The book centers on Martin Gibson, a science fiction writer who visits the Martian colony. Published in 1951 naturally a lot of the scientific details are dated--we know much more about Mars today, on which we currently have a robotic presence. And I don't think this book excels in memorable characters or plot. But Clarke is good at making you feel a sense of awe and enthusiasm at the exploration of space. So it's a readable book, but not comparable to Clarke at his best. I'd choose The City and the Stars, Childhood's End or a collection of his short fiction as an introduction to him.
