The Martian: better than disco.

I’m not much of a space nerd, but I do enjoy a good suspense action thriller. I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about Andy Weir’s The Martian, so I decided to check it out. Oh. My. Wow. Is it possible to give a five-star book six stars?

Mark Watney is a botanist/engineer on a six-man crew doing a short mission on Mars. Midway through, a dust storm hits, and Watney is stabbed. Presuming him dead (and rightfully so, because his vitals have gone blank on his suit), the crew leaves. But Watney’s blood seals the leak in his suit. He’s not dead! He’s alive! On Mars! With no way off and starvation, cold, and oxygen deprivation all sure to kill him. But Watney is one resourceful guy. Between his experiments, thought process, and hilarious asides, he discovers a way to survive day-to-day in order to develop a plan to get him off Mars. I’m afraid to say more, because I don’t want to give it away. And you really don’t want to be spoiled.

I never thought it was possible to laugh incredibly hard while reading a gripping thriller about surviving an unsurvivable planet, but I did. Weir’s writing style is compelling, and he makes Mark Watney a lighthearted, determined, wisecracking protagonist to root for. I highly recommend this book, because it’s entertaining, suspenseful, and really, really funny. The plotting and pacing of this book is well-done. I was satisfied from beginning to end, and I really, really enjoyed the reading experience. Okay, I’ll stop raving now. Go read it!!!!