Review - The Martian by Andy Weir

Crown Publishers | 289 pages | 2014

I picked up this ebook because I heard so many good things about the movie (Matt Damon is staring in it, so it must be good) and the book won the Goodreads best Si-Fi novel in 2014. You can't go wrong with that.

This novel is hilarious. Mark Watney is stuck on mars and you would think he will be all serious and brooding trying to survive, but no. While he is fully aware of his situation, he science the shit out of it and find humor in it no matter how dark the jokes get. 

What I love about this novel is how resourceful Mark is. No matter how many obstacles are in his way he solves them one by one. You might think this guy is a genius. Well he's not, (or maybe he is) he makes mistakes and throughout the novel, you see him oblivious to those mistakes until something blows up in his face creating yet another problem for him to solve. His tenacity and endurance are remarkable. You read this novel to figure out not only if he will make it but also how will he make it. What calculations and gadgets did his hack in order to get to the next step of his survival.

Mark is not the only one solving problems. NASA is also an active part in the survival plan. I loved how they tackle problems and manage limitations. It feels like a nice place for creative minds, where the bosses listen to new ideas, have the capabilities to fully understand their consequences and support them to the higher ups.

This novel has a great plot, have enough details to make you understand the situation without over explaining or keeping you in the dark like idiots. It is a fast and engrossing read. Recommended to all Si-Fi fans, space fans,  all science community and to everyone out there. It is an awesome must read.

You can also check my thoughts on the movie here.
Have you seen it? Which did you like better?