Andy Weir – The Martian
Written by: Max Szyc
Who doesn’t want to go into outer space? It’s fair to assume that most people have some interest in knowing what lies beyond Earth’s atmosphere. This can be seen in the recent success of Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity, as well as last year’s popular exploits by astronaut Chris Hadfield. Whether it’s the prospect of discovering extra-terrestrial life, learning new scientific secrets or even attaining bragging rights, space’s mysteries can appeal to anyone. But readers who yearn for the stars might become more informed about the realities of space travel after reading Andy Weir’s debut novel The Martian. They likely will also find it hard to put down.
Originally published as an eBook in 2012 and eventually released in physical form, The Martian details the plight of American astronaut Mark Watney. Stranded on Mars after being presumed dead by his team, Watney is left to his own devices and has to improvise in order to survive. It doesn’t help that no one knows he’s still alive, and that surviving requires manipulating a variety of high-tech equipment that is absolutely not meant to be manipulated. Fortunately for readers, this is where the novel’s entertainment value skyrockets.
An astronaut’s first-person account about surviving on Mars could have been a stroll to jargon city, but Weir managed to pull off a beautiful mix in The Martian: Go in-depth enough about space equipment to satisfy space junkies, yet keep the explanations simple to enthrall non-space nerds. The majority of the book is in the form of journal entries, and Watney’s dorky-yet-lovable personality makes it easy for readers to invest in his situation. With a right amount of character development thrown in, readers get a protagonist that they can really care about.
As gripping as a one man fight against Mars’ harsh environment can be, simply reading about an astronaut who solves problem after problem could get boring. It seems like Weir realized this too, as he flips up the storytelling just as the action is about to become routine. Readers eventually get Earth’s perspective of events, and seeing the complex bureaucracy present at the fictional NASA turns out to be as addictive as watching Watney make water.
Nevertheless, the most remarkable aspect about The Martian is how believable it is. Weir, a Scottish author with a background in computer science, allegedly spent years researching space exploration and it shows. Everything that happens in the book is so believable that readers will never find themselves screaming “deus ex machina” at however Watney solves his problems. Unfortunately, this leads to the novel’s only real gripe: it’s sometimes a lot to take in. While Weir shows off his knowledge in the most digestible way, some of Watney’s actions go beyond the understanding of the less scientifically oriented. However, if you’re a reader who excelled at science in school, you won’t have many problems keeping up. But be prepared to break out your old science textbooks now and then.
In the end, the advanced science present in The Martian hardly detracts from the overall experience, as Weir’s first book is an exhilarating joyride that can be consumed in a single action-packed sitting. With the movie rights already purchased by 20th Century Fox, who have since attached The Cabin in the Woods director Drew Goddard to the project, the prospects of The Martian soon invading public consciousness look good. While its disaster storyline might freak out audiences who were already jarred at Gravity, its intelligence factor might still inspire a new legion of astronaut wannabes.