From the Bookshelf of Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy…

The Martian

Andy Weir

Start date: November 21, 2014

Finish date: December 20, 2014

Discussion: Book Discussions

Discussion leader: Natacha

Why we're reading this: Group discussion November 21, 2014
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What Members Thought

Jul 19, 2015 seak rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction, 2015, audio

Five stars for pure entertainment and because math made it suspenseful.

That's right, math made it thrilling. Look at it this way, you're stranded on a planet that's essentially trying to kill you. You could just keel over and die ... like I would most likely do in the same situation, or you could figure out how to stay alive.

Start with the math. NASA planned for 30 days worth of food for 6 people. The next time someone will be on the planet is in 4 years. Even rationing that food only gets you ...more

82 likes · Like · see review

Feb 19, 2015 Barbara rated it liked it

3.5 stars

Mark Watney is part of a manned exploration team that's scheduled to study Mars for thirty days.

A sudden dust storm forces the team to abandon the planet on Day 6 but - due to a freak accident - Mark is believed to be dead and left behind. The book is composed largely of a series of log entries in which Mark records his day to day activities, his goal being to survive on the planet until the next exploration team arrives in four years. Of course Mark needs food, shelter, oxygen, water ...more

61 likes · Like · see review

Mar 04, 2020 Vincent Darlage rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi

Wow! What an excellent book! Quite the survivalist adventure. I haven't seen the movie yet (wanted to read the book first), but... wow. Also, Wil Wheaton is an excellent reader. So many parts of this book made me laugh out loud - the sarcasm of the main character, Mark Watney, was hilarious, and Wil Wheaton read it perfectly. I wish Mark Watney was a real person because I'd like to meet him. The story did a great job of putting me, the reader, into Mark's shoes - I felt the isolation and dread t ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 16, 2016 Katie Tillwick rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Follows the movie closely. The movie makers cut the right things, towards the end I was getting to be 'come on, let's save him already'. Also, don't drink wine while reading this book. 'Scieeeeeence!' tee hee hee *drop it, walk off* ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Feb 14, 2015 Meran rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, favorites, science-fiction, travel, humor, novels, culture, adventure, 2015

Warning: if seeing the "F word" in print upsets you, don't bother with this book.. Personally, I think that word is the most succinct word to describe the situation in which the protagonist finds himself. It doesn't' bother me in the least, but I know that it does affect others. There are other base words that many consider coarse as well.
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Six days. That's all it took to turn a wonderful trip for astronaut Mark Watley, (a life long un-attainable dream of mine since I first read science ...more

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Aug 03, 2015 Jérémie Moritz rated it really liked it

Shelves: scifi

Excellent story and being left alone on Mars - movie pitch

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Apr 18, 2021 Waterfall rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own, sci-fi, contemporary, survival, andy-weir

I love survival, Robinson Crusoe, start-from-scratch stories and I also love Mars, so this was pretty much the perfect book! The last part literally had me on the edge of my seat.

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