The visit on the moon was one of the most iconic moments in the history of mankind. So it's only natural, that we try to take the next step: go to another planet.

Therefore it's no surprise, that Mars is a very popular subject among sci-fi authors and there are many novels out there,that not only choose Mars as their setting, but also as a central plot device.

On the other hand, you could say that "Mars is a Harsh Mistress" or even "If we can make it there, we make it everywhere". It's not the ideal destination for the first steps of humanity into deep space. The gravity is way below Earth's, so adaptation means degradation for the Neo-Martians. They will have a hard time after coming back to Earth. The atmosphere is difficult to terraform and will probably never be as thick as Earth's. And the resources are sub-par compared to other destinations in the solar system. So people might have to live in domes for a long time and wouldn't even have much to live for, except for space, of course.

Still, it seems to be the only destination, we can afford at the moment. The only one within reach. And I think that is what makes it attractive to writers. It's realistic that we set foot on it within our lifetime. Just don't expect aliens there or cyberpunk megacities (like in "Total Recall") in the near future. The most realistic view may come from Andy Weir's "The Martian".

My picks:

• Red Rising (Pierce Brown)
• The Martian (Andy Weir)
• The Martian Chronicles (Ray Bradbury) for the Golden Age fans