The Martian by Andy Weir

Love of science is universal across all cultures

Why I read this book

This was the May pick for the Sword and Laser and I was very excited to read it since all over the place people have been raving about it.

What the book is about

Mark Watney has a tiny little problem. He is stranded in Mars. A sandstorm made his whole crew leave but he was hit on the head and was sadly left behind. While everyone thought he was dead he has been trying to figure out 2 things: 1) a way to communicate with NASA to let them know he is still alive and relatively well and 2) a way to remain alive and relatively well. With limited resources, including oxygen and food, how will he manage?

First impressions

The first impressions I got were actually not mine but my boyfriend’s. You see, he started reading it before me so he would burst laughing every once in a while, and say, oh you have to read this. As for me, from the beginning I liked the main character; he is sarcastic, smart, funny and bitter…a perfect scientist if I may say so myself.

Final thoughts

Wow, just wow. This was an amazing book. Since Ancillary Justice I didn’t loved a book from the book club. I liked some, but loved? Nope. To quote a blogger whom I really liked it rang all of my bells.

First of all, the fact that it was well researched and mostly scientifically accurate. Sure it had some flaws here and there, but as a novel it had very good basis and good follow up to science related situations. Second of all, the characters, not only Mark but I liked all of the characters, even the ones I wanted to slap once in a while (if you read the book, you probably know who I am talking about).

While this book has been endlessly compared to Castaway in Mars I would like to point out that, unlike the movie, this is meant to be a comical thing and, at least for me, it didn’t feel like it was dragging forever (sorry, I just didn’t like that movie) and what’s more, by the time I got to the end of the book I felt I could have read more before it ended.

BTW, the end? I was flipping pages like there was no tomorrow. That’s how much I NEEDED to know what was going to happen next. It got to a point that I did not move in hours, only I didn’t know it was hours. By the time I lifted my head up from the book it was way past my bed time and my boyfriend was waiting expectantly so we could finally discuss it without fear of him spoiling I for me.

So yeah, for someone that usually leans more towards the Sword side of this Book Club I’ve felt head over heels for two Laser marvellous novels, both of them extremely different and entertaining in their own way.

You haven’t read it yet? Please do so we can discuss it in a lengthy way!

There is probably symbolism there. Phobos is the god of fear, and I'm letting it be my guide. Not a good sign.