The Martian by Andy Weir

Posted June 3, 2015 | 31 Comments

The Martian by Andy WeirThe Martian
Author: Andy Weir
Published by: Crown
Publication Date: February 11, 2014
Format: eBook
Pages: 385
Source: Purchased

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 & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—& 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—& 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?

I know there’s already a lot about The Martian out there, but I have to publicly profess my love for it!

I could not have read The Martian at a better time! I know people have been raving about it for over a year now, and that it won Best Science Fiction of 2014 on Goodreads, so not reading it wasn’t an option. I had to experience for myself what this book was all about, especially since I kept hearing the main character is funny. However, I put it on the back burner for a while because I wasn’t exactly in a sci-fi mood until recently. Turns out, that shouldn’t have even been a factor, because The Martian is the type of book you’ll love regardless of genre.

So Mark Watney gets ditched on Mars during a mission, which automatically sounds like game over, right? Well, Mark is one ingenious dude and won’t give up just because he’s stranded millions of miles from Earth. Even if he is the only person there. With limited resources. Yeah, he’s in deep shit.

You’d think a book about a guy alone on Mars would be boring. Wrong! I was on the edge of my seat anxiously waiting to see what would happen next. It’s exciting, even during parts you wouldn’t normally think would be. Yes, this revolves around a serious situation and get really suspenseful at time, but the author also mixed humor in perfectly.

I honestly didn’t know how it was going to playout for Mark. I mean, how could it possibly have a happy ending? Well I’m not going to answer that for you now that I know. I will tell you that if I had to be stranded anywhere, even another planet, I’d want Mark Watney with me. Yes, he’s intelligent, but his personality is what took this book to the next level for me. Mark’s sharp wit continuously stayed intact, and his use of humor during strenuous situations is something I connected with.

Seriously, The Martian is completely engaging and so much more than just a guy stuck on Mars. I’m so glad I read this, and can’t wait to see what Andy Weir writes next!

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31 responses to “The Martian by Andy Weir”

    • Christy
      Twitter:

      I immediately thought of Gravity too, and thought that it would be like it. But … there’s actually a lot more to it. You should read this. Seriously!

      Reply
  6. Jenny

    I’m thinking I want Mark Watney in any kind of crisis situation Christy! I would have a panic attack from which I would never recover if I was every stranded ANYWHERE with limited resources, let alone on Mars. *shudders* I’ve been reading rave reviews for this one, I definitely need to add it to my list!
    Jenny recently posted…Review: Moonlight on Nightingale WayMy Profile

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  7. Amir
    Twitter:

    I don’t think I’ve ever read a book about a character being stuck in a foreign planet with just his thoughts to entertain us. How can one get out of this predicament?? Actually, that sounds awesome. I might try this in audio too! Thanks for the recommendation Christy, lovely review!
    Amir recently posted…DNF Review: The Murk by Robert LettrickMy Profile

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  16. lily

    Absolutely everyone is GAGA over this one and it’s becoming a movie (well it’s already been filmed by hottie Matt Damon and it’s coming out soon) so i know i need to watch it. The plot summary kind of rings some ‘Gravity’ vibes but i’m still unbelievably interested since so many people have been raving about this one. And i haven’t heard any Gravity comparisons either…
    lily recently posted…Revenge, Ice Cream, and Other Things Best Served Cold (Broken Hearts & Revenge# 2)My Profile

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