Marsbound

Marsbound by Joe Haldeman

This is the second novel by Joe Haldeman that I have read. The other is The Accidental Time Machine, which I very much enjoyed. This novel was also very good because of it's readability. Haldeman does not get deep into the science behind his fiction, he keeps it simple and interesting so it will appeal to all fiction readers.
This particular novel follows a teen girl named Carmen, who is moving to Mars with her family. Obviously set in the future, they use a space elevator to reach a station above the earth and then board a shuttle for Mars. The entire trip takes about 8 months. For me, this was the most enjoyable part of the story because I liked imagining what it would be like to live in a space elevator and shuttle for so long. It was also interesting to read how the technology worked.
Once on Mars, Carmen finds herself in a heap of trouble and makes a startling discovery. The second half of the book is quite a bit different from the first, but also very entertaining. I highly recommend it to science fiction and adventure fans. Will also appeal to teens.