And it’s about Moon crimes.
A crop of the cover of Artemis, written by Andy Weir. Image: Crown Publishing
Crown Publishing announced Monday that Andy Weir’s new book is called Artemis and it will be released on November 14. Andy Weir is best known for The Martian, his online book that became a bestseller and then an Oscar-nominated film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon. This latest book will once again take place in space, but a little closer to home, and with a whole new angle.
We already knew a bit about the premise but, with the official announcement, comes more official details:
An adrenaline-charged crime caper that features smart, detailed world-building based on real science and the charm that makes Weir’s writing so irresistible, Artemis introduces a protagonist every bit as memorable as The Martian‘s Mark Watney: Jasmine Bashara, aka Jazz. Jazz is just another too-smart, directionless twentysomething, chafing at the constraints of her small town and dreaming of a better life. Except the small town happens to be named Artemis — and it’s the first and only city on the moon.
Life on Artemis is tough if you’re not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire, and Jazz is decidedly not a member of either category. She’s got debts to pay, her job as a porter barely covers the rent, and her budding career as a smuggler isn’t exactly setting her up as a kingpin, much to her disappointment. So when the chance at a life-changing score drops in her lap, Jazz can’t say no, even though she’s sure there’s more to the setup than meets the eye. And indeed, pulling off the perfect crime is just the first of Jazz’s problems as she finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself.
Here’s the cover of the book too.
In an interview with Nerdist, Weir explained that he did just as much research for Artemis as he did on how a person could survive on Mars. However, this time it was about what a Moon colony would be. And though most of the scientifically accurate research won’t make it into the book, that’s just how he likes to do it.
20th Century Fox, who produced and released The Martian, already owns the rights to Artemis, so expect to see that movie in the coming years as well.