Mark Watney gets stranded on Mars after an emergency during which the other five crew members believe Mark was killed, and they make an emergency departure from the planet.
The Martian is science fiction at its finest. Because it isn't really "fiction." I mean, the story is, but the science is real. Mark describes his reasoning and calculations that he uses to survive, and sometimes it's a bit deep. But you don't need to follow all the details. Just use this information to reinforce the fact that this is one sharp dude who is pulling out all the stops to survive.
He is thrown one obstacle after the other. The reader just begins to relax and think that things are going well, and then some other potentially deadly disaster occurs, causing Mark to have to start all over and devise new and creative ways to survive. Nothing is easy and the tension mounts as the reader begins to pull more and more for this lovable character.
I normally listen to audiobooks while driving, but at about two hours left in the book, I just couldn't stand it, and I just listened to the rest of it before I went to bed. I had to know!! I bought the book for my husband to read, and he's almost finished too. I'm recommending The Martian to everyone I talk to these days.
The story is told through diary entries, narrated by Mark. We also (eventually) get the NASA perspective from Earth. The story is definitely enhanced by Mark's sense of humor. His attitude is always positive, and he had me chuckling on many occasions.
The Martian is also going to be a movie, directed by Ridley Scott, and I can't wait to see it when it is released in November. I hope it's true to the story, because that will be an awesome movie!
R. C. Bray, the audio narrator, adds so much to this story, I think The Martian might be my favorite audiobook ever.
As I said, I'm highly recommending The Martian to teens and adults alike. For anyone who enjoys a survival story, this is a must read.
Published by Crown, 2014
Audiobook obtained from the library
384 pages
Rating: 5/5!!
My school is actually thinking of putting this on our summer reading list for this year. Your review has me excited to pick it up. It reminds me a bit of the movie "Gravity" but I'm glad it has some humor into the narrative. That movie had me so nervous and on the edge of my seat. Great review!
ReplyDeleteYou will definitely be on the edge of your seat. The comparison to Gravity is good, but The Martian is a LOT more realistic.
DeleteI am listening to it right now. I'm on chapter 21 and I think I am getting near "the point of now return" as far as listening goes. I, too, am telling everyone about the book. i bought it for my library as it was an Alex Award winner last year.
ReplyDelete