The Martian: A Uniquely Realistic Sci-fi Novel

 

The Martian is a science fiction book published in 2011. The author, Andy Weir is a computer programmer who also writes science fiction novels. I first read it for a book report in sixth grade, and what I found most interesting about the book is the high degree of detail and scientific realism in the book. Though the book is science fiction, none of the technology in the book is impossible or made up for plot convenience and the author takes time to explain the science behind everything that happens in the book.

The plot of The Martian follows Mark Watney, an American astronaut who is stranded on Mars after he is injured in a dust storm and the crew of his mission is forced to evacuate without him using their only rocket that can reach orbit. He has limited food, water and oxygen, cannot communicate with Earth, and is thought to be dead by everybody at mission control. However, he still has hope. At his base, there is still a working rover, solar panels, and machines for recycling air and water. He uses the resources he has to survive as long as possible. He salvages a broken Mars rover and uses its radio to communicate with Earth so mission control can try to rescue him. He even grows potatoes using Martian soil and water that he created using a chemical reaction. To get off Mars, he must make a long, difficult journey through the desert to an uninhabited Mars base, where there is another rocket that he can use to escape.

The way the book is presented is very interesting. Most of the story is told through the stranded astronaut’s journal entries, which allows you to understand his thought process better. It also gives you a better sense of his personality, since you get to hear the story through his own words. The book is only written in third person when something important is happening which helps build tension. 

One of my favorite things about the Martian is the amount of scientific detail included in the book. For example, about halfway through the book, there is a scene in which Watney is almost killed when a hole forms in his base’s airlock, causing a violent explosion. For the whole chapter before this, the book describes how the part of the airlock that broke and caused the explosion was made, and how it became defective. This is not only interesting, but also provides foreshadowing for the explosion. The book also explains in detail how Watney solves the problems he faces. At one point, Watney is trying to build a makeshift garden in his base so he does not run out of food. However, he does not have enough spare water to grow his crops. So, he has to make some. So, he uses a spare canister of hydrogen fuel, which he reacts with oxygen in the air to create water. These small details help make the story more believable, and reading the story through the stranded astronaut’s own journal entries help you empathize with his situation and the challenges he faces.

-Will