The Martian by Andy Weir

Title: The Martian
Author: Andy Weir
Genre: Science Fiction

Synopsis: A man is stranded on Mars after an aborted mission when he is believed dead by his fellow astronauts. He chronicles his attempt to survive until the next mission to Mars arrives, in four years.

My Thoughts

As you can tell from my quick turn around on this post, this book is a really quick read. I'm not usually one for science fiction, as a science teacher the inaccuracies often really bother me. Andy Weir really knows his stuff, and I appreciate the research that had to go into keeping this novel realistic. It is a little science heavy at first, but it is needed to show how our stranded astronaut, Mark Watney, is well trained and creative enough to survive on Mars alone.

 Watney maintains a light and humorous tone as he keeps a log of his time on the red planet. The reader also gets to understand the situation from the perspective of officials at NASA and the team of astronauts who left Watney behind, as they work to save him. The best part is that even with careful scientific planning, things sometimes go awry for our protagonist; it is what keeps the reader totally engaged and invested in the story.

All in all, this a really good read. If you are not sold on science fiction but want to be converted, I recommend this book. I could not put it down, I just had to know if Mark Watney was going to make it back home to Earth.

To buy this book from amazon now, click on the image at the top of the post.
To see more from Andy Weir, visit his website linked above.