The Martian --by Andy Weir

Fiction / Science Fiction  

385 pages / 9030 KB

5 Stars

If I could give this book more stars, I would! While I agree, this book is not for everyone, it is for everyone who loves science fiction. I am not a scientist, but my understanding is that the science is good, except for a couple of small places where Weir had to move the story forward. I'm not a scientist, I didn't notice them;-)

By now, most of you know the story, botanist Marc Watney is left on Mars. His crewmates think he's dead—his bio stuff is registering zero. Obviously, he's not dead, he's alive, and he has to figure out how to survive until (possible) rescue. (OK, he's rescued.)

I actually had to stop reading a couple of times to give my old heart a chance to settle down to a normal beat. Yes, I got that involved in the story. In fact, I may never eat a potato again. Never my favorite veggie, it is pretty much now at the all time low end of edibles. Just thinking about them kinda makes my tummy tumble. I can't imagine having nothing else to eat for as long as Watney had to survive on them. Blech. He didn't even have hot sauce!

I have read, or tried to read, a few other books through the years that are about living/colonizing/surviving on Mars. Most of them I couldn't get through. The authors either knew less science than I did, or they were just downright boring, or I didn't like any of the characters. Marc Watney, however, was great fun. He's a smart-alec wise-cracking guy, who is able to find humor in just about any situation. It's what keeps him sane. And helps keep the interest going in the book. In fact, his sense of humor was one of the reasons he was chosen for the mission.

If you like 'hard' science fiction, read this book. It's wonderful. Just don't pick it up until you have time to read. It's really not one to read a chapter or two of before turning out the light at night. You will lie awake worrying. I suggest you take the book, get up in the morning, make a pot of coffee (and count your blessings you have it), send the kids somewhere outside, lock the door, and then read. And drink your coffee. The kids can bother the neighbors.

Incidentally, after finishing the book, I was watching the news. I finished the book on the 48th anniversary of the first Moon Landing!