Book Report #161 The Martian

The Martian by Andy Weir

If you tell people you're reading The Martian, they'll go, "Oh, that Matt Damon movie?" And you have to tell them yes. It's easier on everyone that way.

This is a software developer's first novel, and it's fun. Basically, a trip to Mars goes awry and one guy gets left behind. You get his perspective from the journal he writes, logging his days on the Red Planet. You get to see what's going on back on Earth with NASA. Maybe he'll make it!

The switching it around keeps it interesting because the journal entries, while injected with humor that I found slightly annoying, can be pretty heavy on the science and tech. At least with NASA there's plenty of dialogue.

Also, you're always off-balance, not sure what's going to happen next. Sometimes you think he'll be okay and other times you're sure he'll die. If you're like me, you have no idea what is possible, or what little mistake could ruin everything. I knew nothing about the atmosphere on Mars, or the topography. I didn't really care about what went into preparing for a space mission. Now, I'm kind of into it.

General consensus: Not a literary masterpiece, but a compelling read nonetheless.

And how awesome that he made the captain of the mission a woman, as well as the software developer on the crew! As a female software developer, I'm elated.