How long could you take being completely alone? Could you last one week? One month? Two years?
And what if your total isolation was compounded by a constant fight for survival?
These are the very questions that are addressed in Andy Weir’s 2011 novel The Martian. Although I’m usually not much for techno-science books, my husband has always been fascinated with space travel, so I thought I’d give it a try.
Weir’s novel starts with a lone astronaut—Mark Watney—who wakes up on Mars in a damaged space suit. Having survived a catastrophic Martian storm, he soon discovers that his other five crewmates have blasted off in the return vehicle, believing Watney to have been killed. More alone than any other human being has ever been in the history of mankind and with all communication methods destroyed, Watney must not only fight for his immediate survival, but he must conceive of and solve all the long term problems that will allow him to contact Earth and increase his very slim odds of survival until he can be rescued, some two years later.
The story presented by Weir is fascinating for those with a technical mind: astronaut Watney uses ‘McGyver-like’ ingenuity and ‘Robinson Crusoe-esque’ imagination to solve seemingly insurmountable problems during his long, solo stay on the red planet. However, Weir takes this to an extreme. The technical details were often overwhelming and I was left skimming some paragraphs that did not really add value to the story but did provide information regarding, for example, exothermic chemical reactions with hydrazine and radioactive isotope decay.
As a result, not much room is left for plot and character development. The characters are somewhat shallow and unbelievable. Although apparently ultra-high achieving NASA professionals, they speak to each other in flippant, offensive and often smart-alecky manners that are simply not believable.
As for the overall plan for Watney’s rescue, you can see it coming like Venus rising on a clear evening.
If you really love the technical aspects of spaceflight, or a mission to Mars, this book is for you. If you’re looking for a casual read, keep looking! 1/5.
