Estimated Reading Time 1 Minutes
Publisher: Broadway Books; Reprint edition (October 28, 2014)
Paperback : 387 pages
ISBN: 978-0553418026
***There is a lot of cursing in this book, mostly due to the extreme plight of the main character. But I would avoid this book if you don’t like the F-bomb.
Thoughts: Many have compared this book to a Robinson Crusoe in space, and I’d say that’s pretty accurate. I enjoyed the main character, Mark Watney, a lot. He’s funny, resilient, and extremely smart. You are right with him as he maneuvers his way through impossible situations. It’s a good book.
First sentence: I’m pretty much f****d.
Favorite Quote From the Book: But really, they did it because every human being has a basic instinct to help each other out. It might not seem that way sometimes, but it’s true.
Summary from Amazon.com:
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 and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and 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—and 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’m so glad you enjoyed it. This is next on my book pile! Really looking forward to it.
This is one of my most favourite books. There was a great sense of loss when I finished it and found Andy Weir had not written another adult book I could get me teeth into. My two sons and husband read it after me, too. Never heard them so quiet! Can’t wait to see the film.
I’m looking forward to reading this on holiday next week – it’s already packed and waiting! Thanks for the review
Fabulous. Thanks for your comment. Happy Reading!
This book reminded me so much of Tom Wolfe’s classic “The Right Stuff” & Mike Mullane’s under-read “Riding Rockets” (think “The Right Stuff” of the space shuttle program) &, of course, Jim Lovell’s Apollo 13 memoir “Lost Moon”. “The Martian” is fiction but it plays like REAL LIFE –that it is actually happening.
There is this “don’t whine & get things done” mentality to it. Watney’s gonna die on Mars anyway so why not have a few laughs before he checks out to ECU (the “eternal care unit”)? This mantra in all of these books is the kind that you cannot over stress. That’s why I’m such a huge fan of it. It is also a rollicking adventure.