The Martian
by Andy Weir
★★★★★
Great story, great characterization
It’s amazing how much scientific information is covered in this book without being boring and how much Andy Weir makes us feel for his protagonist. I’ve wanted to read this book ever since I saw the movie, which reminded me of Apollo 13 and October Sky with its complex characterization and scientific bent, so I snapped the book up when it went on sale.
Since this is a totally fictional novel, it’s rather amazing, I think, that Weir creates such realistic suspense and engages us so tightly to the fate of the hero. It helps that Mark has a quirky and irreverent sense of humor and makes some mistakes, keeping Mark from Gary Stu-hood. But the science is so close to what we can do today that it makes the story that much more believable. It feels as if this could happen.
I believe a new generation of scientists and astronauts will be inspired by this book and the movie, despite the nitpicks that folks have with some of the science. I think Weir did an awesome job, love that he wrote this as a blog and got feedback for corrections, etc. This was a great read, and I’m glad I saw the movie first. While I think the movie did a good job, it’s always hard to read the book first and then see the movie due to expectations. When doing the reverse, it’s fine that the book is better; it just builds upon the foundation the movie laid.
I’m definitely going to recommend this book to family and friends who enjoy science-based fiction.
Book description
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.
Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there.
After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.
Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to kill him first.
But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?
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