The Martian by Andy Weir was a surprisingly compelling novel that earns the critical acclaim it has garnered since publishing in 2011. With its witty writing, engaging characters and gripping plot I couldn’t put it down as I sped read this novel this weekend. Utterly clever in its faithful depiction of the science involved, it is skilfully written and explained so not to bog down a reader unfamiliar with the complex concepts of space travel. Injected with a lot of heart and humour despite the desperate circumstances of protagonist Mark Watney, The Martian is fantastic piece of science fiction literature that I’d recommend to anyone wanting to read a little more in the genre.
“Maybe I’ll post a consumer review. “Brought product to surface of Mars. It stopped working. 0/10.”
BLURB:
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?
View this post on Instagram
“Yes, of course duct tape works in a near-vacuum. Duct tape works anywhere. Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped.”
REVIEW:
Much like Mark Watney and his lists of firsts in The Martian, I’m pretty sure this novel has become the fasted sci-fi book I’ve ever read. I’ve finished in two days and couldn’t put it down all weekend.
Firstly, the humour and sarcasm of the protagonist, Mark, is second to none and crucial I think to what makes the book a success. It balances out the extreme isolation, silence and oppressive nature of being alone on Mars, trying to survive again all odds. He has to jerry-rig gear together to keep himself alive, learn how to grow potatoes on a planet where nothing grows so not to starve, overcome its freezing temperatures and lack of atmosphere which could kill him within minutes of exposure, the list goes on and on.
“He’s stuck out there. He thinks he’s totally alone and that we all gave up on him. What kind of effect does that have on a man’s psychology?” He turned back to Venkat. “I wonder what he’s thinking right now.”
LOG ENTRY: SOL 61 How come Aquaman can control whales? They’re mammals! Makes no sense.”
The writing, which is done mostly through transcription of diary-like logs, is clever and articulate in way that will satisfy the biggest science geeks and the casual sci-fi reader alike. Gloriously easy to read, the technical science terms and ideas are quickly explained in layman terms and leave you feeling like you understand what Mark is trying to achieve, even if you don’t fully understand the science behind it. That is also what is clever about the story, the science of it feels so realistic and honest. It is front and centre of everything that happens to Mark, and in turn really helps drive home some of the harder hitting moments of desperation and anguish when things go wrong. And boy to they often go wrong.
I’ll admit, I had seen the movie years before giving this book ago. And I do love the movie, it is a fun piece of cinema with a great cast. I also like the epilogue edition of Mark back on earth, which doesn’t happen in the book. But having read the book, which sat on my shelf for years after purchasing it in a Dymocks sale (the sticker is still on the back!), I have to say it is so much better. But of course, most books are better than their movie adaptation. Still, it’s a fairly faithful adaptation, given a movie is only so long and can’t keep everything in the book.
“Problem is (follow me closely here, the science is pretty complicated), if I cut a hole in the Hab, the air won’t stay inside anymore.”
What surprised me, given I knew the plot from the movie already prior to reading, was how invested I became in Mark’s survival, sitting on my couch pulling my book closer during dramatic moments and sighing with relief when a life-threatening problem was solved. I was inspired, carried along with him, his crew, and the team at NASA back on earth all trying to find a way to rescue him. At one point Mark remarks toward the end of the book that this rescue must’ve cost a fortune, and some probably question why spend it on one guy, if his life is worth that much. I really liked this moment, especially when he says:
“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.”
If you’ve wanted to give sci-fi a go I’d recommending trying The Martian. Surprisingly easy to read it’s got humour, tension, drama, laughter, all the things that make a book grab you and entice you to keep reading even if it is past midnight. Easily one of the best books I’ve read in the last few years. Not bad for a book originally published over a decade ago. Brava!
Until next time,
Rating: 5 Stars
Genre: Science Fiction
For more book reviews click here.