Sci-Fi

I have recently read The Martian by Andy Weir, and it is clearly one of the most engaging books that I have ever read. The storyline is developed based on that of Mark Watney, who is a NASA astronaut that is left isolated stranded on Mars when his teammates believe that he is killed in a raging storm. The book then follows his survival attempt through science, engineering, and courage as NASA engineers a strategy to bring him back to Earth.

What struck me most in the book was that of Mark’s character. As much as he is alone on Mars and not so well equipped, he keeps a hopeful air throughout his days. He’s a science geek who happens to be a superhero. He grows potatoes in Martian soil and his own… waste (gross but genius), and he generates water by burning hydrogen. I learned a lot of science through reading, but it never seemed tedious or a burden.

The book is densely informative, and that’s a plus and a minus as far as I’m concerned. The math and science made me giddy at times, but it made it plausible, too. I could imagine me on Mars with Mark figuring out day by day how he’d be surviving.

Some sections were slow-going when the narrative followed NASA’s efforts back on Earth. I enjoyed those chapters but more so, I always wanted to be back with Mark and his explorations. The climax kept me engrossed and intrigued! I’d totally recommend The Martian to fans of science, outer space, or survival. It’s a bit technical so it won’t be your cup of tea if you’re not a huge fan of details, but if you’re like me and think that exploring outer space is awesome, then you’ll definitely enjoy it!

By:
Vraj Parikh