Andy Weir’s The Martian is a standalone novel. After countless unmanned drones, NASA has finally decided to send people to Mars. The fledgling Ares project has successfully completed two missions allowing humans to walk around on Mars. Unlike the others, the third mission is a mess from the beginning. After only six days of a 31-day mission, the astronauts are forced to flee the planet due to high winds. Unfortunately, the six-man crew leaves one person behind. Stranded on Mars, completely alone, astronaut Mark Watney attempts to survive on the unforgiving planet with the single that one day he will see earth again.
Mark Watney is an unbelievable character. The fact that he is an astronaut marks him as unique breed among humans. Astronauts must have a mix of intelligence, resourcefulness, and bravery. Mark exemplifies all these traits as he relies on his own ingenuity to keep himself alive. He also happens to be the special kind of person that falls back on sarcasm and humor when he stressed. No matter what is thrown at him, he manages to keep optimism up. While this makes him an entertaining narrator, it causes him to lose realism as a human. Isolation can quickly deteriorate a person’s mental stability, but Mark Watney manages to stay sane. It would be understandable, even expected, for him to become depressed or show some kind of emotional deterioration. Instead, he remains upbeat and while making jokes at his probable death. His constant optimistic personality makes him unbelievably amazing, with special emphasis on the “unbelievable”. The Martian was an amazing science fiction book. The plot is interesting and engaging from page one. The book takes the usual plot of a many stranded or survivor stories, but its unique setting takes the suspense to a new level. Due to being on Mars, Mark can’t scavenge for food or even breathe on the planet’s surface. He must overcome each challenge with a blend of science and ingenuity. The science aspect of this book is extremely habit. Anyone nerd who loves science will love the amount of care poured into making the book scientifically accurate. Unlike many sci-fi books, The Martian doesn’t rely on pseudoscience or magic to propel its story. It uses actual chemistry, physics, and biology to solve problems. Andy Weir takes the time to explain the science, making this an extremely science heavy book. Those with an allergic reaction to science should avoid this story. In addition to being marketed as a survival tale, The Martian is advertised as thriller. While it has its suspenseful moments, the relatively dry storytelling doesn’t allow the fear to settle in. The story is told through a series of log or diary entries. After each day, Mark recounts what occurred and what he plans to do. If done poorly, this could make for a dry and boring story. Thankfully, Mark’s unique personality and humor keeps the story alive. Occasionally, third-person perspectives interrupt Mark’s tale allowing for a well-rounded story. Despite the limited time with the side characters, Andy Weir give them unique personalities and problems. I give this 369 page book 5 stars.