Synopsis:
Set 20 years from now, Andy Weir’s bestselling novel ‘The Martian’ follows the comedic botanist and now-astronaut Mark Watney as his mission on the planet Mars goes awry and his 5 crewmates evacuate after a severe storm. Debris slams into Mark and his suit is punctured, so they decide to abandon him behind, assumed dead. But luckily enough, a series of events lead to Mark’s survival against all the odds Mars could throw at him.

Personal Response:
The Martian is a believable novel dense with scientific explanation but with no shortage of hilarious quips and witty dialogue. Developing the plot of Mark’s Martian mission of survival, I can best describe Andy’s work as a slow escalation to a gripping climax. An insightful look at the …show more content…
Mark’s chances of survival would not have been better off if someone had remained behind to keep him company. Thanks to the combination of 6 astronauts worth of food and a Martian potato farm (using his botany skills), Mark was able to barely extend his food supply to within 30 days of rescue.

A fact I considered interesting was that the author mentions that he did not have any contact with NASA until after publication, and that basically everything stated in his novel (including math, science, etc.) Andy researched and verified of his own accord. The major inaccuracy pointed out (of which there were few) was that the plot-linked Martian storm, which impaled Mark Watney with an antenna near the beginning, would not actually have done much to push objects around, as the atmosphere on Mars is really thin.

Recommendation:
In my opinion, the premise of Andy Weir’s compelling story would definitely appeal to most people. However due to strong (as well as sophisticated) language, I can only recommend the novel to an older teenage and adult audience, especially suited for those with a valued passion for