"Okay, enough moping. I
am having a conversation with someone: whoever reads this log. It's a bit one-sided but it'll have to do. I might die, but damn it, someone will know what I had to say."
-from Mark Watney's log
I was skeptical about how I'd react to a science fiction novel since it's a genre I rarely, if ever, select. It was highly recommended as a book that anyone could like. Having read it I'd say techie types would enjoy it more---it has lots of technical descriptions, science terms, chemical formulas and space jargon.
In this novel astronaut Mark Watney is assumed dead by his crew and abandoned on Mars so the story is of his struggle to survive in an environment unconducive to life. His intelligence and educational background as mechanical engineer and botanist, his intense astronaut training,
his resourcefulness and his powerful will to live combine to help him overcome challenge after challenge. The intensity and high-tech detail of Watney's log is relieved by occasional narrative accounts of Earth's reaction to his predicament---that is Mission Control. And a while later the reader becomes aware of the Ares 3 crew's reactions, as well.
The reading would have been far more tedious without Watney's sense of humor, for example at one point he states that "Duct tape is magic and should be worshipped" and at another claims to be "the best botanist on the planet." His sarcastic comments about 70's music and TV reruns, his only entertainment thanks to Commander Lewis's collection, are funny and add nostalgia for the reader who remembers the decade well. He even chose the Bee Gee's "Stayin' Alive" as his theme song. (I was, and still am, a fan.)
The paperback copy of the book contained A Conversation with the Author and an essay by him, an admitted science nerd. These were very interesting and added to my appreciation of his work.
The novel seemed like a cross between "Castaway" and "Apollo 13." Like the latter it was very exciting even knowing the outcome of the story. I rated the book a 3. I liked it, didn't love it.
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Eleven members of the Page Turners group met to discuss the book. Ten had read it and half voted a rating of 4 and the other half, 3---average: 3.5; even I could do that math in my head. One member pointed out that the highest ratings were from the retired engineers! (Remember what I predicted earlier?) In discussing most of the 20 questions provided by the publisher, we agreed that Mark Watney was a likeable character, that his challenges and problem-solving were believable and that his humor kept the story entertaining, and may have actually helped to save his life. We agreed it was not so much science fiction as a good survival story. One person described the novel as Robinson Crusoe on Mars. Can you guess what our refreshments included? Potatoes, of course! (If you haven't read it, you may not get the significance.) Some in our group had seen the movie and liked it. I am looking forward to seeing it soon!
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So the movie version was excellent! My husband accompanied me, not having read the book and he loved it, as well. The casting was outstanding and the acting was superb, especially Matt Damon in the lead role. I was delighted that the commander of Ares 3 was a woman, in both novel and movie.
The film followed the book very well, I thought. There were less obstacles in the movie but the ones included were more dramatic because of the multi-media experience---cinematography and sound effects. I would say many parts were frighteningly realistic and I KNEW how it would turn out! I loved hearing some of the 70's music in places and being better able to visualize Mars, the Hermes ship, the Hab, the rover, Pathfinder, etc.
A big addition to the movie is an Epilogue, something our group thought would have improved the ending of the novel. There would be good reasons to see the movie
before reading the book but either way don't miss
The Martian!
