Warning: Wikipedia contains spoilers.
The story itself starts in 2027 with the voyage to Mars. "The first hundred" of mostly Russians and Americans set up the first town on Mars and lay the groundwork for more scientists. However, the due to greed of the transnational corporations, who now rule Earth, the new Martian towns become overcrowded and undermaintained. Several cases of sabotage of terraformation infrastructure occur, blamed on anti-terraforming forces. The situation results in a revolution in 2061, in which many of first hundred are killed and much of Mars's buildings, notably the space elevator are destroyed. The surviving first hundred are forced into hiding.
The paperback has ISBN 0553560735.Characters
Plot