Book Review-The Martian

When I was in high school I read a lot of Science Fiction:  Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein, etc.  Later, I didn't read as much in that genre, but never forgot my love of those books.  Recently when I was in a movie theater I saw a trailer for The Martian with Matt Damon.  It looked really good, so I thought I'd read the book before seeing the movie. The Martian by Andy Weir is set in the not-too-distant future.  NASA is starting to explore Mars and is sending waves of astronauts to the planet.  During the second mission a severe storm pops up and the crew is forced to leave.  Thinking one of the crew is dead, they take off.  Trying to retrieve the body would have put the whole crew at risk, so they decide to leave without the body.  As it turns out, he is not dead, only unconscious.  He was hit by flying debris that damaged his space suit so it stopped sending his vital stats, making it look to the rest of the crew like he was dead.  Mark takes in his situation and puts his training and natural problem solving skills to work. I really enjoyed this book.  The author included a lot of science, which was interesting to read.  The book was very suspenseful, too.  The story was told in the first person by Mark, and in the third person telling the story of the ground crew and the mission crew as they all worked on how to save Mark.  This would appeal to people who like Science Fiction as well as people who enjoy reading about science in general.  It kept me on the edge of my seat and reading past my bedtime!

The Martian By Weir, Andy 2014-02 - Crown Publishing Group (NY) 9780804139021 Check Our Catalog Awards: Alex Awards (2015), Indies Choice Book Awards (2015), John W. Campbell Memorial Award (2015), Thriller Awards (2015) When a freak dust storm brings a manned mission to Mars to an unexpected close, an astronaut who is left behind fights to stay alive. …More

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The Martian Chronicles By Bradbury, Ray 2012-04 - Simon & Schuster 9781451678192 Check Our Catalog Before the advent of space flight, Ray Bradbury had humankind cultivating planets. In "The Martian Chronicles", humanity discovers an ancient civilization on the verge of ruin. This classic work presents tales of human interaction with one another and with the Martians. …More

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void By Roach, Mary 2011-04 - W. W. Norton & Company 9780393339918 Check Our Catalog "America's funniest science writer" ("Washington Post") returns to explore the irresistibly strange universe of life without gravity in this "New York Times" bestseller. …More

Life on Mars: Tales from the New Frontier By Strahan, Jonathan 2011-04 - Viking Books for Young Readers 9780670012169 Check Our Catalog Mars! The Red Planet! For generations, people have wondered what it would be like to travel to and live there. That curiosity has inspired some of the most durable science fiction, including Ray Bradbury's "The Martian Chronicles" and the work of Isaac Asimov. Now the award-winning anthologist Jonathan Strahan has brought together thirteen original stories to explore the possibilities. After …More

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