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The Martian

Andy Weir

Start date: September 1, 2021

Finish date: September 30, 2021

Discussion: After the Book Discussion

Why we're reading this: Twisted Thriller Challenge
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What Members Thought

Jun 04, 2020 Ruthie rated it it was amazing

I have already seen the movie so I'm not sure if that helped in my enjoyment of the book or not. But I really liked how down-to-earth the science explanations were and I enjoyed the humor despite the circumstances. The narration of the audiobook is excellent as well! ...more

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May 01, 2016 Rishika Aggarwal rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-star-books, science-fiction

I will admit to picking the book up after watching the movie - my only excuse is that I didn't know the book existed before that. And that's something I regret, so much.

The Martian is - incomparable, to say the least.

As blasphemous as some people may find the next words, the only other sci-fi writer that's had such an effect on me was Asimov.

The concept of an astronaut stranded on Mars, without the inclusion of aliens or other extra-terrestrial lifeforms, may seem like an exercise in stating the I will admit to picking the book up after watching the movie - my only excuse is that I didn't know the book existed before that. And that's something I regret, so much.

The Martian is - incomparable, to say the least.

As blasphemous as some people may find the next words, the only other sci-fi writer that's had such an effect on me was Asimov.

The concept of an astronaut stranded on Mars, without the inclusion of aliens or other extra-terrestrial lifeforms, may seem like an exercise in stating the obvious for a lot of people, but Weir manages to craft a thoroughly original tale. Mark Watney is an inherently likeable character, drawing readers into the witty first person storyline, ostensibly told through his video-logs.

And when Weir does switch track, to the rest of the astronauts aboard the Hermes, to NASA command, and even once, memorably, to the fabric used in the HAB, he does so masterfully. The reader never blinks an eye, and the transition feels nothing but natural.

For all that the ending seems inevitable and expected, the storyline is true masterpiece. It's not a book to read for the suspense, it's something to read for the progression of the characters' narratives, and specifically, Mark's.

Weir's narrative is all the more spectacular because of its level of believability. Even with the lack of alien lifeforms, sci-fi often means implausible fiction. This isn't it. It's believable to its very last word - the science is sound. Weir has researched his book painstakingly, and the events that pass are plausible, and the space travel and conditions he describes are within human reach.

But what is even more realistic is the reactions of the characters. Not Mark - him we expect to try and survive. It's the other characters who leap through the pages just as much as him, with every reaction to his continued survival one I can see playing out in real time. Weir also manages to make the teeming mass of humanity as a whole into a palpable force, a palpable character, in the novel, not an easy task at all. And the way his humanity reacts, willing to pour innumerable amounts of money into the survival of a single human being, is nothing if not believable.

As Weir states, the instinct to help is what makes us human. And in basing a sci-fi book around this all-too human instinct, Weir manages to craft a book that is unique and like nothing seen before.

A breath of fresh air, this is one book I'll be returning to constantly - and an author whose books I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for! ...more

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