Better late than never - a review of The Martian, by Andy Weir

So, this is what Amazon have to say about this...

The Sunday Times bestseller - Robinson Crusoe on Mars, a survival story for the 21st Century

I’m stranded on Mars. 

I have no way to communicate with Earth.


I’m in a Habitat designed to last 31 days.


If the Oxygenator breaks down, I’ll suffocate. If the Water Reclaimer breaks down, I’ll die of thirst. If the Hab breaches, I’ll just kind of explode. If none of those things happen, I’ll eventually run out of food and starve to death.

So yeah. I’m screwed.

The Martian is featured in Richard & Judy's Autumn Book Club 2014

ANDY WEIR has always been fascinated by space travel and like most kids growing up wanted to be an astronaut.Instead, he wrote a book - The Martian - which he self published on Amazon in 2012. It went on to receive 1,500 reviews on Amazon, averaging 4.7 out of 5 stars, with similar success on Goodreads. The film rights have been bought by Fox.Andy hopes this will be the first of many trips into space.

And this happens to be the most ridiculous review of the book I've had the misfortune to read...

"My initial high hopes for a good book were dashed within 20 pages. Page after page calculating how much water, how much soil etc. Combined with unnecessarily crude language I would hardly expect of a supposed NASA astronaut and frequent teenager style jubilations - e.g. 'Yay go me!'
I had to fight the urge to throw my new book down the toilet. Tried to persevere, but the overuse of exclamation marks finally beat me and this rubbish has been laid to rest.
I have never given up on a book so early before so at least this one gets that accolade.
Avoid at all costs unless you like watching paint dry while life slips slowly away..."

I took great offence to this particular review. I took even greater offence to the mocking of Mark's (the 'supposed NASA astronaut') language. Part of Mark's charm and how Weir helps create reader empathy for his protagonist, is by the use of more accessible language. The book cleverly weaves technical language with Mark's 'teenager jubilance'. I don't know astronauts, but I do know scientists and a wide range of clever people. They know how to act professionally and when to use appropriate language, likewise they know how to talk like a normal person. How on earth could Weir expect readers to have any empathy with Mark if he talked like he had a massive science stick jammed up his rear end all the time?! Anyhoo, I digress. 

Weir weaves a amazing narrative; flitting between the technicality of surviving on Mars for significantly longer than expected and, well, the not-so technical aspects of surviving on Mars for longer than expected. The human element, Mark being alone, is so profound that the technicality stopped being so prominent. It doesn't matter that Mark is left alone on Mars for years, he could be anywhere; a desert island, the Arctic, a mountain top, He is alone and desperate for company. 

The humour that Weir uses for Mark does indeed seem out of place in a science fiction novel of such standing. Again, from the human perspective, how else would you cope with being stranded??! Mark's communications with NASA control are hilarious. Mark in general is hilarious; in fact I think I fell in love with him a little. 

Ridley Scott is set to direct the film version, due for release late next year (2015). Matt Damon is set to play Mark...I'm not to sure how I feel about this. 

Regardless, the book is simply fantastic. The technical details are quite impressive and extraordinary - they make for a superb read. It's a shame we haven't actually done a manned mission to Mars; if it went tits up, I expect this book could be used as a 'How to survive on Mars' guide. Read it for the science, read it for the humanity. Either way, you won't be disappointed.