The Martian in Casual Readers

Jul 09, 2014 Evie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction

The Martian took me by surprise. If I am honest, I have yo say I was ready to give up on this book after 50 pages. It's not that I didn't find it interesting enough, or well written, or even scientifically accurate, because it really was all these things. I just found it hard to connect with the lead character.

Mark Watney was not a character I immediately connected with. In fact, it took me long time to even get to the point when I would tolerate him, what with all his jokes and jackass behavi The Martian took me by surprise. If I am honest, I have yo say I was ready to give up on this book after 50 pages. It's not that I didn't find it interesting enough, or well written, or even scientifically accurate, because it really was all these things. I just found it hard to connect with the lead character.

Mark Watney was not a character I immediately connected with. In fact, it took me long time to even get to the point when I would tolerate him, what with all his jokes and jackass behavior. I didn't understand how a person left to die alone on a different planet could be so lighthearted, cheerful and in the mood for random jokes. It wasn't until I finally realized, that, had he been any more serious or depressing, I would have hated his guts even more. Mark made the best out of the situation he found himself in, and I learned to appreciate his optimism and zest for life. His brave attitude was truly admirable. He was a clever problem-solver, and in situations where most of us would probably break down and cry, he looked for solutions and ways to troubleshoot. And his jokes and surprisingly positive attitude? Well, I realize now that without it, the whole novel would have been pointless, he might've as well just shoot himself in the head in the first chapter.

By the end of the book, I was a huge fan of Mark Watney and his biting sense of humor. He is such a fantastic, complex, intelligent and sharp character, I actually miss his inappropriate remarks and nerdy observations. He grew on me, like no other character ever did, and I wish I knew someone like Watney in real life.

The concept behind this novel is really rather simple, and really kind of brilliant in its simplicity. Can you even imagine how incredibly terrifying it would be to be left behind, all alone, on a planet thousands of miles away from home? Knowing that you don't have enough supplies to last anywhere long enough for the rescue mission to come and save you? Not even having any means of communicating to others that you're alive? Boy, I would probably give up and die on the spot the moment I'd realize the extent of just how screwed I was.

The premise was blood chilling in both the concept and its execution. Mark is a fighter, but Mars itself is definitely a worthy opponent. Everything that can go wrong, does, and it's a never ending battle against time and Mars' deadly atmosphere. The sense of urgency and danger is omnipresent, almost palpable and claustrophobic, to the point that you're having trouble breathing yourself while reading about Mark running out of oxygen, or you suddenly feel the urge to stock up on food supplies, while reading about Mark's desperate attempts at growing potatoes on Mars (and really, just how cool is that?).

I loved how scientifically accurate this book was. All the scientific detail made this story very believable, and therefore that much more terrifying. The many bits and pieces of information and data, endless calculations and predictions, detailed descriptions, etc.. It all made for an interesting read. And even though it was definitely a bit heavy on the scientific stuff, it was never boring or disconnected. Andy did a great job of balancing the intense plot line with the scientific information, creating a story that while mentally stimulating, complex and challenging, was also very entertaining and emotionally engaging. And Mark's awesomely bad-ass character played a vital role in making this a very accessible and enjoyable read.

I would recommend this book to all science fiction fans, especially those who appreciate a great, thrilling story with a carefully fleshed out scientific background. You won't be disappointed.

Also -> Can't flipping wait for the movie!!! ...more

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Sep 24, 2014 Taryn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, audiobooks, 5-stars-right-in-the-feels

“I can't wait till I have grandchildren. When I was younger, I had to walk to the rim of a crater. Uphill! In an EVA suit! On Mars, ya little shit! Ya hear me? Mars!”

This audiobook was the second selection in the "Taryn and Elias Summer Road Trip Series." :) The Martian is such a funny and entertaining read. The Martian is hard science fiction novel (i.e. no fantastical elements) about Mark Watney, a sarcastic, slightly immature astronaut who is left for dead on the planet Mars. He wakes up alon “I can't wait till I have grandchildren. When I was younger, I had to walk to the rim of a crater. Uphill! In an EVA suit! On Mars, ya little shit! Ya hear me? Mars!”

This audiobook was the second selection in the "Taryn and Elias Summer Road Trip Series." :) The Martian is such a funny and entertaining read. The Martian is hard science fiction novel (i.e. no fantastical elements) about Mark Watney, a sarcastic, slightly immature astronaut who is left for dead on the planet Mars. He wakes up alone and injured on the Red Planet and has to use his scientific knowledge to prolong his chances for survival.

“If a hiker gets lost in the mountains, people will coordinate a search. If a train crashes, people will line up to give blood. If an earthquake levels a city, people all over the world will send emergency supplies. This is so fundamentally human that it's found in every culture without exception. Yes, there are assholes who just don't care, but they're massively outnumbered by the people who do.”

The story alternates between Mark Watney's logs, NASA, the Ares 3 crew and an omniscient narrator who you will learn to dread! The book starts out with Mark's logs and I was unsure what all the fuss was about at first, but I was hooked after the first section back at NASA. So if you aren't quite feeling the first few pages, I recommend sticking it out until that point! There are many scientific explanations, but it is not so overly technical or complicated that it is difficult to comprehend. Even when I didn't have a complete grasp on a concept, I was able to understand the main point. At heart, this book is about the will to survive and the deep-rooted need humans have to help others…and the inherent magic of duct tape.

“Yes, of course duct tape works in a near-vacuum. Duct tape works anywhere. Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped.”

I really liked the use of the (view spoiler). Mark remains cheerful and maintains his sarcastic sense of humor during his horrifying ordeal. It is impossible not to root for him! That he was able to maintain his enthusiastically positive outlook during the entire duration of being marooned on a planet 140,000,000 miles from Earth is a little unrealistic, but I was able to convince myself that it was possible to extend his psychological well-being by maintaining a work routine. I did think was starting to show a few signs of cracking. The book has also been criticized for being predictable, but the anticipation of seeing how he overcomes each new problem really keeps the book interesting. It would be interesting to read (view spoiler) When the end audio credits started, I felt as if I had also survived an epic journey!

This book was so perfect for the audiobook format. R.C. Bray was a great choice for Mark Watney's voice and he really was able to bring the other characters to life. Mark's logs are written very conversationally and I think some of his phrasing and humor comes off better with the spoken word. I just pretended that he was recording audio logs. I am really excited to see the movie, because I am many of the pictures in my head were completely inaccurate! ~~Though something in the crew introduction teaser makes me worried that they are going to shoehorn in a romance that wasn't there!~~ Update: The movie was awesome! Great adaptation!

Highly recommended as an entertaining read, especially the audiobook!

“The screen went black before I was out of the airlock. Turns out the “L” in “LCD” stands for “Liquid.” I guess it either froze or boiled off. Maybe I’ll post a consumer review. “Brought product to surface of Mars. It stopped working. 0/10.” ...more

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Sep 12, 2014 Cee rated it liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, adult-fiction, stand-alone

After a long period of going back and forth I decided that yes, I did want to give The Martian a try. Usually I am not a fan of books being limited to one person in isolation somewhere, because let's face it, survival can be quite boring. But since The Martian was turned into quite a successful movie, and it received quite some attention from the mainstream, I put it on my wishlist.

Mark Watney is part of a mission to perform tests on Mars. Disaster strikes, and Mark is left hurt and all alone on ...more

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Dec 27, 2014 Liz rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-favorite-sci-fi, read-harder-challenge-2015, books-i-want-to-teach, lfl-donation, sfnbc-potenitals, ar-audio

This is one of the best books I've read in a while. I really enjoyed the combination of narrative formats, the science of trying to survive on Mars, and the wise ass main character. I also laughed out loud in parts. It was a really fun and interesting read. ...more

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May 20, 2014 Jen (NerdifiedJen) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, favorites, audio-book, suspense, faux-memoir, mars, interplanetary-travel, thriller

I haven't been this engrossed in an audiobook since Ready Player One (my favorite audiobook ever). That was a really good read.

Also re: my status update, at one point he does mention typing the log entries, but it's much more fun if you think of them as audio entries.

Oh, what the hell. Might as well give a more complete review without my usual cooling-off period.

First, there are problems with this book, as there are with all books. I rate things mostly on the way they make me feel, rather than ...more

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Jul 16, 2015 Michal Lynn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, best-book-covers, sticks-with-you, audiobooks, borrowed-from-library

4 stars for the book/story.
3 for the audiobook.

Unless it's non-fiction (maybe a comedic memoir or whatever), I don't think I really like the narration of audiobooks. It can be super cheesy. I chose The Martian because I was curious and I knew Brad would be able to get into it and we needed something for the trip to-from VA.

What a great book! I don't actively seek out sci-fi, but I'm all about a good story and holy moly, was this good! I kinda wish I had read the book...the science parts were ...more

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Jul 13, 2015 Brian rated it it was amazing

I don't know if i can say enough good things about this book. Having now finished it, the movie will be really fun to watch unfold. This was a really fun read, and that's what you want in a great book. Amazing amounts of science, but unlike a book i just recently ordealed thru (Seveneves by Neal Stephenson) which was drowning in too much droll detail, this book balanced the science with a lot of fun. The first person narrative for most of the book put you directly in Mark Watney's shoes, and you ...more

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