The Martian

Andy Weir

Average Rating 9/10 (2 Reviews)

I’m stranded on Mars.
I have no way to communicate with Earth.
I’m in a Habitat designed to last 31 days.
If the Oxygenator breaks down, I’ll suffocate.
If the Water Reclaimer breaks down, I’ll die of thirst.
If the Hab breaches, I’ll just kind of explode.
If none of those things happen, I’ll eventually run out of food and starve to death. So yeah. I’m screwed.

The Sunday Times bestseller: Robinson Crusoe on Mars - a survival story for the 21st Century.

'The amount of research here is astounding. We’re suckers for well-grounded fiction, and on the technical side, The Martian is exemplary... witty... funny.' /font>

Review by Chrissi (300915) Rating (9/10)
Review by Nigel (300915) Rating (9/10)

Review by Chrissi
Rating 9/10
Imagine being left behind somewhere remote. Without any way of telling your colleagues you were still alive, or enough food until someone else comes along after. Now imagine being on another planet. Where would you start? Trying to make food, or air, or communications? Would you fight with every fibre of your being and every neurone of your brain? Or would you be completely overwhelmed and sit down and wait to die?

I am normally very stingy with high scores, but from the beginning to the end of this book, I was completely immersed. Starting with the string of Tourettes, then a huge smiling eeeeh when they realised that he was alive, to the laugh at the comment about skunks at the very end, I was strapped into the roller coaster that is this book. I made Nigel read it. He had to, so that I could speak with him. Then I drove him mad demanding to know where he was and what he thought, I just had to share and re-enjoy it through his experience of it.

You probably know the gist of the story, and may be planning to see the film but you should read the book. It has a real visceral punch that I am not sure the film will replicate. It made me feel that anything is possible, and that people might be able to work together after all.
Chrissi (30th September 2015)

Review by Nigel
Rating 9/10
We had heard good things about this book so both decided to give it a go… Chrissi got there first and was so enthusiastic when she had finish (bouncing around the room is not an understatement :)) that I bumped it up the reading pile and started it as soon as I could… and I’m very glad I did.

Mark Watney is part of a six person mission to Mars. While on the surface a violent storm threatens the habitat the crew are living in and they decide the only option is to evacuate back to orbit using the Mars Ascent Vehicle. During the journey to the MAV Mark is struck by debris and lost in the storm. In the MAV the crew wait as long as they can but with Mark’s vitals flat lined they naturally assume the worst and take off. The narrative then moves to Mark waking up to his suit oxygen alarm and the dawning realisation he is alone on Mars. Thus starts an extraordinary story as Mark battles to survive against all the odds.

I was hooked from the beginning to the end. The story is full of wonderfully dark humour as Mark works out every minute detail of how to stretch his resources to the absolute limit, while all the time Mars tries to mercilessly kill him over and over again. While some have criticised the simple writing style I found it a joy, the story effortlessly transfers from the page, you start reading and nothing distracts, everything flows perfectly.

A nice touch for me was the comment about astronauts when the crew are willing to risk everything to rescue Mark…

"We can rescue him with the Ares 4. It’s very risky. We ran the idea by the Ares 4 crew. Not only are they willing to do it, but now they’re really pushing hard for it."
"Naturally," Teddy said. "Astronauts are inherently insane. And really noble."

If you have ever read anything about test pilots or astronauts you will know this is very true.

The Martian is a great read and I can't recommended it enough. We will go to see the film to see if it does the book justice… watch this space.
Nigel (30th September 2015)