's new suitor, and the boyfriend's obnoxious kid. We learn that all is not well with The Bonds, the Earthies financing of the terraforming project. Then we learn, sigh, that The Bonds will be paid off by (wait for it) shipping Mars farm produce back to Earth! If that's not bad enough, the Mars project is facing new competition from (groan) new farm-satellite habitats! Boy, I thnk I'll buy some of those bonds myself! Easy money!
Good lord. What was Pohl thinking? I mean, he has antimatter spaceships, and beanstalks, but space travel is explicitly difficult and expensive.... Sigh.
My 2007 review:
"Mining the Oort" opens well, with one of Pohl's trademark everyman protags -- here, Dekker DeWoe(!), a teenager in Sagdayev deme, an inconsequential Martian settlement -- who's uprooted to take shelter from the first comet crash in a grand long-term effort to terraform Mars!
Dekker's Dad was an Oort miner who washed out -- drink & drugs -- and never came home. His Martian Mom rises quickly (and rather implausibly) from struggling single mom to the Senator from Marsgov. Dekker meets an Earthgirl, his Mom's new suitor, and the boyfriend's obnoxious kid. We learn that all is not well with The Bonds, the Earthies financing of the terraforming project. Then we learn, sigh, that The Bonds will be paid off by (wait for it) shipping Mars farm produce back to Earth! If that's not bad enough, the Mars project is facing new competition from (groan) new farm-satellite habitats! Boy, I thnk I'll buy some of those bonds myself! Easy money!
Good lord. What was Pohl thinking? I mean, he has antimatter spaceships, and beanstalks, but space travel is explicitly difficult and expensive.... Sigh.
My 2007 review:
February 24, 2020
In 2001 I got to meet Frederik Pohl at the World Science Fiction Convention. I said I had enjoyed a number of his later books and was impressed that the writer, then in his early 80s, was still writing cutting edge SF and not resting on his laurels. He smiled and replied, "I'll make you a deal. You keep reading, and I'll keep writing." He kept up his end of the deal right to his death in 2013.
I've continued picking up Pohl books I haven't read. This one, from 1992, is a really good one although the payoff -- which is effective and dramatic -- seems a bit rushed. I recommend ignoring the copy on the paperback cover which both reveals and conceals too much.
I've continued picking up Pohl books I haven't read. This one, from 1992, is a really good one although the payoff -- which is effective and dramatic -- seems a bit rushed. I recommend ignoring the copy on the paperback cover which both reveals and conceals too much.
June 9, 2022
Young Dekker DeWoe is a Martian determined to become an Oort pilot, shifting comets into orbits that will bring them into grazing contact with Mars, thus adding volatiles to its nascent atmosphere. His father, a dsigraced Oort miner, unexpectedly provides the funds for Dek to go to Earth to train. Meanwhile his Mother is selected to speak for Mars in renegotiating the punitive Bond issue that is financing the terraforming and which Earth is trying to get out of, as they have decided L5 habitats might be cheaper and faster. When Dek graduates after a gruelling training process, his naivete gets a pounding as he discovers that there are people who are willing to do almost anything to see the Oort project continue or make billions from shorting the Bond market. Frederik Pohl is back on form in this entertaining coming of age story, replete with teenage angst and realistic astrophysics. Harking back to the sort of YA that Heinlein did so well this book is well worth a read despite it not being YA as such.
April 5, 2025
I鈥檝e had this one on the shelf for quite some time. The cover was cool - looked like old-school 鈥榞olden age鈥� sci-fi and was, at the time, just discovering the earlier works of Frederick Pohl (Merchants, Gateway and various short story collections from the 50鈥檚 and 60鈥檚; loved all that stuff).
鈥淢ining the Oort鈥� (1992) was not what I expected. Never judge a book by its title, I like to say. This was more about terraforming Mars and how those of a colony are often/usually exploited but the colonizing nation. In this case, however, it鈥檚 the world Earth doing the exploiting (and there are no native people to deal with.) A multitude of financial issues are in the foreground of the terraforming effort and of the story plot as well. It鈥檚 the primary motivator.
It was interesting to read this while in real-time, the current US/world trade policies are dominating the news.
A good read.
鈥淢ining the Oort鈥� (1992) was not what I expected. Never judge a book by its title, I like to say. This was more about terraforming Mars and how those of a colony are often/usually exploited but the colonizing nation. In this case, however, it鈥檚 the world Earth doing the exploiting (and there are no native people to deal with.) A multitude of financial issues are in the foreground of the terraforming effort and of the story plot as well. It鈥檚 the primary motivator.
It was interesting to read this while in real-time, the current US/world trade policies are dominating the news.
A good read.
October 26, 2017
Excellent fully imagined world.
I must admit the small font of the copy I had put me off reading this book for a long time. But when I finally did start reading I found it so compelling I read it in one sitting. The book was published in 1992 but reads like a book written in the golden age of Science Fiction. This should come as no surprise because author, Frederik Pohl, was born in 1919. If you like Heinlein, Zelazny, Niven and Pournelle you will probably enjoy this book.
If I liked it so much why the 4 stars? Because I believe if we have a 5 star rating system 5 stars should be reserved for the very, very best. Those books that I would read again AND again. This book is good, but not my most favorite in the whole world, not a book I would have to grab if I were being evacuated out of a burning building if ya know what I mean.
I must admit the small font of the copy I had put me off reading this book for a long time. But when I finally did start reading I found it so compelling I read it in one sitting. The book was published in 1992 but reads like a book written in the golden age of Science Fiction. This should come as no surprise because author, Frederik Pohl, was born in 1919. If you like Heinlein, Zelazny, Niven and Pournelle you will probably enjoy this book.
If I liked it so much why the 4 stars? Because I believe if we have a 5 star rating system 5 stars should be reserved for the very, very best. Those books that I would read again AND again. This book is good, but not my most favorite in the whole world, not a book I would have to grab if I were being evacuated out of a burning building if ya know what I mean.
July 31, 2007
Another book by Fredrich Pohl, one of my favorite writer's of all time. Takes place in the future and of course the earth has become overpopulated so they start creating underground cities under Mar's surface. Turns out most of the poor people are the unfortunate ones to be sent there... The goal of the people is to eventually create an atmosphere for mars. They have to string comets and asteroids out of the Oort cloud and send them flying at the perfect angle towards mars surface. Theory is that the dust clouds that rise will eventually create a livable atmosphere. Very great for those that like to escape to a world of science fiction fantasy.
March 15, 2018
First, before even thinking of Terra Forming Mars, the two moons must be melded, and the mass increased enough to create a molten core. That will create a magnetic field to keep the flora and faun from being fried with radiation. Then, water can be imported to flood the planet to make it green.
In this book, the women are all very angry, and the ending does not tie up the story. IF there is a sequel, I would like to see how the Protagonist fares.
In this book, the women are all very angry, and the ending does not tie up the story. IF there is a sequel, I would like to see how the Protagonist fares.
October 1, 2024
Decker DeWoe es uno de los pocos nativos marcianos. La pobreza de la atm贸sfera marciana imposibilita la habitabilidad absoluta del planeta, sus pocos habitantes, viven encerrados en h谩bitats subterr谩neos a la espera, que desde la Tierra, sigan apoyando un proyecto innovador para conseguir poblar el planeta rojo.
Los gases necesarios para formar esa atm贸sfera, abundan en los confines de nuestra galaxia en forma de cometas, desde all铆, estos cuerpos celestes son enviados en complicadas 贸rbitas hasta impactar en marte, desintegr谩ndose en elementos capaces de aclimatar la vida humana.
Frederik Pohl dibuja una sociedad futur铆stica incapaz de superar los odios pasados, donde el racismo entre los seres humanos seguir谩 contaminando nuestra existencia, dot谩ndola de una naturaleza narcisista acostumbrada a priorizar individualidades abandonando el sentimiento de comunidad.
Con un estilo reflexivo y pausado seguiremos los progresos de Derek hacia su formaci贸n como piloto de cometas, para ello, deber谩 superar las pruebas impuestas en la academia espacial, experimentando el tortuoso camino de su padre y los ego铆stas intereses terr铆colas.
Con una premisa inicial interesante, Mineros del Oort acaba por convertirse en una lectura repetitiva sobre otro protagonista inocente que descubre su realidad sobrepasando ex谩menes en la universidad.
Los gases necesarios para formar esa atm贸sfera, abundan en los confines de nuestra galaxia en forma de cometas, desde all铆, estos cuerpos celestes son enviados en complicadas 贸rbitas hasta impactar en marte, desintegr谩ndose en elementos capaces de aclimatar la vida humana.
Frederik Pohl dibuja una sociedad futur铆stica incapaz de superar los odios pasados, donde el racismo entre los seres humanos seguir谩 contaminando nuestra existencia, dot谩ndola de una naturaleza narcisista acostumbrada a priorizar individualidades abandonando el sentimiento de comunidad.
Con un estilo reflexivo y pausado seguiremos los progresos de Derek hacia su formaci贸n como piloto de cometas, para ello, deber谩 superar las pruebas impuestas en la academia espacial, experimentando el tortuoso camino de su padre y los ego铆stas intereses terr铆colas.
Con una premisa inicial interesante, Mineros del Oort acaba por convertirse en una lectura repetitiva sobre otro protagonista inocente que descubre su realidad sobrepasando ex谩menes en la universidad.
September 26, 2018
A pesar de que est谩 bastante bien escrito, tiene monta帽as de documentaci贸n, un Word building de la leche y unos personajes interesantes, es una historia en la que no pasa nada o eso me parece a m铆. Es como que no tiene ninguna idea buena que explorar. Quiz谩s las primeras frases de libro te crean una espectativa que no se cumple ni por asomo.
May 17, 2017
Penmanship is great, but essence is lacking. I do not buy whole setup of this story and therefore it is just ok.
July 3, 2017
Started out good, but the ending felt rushed and kinda out of left field
June 2, 2013
A story of Mars versus Earth, told from the perspective of an innocent and often naive Martian-born human. The use of someone not wise to Earthly ways provides a decent outside-looking-in perspective that we don't often get of the entire world as a whole. The book is, as a whole, more like a coming-of-age story, as the young man puts his world views to the test.
July 11, 2016
A preachy book about a Mars-raised human facing space-training on Earth. Pohl can get very tiresome with sermonizing, as he does here, but even so he's good enough to be entertaining. Not his best work but pretty good anyway. Recommended. B
March 23, 2011
Surprisingly good!
October 6, 2011
As minerals resources on Earth are diminished, prospectors in space exlore the astroid belt.
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