The Martian
Written by Andy Weir

“The Martian” is a science fiction novel written by Andy Weir. It was originally self-published and the rights were later purchased by Crown Publishing Group. Chatter on the internet says that Ridley Scott plans to direct a film from it starring Matt Damon in late 2015. It also exists in audio book form as well as digital form from the internet.

The best way to describe the story would be to say that it was probably inspired by Daniel Defoe´s classic “Robinson Crusoe” where a character is stranded, alone on an island or planet far from civilization. Add handfuls of elements from the “MacGyver” TV series with a main character that has to live by his wits. Sprinkle some 1970s American culture from TV to music and blend in a little humor and you have the story of Mark Watney on Mars. Surprisingly this is a recipe that works. I found myself laughing in between exclamations at each of Mark´s setbacks.

In the story Mark Watney must survive using his wits while keeping a healthy body and mind. There is no doubt that his sense of humor makes this book such a fun read and keeps Mark sane during his ordeal. I think that his sense of humor was an indispensable survival tool for him. There were too many things going wrong and too much planning to do to be dragged down by a negative, self-defeating mindset. I mean being stranded on Mars alone with disco music is kind of funny all by itself.

Usually, but not in this case, one of the things that bother me in so many space stories is the outdated technology that so many space exploration movies and books rely on. You can say that on the one hand technology like combustion engines really is outdated and overused in stories of space but I do understand the nostalgia of the dawn of the space age in the 20^th century and this book harkens back to those days brilliantly. I also feel the author overlooked the effects of his diet or lack thereof. That is a big deal in the telling of the tale and would have added realism. Potatoes and vitamins just are not enough to maintain a healthy weight while keeping up with the physically rigorous demands of survival.

Otherwise, this is a fun read with a protagonist that is so resourceful and funny. This book will appeal particularly to the engineering types or those that like to problem solve. It really is the MacGyver TV series on steroids. I highly recommend “The Martian” as a must read and own, whether as an audio book, e-book or simple paper it´s worth the read.

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