I liked your review. I think i enjoyed the book a bit more than you did but thats probably because i like the "hard science". 100% agree on the cover though.
Insanearbiter I did get carried away with a few negatives didn't I? I really did like the book especially the hard science parts. The realities of space travel and planetary living make for really compelling storytelling. I think my issues involve minor adjustments in balance. I have over-stressed that point when I could have stated in plainly and moved on. Which hard science fiction books have you enjoyed?
Hi. I would like to ask you something, since you like hard science, if you don't mind. I am writing a scifi book with aliens on Earth. I know that this alone is already quite far out enough. Even so, I am am trying to create as many justifications and fundament all that is possible to make it as reasonable as possible, both in technology as well as in biology. So I would like to know if you have any pickings or peeves in those aspects. Secondly, there is one thing I did that sort of escapes my concept. I added mind control in the story. That right there is pretty much not hard science. Yet I couldn't resist it for a couple of reasons. Does that bum you out. Do you think hard science resonates with alien invasion? Do you have any stories or movies that you feel were more faithful to this concept that include aliens?
@@heitorla Hello. Hopefully my opinion is appreciated as well :). Also I hope that this may be still helpful to you, since it’s been a couple of years. When I read you’re comment I found it quite intriguing. I find it very wonderful/interesting that you’ve decided to make a hard science book including aliens. I don’t think that I really have any peeves or picks for the subject (sorry). However it would absolutely be very interesting to read a book with mind control. This would also be the case for you to write it I think. I would love to see a story about an alien invasion combined with hard science. Hope this helps a bit. Good luck!
The book satisfied me as no other sci-fi book has done in... in... I honestly cannot say. It has been that long! *_What I really liked_* about the book is that the author did not let his character go through some sort of deep introspection into himself and humanity's place in the universe. If you could interview astronaut Watney upon his arrival back on Earth, he might say something like, *_"Did I spend time looking into my soul, contemplating the beauty of Mars or thinking about my loved ones? Are you #$&! kidding me!?? I was trying to keep the $#%@! planet from killing me!!"_* Now retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield really identified with the mindset of the fictional astronaut. How does Hadfield put it? "There is no problem in space that you cannot make worse."
interesting last comment. What bugs you about this introspection and humanity´s place in the universe? I am currently writing a scifi and I would really appreciate your comment on this. Otherwise I might just fall into that category. kkkkk I actually find it interesting that this bugs you. What is the main bummer on that?
I read this book every summer, it's just such a fun ride. As much as I like the book cover, I really do like to read this book on my e-reader. It's kinda fitting to read Mark's digital logs on an electronic device.
I think the science and problem solving are not only great, but necessary. Seeing as most of the trouble is suffered by the main protagonist, his retrospective on it in the form of the mission log would be incomplete would he not enter such details. This is important for the believablility of the journal and the believability of the story itself. Otherwise it would be as good as magic. I think the long mars rover trip was relatively uneventful because this would be the case IF the protagonist was to make it to the MEV. The 2 major events during that trip would have been deadly itself if not for luck and smarts. It is not realistic to have the protagonist beaten to and inch of his life and then having him to do all that work on the ship. The deadline was the arch and the ascend to Hermes, where he lost almost all control over his destiny, was the climax.
+Diggnuts Yes, science and problem solving are necessary. From a narrative standpoint I think there are few places where omitting certain details could have helped the pace a flow. Not every place mind you just one or two places. It's still a fantastic story and incredibly solid. That's also a good point about the long mars rover trip. The trip would likely be very uneventful which is why it was treated the way it was. As a reader I wanted to see more of a struggle in that section again for reasons of narrative and increased tension, not reality. You are right though, those moments did culminate in the ascension to Hermes. Thanks for commenting!
Weir also commented that any serious problem with the rover on that last drive would have resulted in his death because he would not have been able to do anything and would have been stranded there for sure.
What I find dissapointing is that it's only about survival. There is nothing about how it feels to be on Mars in terms of connection with the planet, even after being there for a long time, the psychological effect. It's as if, if he wasn't in danger for depending 100 % on technology, then there wouldn't be anything interesting for being on Mars at all.
The character had no emotional depth at all and was way too knowledgeable about things far of his field. That is not how we train our astronauts, we train them as specialist. Being a narrative his fate is never doubt, but they should of demonstrated the range of emotions he would have experienced. Nope he's all chill, it's just a pain in the ass.
GlassTopRX7 I liked that the author didn't go into the psychological aspect of been on mars, and later I saw an interview where he says why he didn't do it and I love the book even more after that
tatisjoa I haven't seen that do you happen to have the link I would like to see it. That didn't really effect my enjoyment of the book but it was something that frequently crossed my mind.
tatisjoa That's fascinating the author had reasons for doing it that way. I think I can accept it more knowing it was a conscious decision to downplay the physiological factors.
+Let's Read I wanted them all to either die at the end or get into a predicament (which they still might be in) where they are doomed or have to be saved. Maybe have an alien burst out of Beth's chest and eat everyone. =D jk But seriously though, I wanted them all to die at the end. Like, for taking too many risks. and for there to be no way to duct tape or potato their way out of it.
I loved the book and the movie just as much. Man, Matt Damon was so perfect for the role. I was honestly surprised how the film nailed the earlier parts of the book's narrative. Can't wait till I get the blu-ray for myself and watch it again.
This book - arguably my top favourite of 2014. The audiobook narrated by RC Bray is spectacular. I agree, Annie was kind of crass and non-essential. I did love the (what was his name?) smart, self-titled "A**hole" that figured out what NASA should do to help Mark Watley. His interaction with the head of NASA guy was very funny. I didn't mind all the science; kinda liked it a lot. If I'm being really, really picky I guess the whole journey across to the other station thing could have been more dramatic with all the dust. But that whole ship modification thing was pretty climactic. The cover is amazing, the UK cover looks like Jim Caveziel, And Steelheart (Brandon Sanderson) is also a great cover for communicating the basics of the book.
The science was pretty good. So many interesting physics and circumstances. That self-titled A**hole was brilliant...whoever he was. I too have forgotten his name. Steelheart eh? I'm going to study that cover.
I just finished reading this books, and i went to youtube right away to hear what other people think about it. And this is the first book review that I watched. I think The Martian is one of the greatest scifi books out there and certainly the best one i have ever read. Thank you for the review, I never looked at Annie character they way you look at it, but you certainly gave me a new perspective about it. I see Annie as a subtle addition to the book as a regular-non engineer-non scientist person, and how they work around scientist. Thanks again for the review.
As much as I agree on the "suffer and die," part of me was just really rooting for him to survive. Yes, it could have been a really depressing book, but I'm glad it wasn't.
I had to go and look at my bookshelf for the "find a cover which encapsulates a book" challenge. I'm inclined to go with the entire Codex Alera series, all of which show Tavi fighting some type of elemental beast. Which is pretty accurate. I also have a copy of 20,000 Leagues under the Sea which is a submarine in a big ocean with a squid on the back. I think that one is pretty accurate too.
Nicole's Adventures in SFF That's nice to know the Codex Alera books feature the character in those situations. 20,000 Leagues under the sea. A bold choice.
Great review! Yours is maybe the third review for The Martian that I have seen, and it sounds fantastic. I am especially interested in the style of the writing, and how it is continually shifting. Thanks for making such great videos!
Haha glad you loved it and I loved that you spoke so much about the cover and the design. It's a very beautiful cover for sure and certainly does communicate what the story will hold. I can't think of many covers that achieve that as you say, something to think on for sure :)
Kitty G It's one thing I'd like to explore more, looking at cover design every now and then. Of course it's fantastic that you feature cover analysis continually.
well, the last trip to ares 4 MAV was not that empty, there was the big storm which caused a huge problem to recharge the batteries since there's no sun, and there's the scene when the rover actually fall upside down and he needs to move in 5 km/h for hours..I guess it wasn't that easy.
+Let's Read Agreed. They're not all bad, like the Lord of the Rings paperback look really nice because they're subtle and the movie scenes that they're based on look amazing. But I don't really need an actors face plastered over a book.
i felt the same way about all the analytical details in the book. i found myself skimming over some of the long descriptions of his scientific processes mostly because i dont understand that stuff anyways and wasnt quite interested. i would say that is the only thing that really bothered me about this book
Interesting. I wonder what the balance is between people who liked those things and people who didn't is. Most people are no astronauts, even though there are , I suppose, a considerable number of people who geek out. Especially engineers and the like. i am currently writing a scifi book with aliens on Earth and trying to make things as scientifically acceptable as possible, like Weir did. I do not, however, intend to put any formulas or heavy explanations into it. I agree with you on that. The only thing I am conflicted about is that I am giving aliens a mind control ability that sort of throws scientific accuracy in the garbage. Do you think it makes any difference to the story? i am avoiding all those hard to believe things such as teleport, time travel, ethereal beings, shapeshifting impossibilities and everything that is much closer to magic and far from science. yet, the mind control thing slipped in. What do you say to that? I would appreciate your point of view
I just finished this book a couple of hours ago and it was so super readable. I thought the language wasn't great on the bit at the end when we were watching the guys on the spaceship, Said, said, said. Also I know what you mean about the lack of peril feeling at the end but I kind of felt like his equipment/food/shelter situation was either going to be broken and thus death, or working. Kind of hard to get to the dragging himself across Mars situation when you have that binary situation. BUT maybe he could have emoted it better, been more stressed or sad. Oh, and cover-wise they've now released the nice cover in the UK. No more Calvin Klein guy. :)
Nice cover in UK...hooray! You're right about Mars being too binary an environment. It doesn't allow for a range of barely surviving. He's either alive or dead. Harumph to the cognitive dissonance of my expectations.
I recently finished this and really enjoyed your review. You brought up some things I hadn't reflected upon. Annie didn't bother me but I do agree at Mark at times just has a problem and basically at the same time - the solution. I also wish that Mark would get homesick or at least show some kind of emotional imbalance having been alone so long. Anyway, as written - really enjoyed this, both the book and the review.
Jenny Stenberg Yeah the book has so much going for it. I may have dwelt a little much on the "flaws" You're right about him being homesick, there's practically nothing about his life before mars. Family connections, who he might know or care about back home. He doesn't need a romantic interest, but he's got to have friends or buddies with whom he is connected.
I am in my late 20s and believe it or not, I just started reading books last year andI love reading, I wish my parents would have put taught to read at a young age. I love reading but i can't find the time to read as much as i would like to. So i am turning to Audiobooks but i loose focus to quickly. Can you give me some tips like, How do you focus? When is the best time or place to listen to it? Are any benefits by listening to Audiobooks like reading books?
Cruxito Cruz I haven't listened to too many audio books and don't have many tips for being able to focus. I usually fall asleep listening to audio books. Hopefully the focus will come in time.
The Dutch cover actually has a zoomed out picture of Mars with this small astronaut barely visable cause hes so small compared to the landscape. I think thats my favorite.
The cover design is fantastic for this book. (weird side note, the feel of it is really odd. Almost like crepe paper) I agree with you on alot of the plot-solution-problem resolved things. I was a bit disappointed with how quickly Watney gets the answers sometimes. Annie was tiring. I agree with your spoilery bits review. It was super anti-climactic. I still really enjoyed it. I really liked Watney, though. Maybe part of why I liked it as easily as I did was because I haven't seen Apollo 13 or many survival in space movies. Also, I think an episodic tv show would give some opportunity for more detail in the moree glossed over bits that could have been more suspenseful.
Stories from the Shelf I felt the same way about the feel of the paper. It also has an odd shine on the white parts that is strangely unique. Printing presses must have a fun time choosing all those things. Messing with us readers. A lot of books have that waxy cover feel. The paper is great for making colours stand out but it's so odd feeling it with my hands. The book Apollo 13 (Previously titled Lost Moon) covers a lot of depth regarding astronauts, space travel and the engineers and technicians. Technical acronym's abound. It's also a brilliant movie. In hindsight I'd say the Martian moves at a brisker pace. Good chat! Watney was fun and I'm glad he was there to take us on the ride.
Captain Coolant, can you tell me what made it get to the top of your list for me? I am writing a scifi with aliens and I am taking some inspiratin from Weir in it. I would like to know at least 3 reasons this book is the greatest for you?
Just finished this book! And I loved it! AGREE on cover. AGREE on that scientific stuff! I don't understand it, I'm never going to understand. AGREE on Annie, she was so annnnnoying. Also, Mark Watney was a dream. So cool. Maybe too cool. And yeah, totally knew he was going to survive. That NASA plane bit, I didn't even notice that. But sooo true.
That cover is great! Good to know you liked it. I've had it on my tbr for some time and now I really want to read it before the movie comes out next year! Especially for the similarity with Packing for Mars (I love Mary Roach!), great review :)
Great review, Brock! Now again I#m torn about reading it. I had initially dismissed it, cause there seemed to be a lot of elements I usually am not that fond of, like near future tellings (you know without space empires and aliens^^), first person pov and the survival plot. But hearing that it plays with narrative styles and perspective in addition to having a very entertaining main character makes me waver in my decision. Guess it's time to listen to Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn" on a loop and revisit my conclusion. I've I still need to listen to "Torn" in October, I might blame you.^^
Bitten by a radioactive book one man stranded on mars is the first step to space empires and meeting aliens. It's like a prequel to all the genre stuff that we enjoy. Until you decide...I'll just post this link Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
I don't really get the whole "why wasn't he more afraid of dying argument." ds, he's an astronaut, he literally chooses to get strapped on to a bomb to be hurled through the most dangerous environment know to man, to land on an almost equally dangerous environment for the sole purpose of doing science. People that decide to do that with their lives, then go through all the education/training to get there do not really panic when their life is in danger, since their life being in danger is part of their job. I think Mark is really hard to relate to because of this, which is good, because astronauts should be hard to relate to; most people simply do not have what it takes to be an astronaut. And astronauts agree. The fact that Andy could create such a character without ever having met an astronaut is amazing.
Great review...nice. About the cover, you're absolutely right..it just makes you want to read it more and again. The struggles of mark watney on mars was amazingly written. And a movie adaptation is about to be released, can't wait for it though. So again you have reviewed this book nicely.
Let's Read Yeah it should. It will not do justice to the story if there's no excellent visuals. Please do more book reviews. I suggest you do a review on the novel Follow You Home by Mark Edwards. It's a really good story and I'd like to know what you think of it. Thanks, hope you could make it happen.
Hey. Thank you for such a nice review. This is the first video from you that I have seen and I just subscribed to your page here. I was looking for someone with a bit of a different perspective on the book and I liked your perceptions and comments. I am currently writing a scifi novel or syfy (I still don't know the difference, if any) that was inspired in a way by Andy Weir's book. What I thought was cool was how he tried to make it all scientifically possible. So I am sort of trying to go that way as well. The difference is that I have aliens on Earth in the book, so you can imagine that is stretching things a little. What I am uncertain about is whether all this scientifically possible will resonate with readers. I kind of felt that in Weir's book there was a lot of appreciation from scientific community and geeks all over for that touch he added to his story. I personally consider it cool as well, though not something I would glorify , just because I am not that geeky. The only real issue with the consistency in my story is that I included mind control in it.(because it is damn cool and fixes the communication issues) However, I am a bit worried this could undermine my whole book concept. I mean trying to make everything plausible and then dropping that in the story. Do you think it would be cooler without it? I kind of envy all those stories with crazy scifi elements like ethereal creautures that can travel through electric cables, telelport, metamorph and morphing biotechnology and all sorts of stuff to blow your mind. Yet, I thought of doing something within more limited deliriums, but I do have that mind control that sort of breaks my logic platform. I would really like to know how you or anyone else feels about it. I am playing my cards on the story elements more than on the high tech stuff. Would you also say that the story and conflict elements in The Martian were also much more relevant than the scientific realism and accuracy itself? I ask this because I see three kinds of books that often get a real buzz due to at least one of three elements: scientific realism, historical facts and religious matters. Are these elements that powerful or is the power of these stories much more on plot and conflict and struggles of the protagonist? Sorry for so many questions, I will be very thankful for any help or opinions.
I strongly advise you: DO READ Stanislaw Lem's The Invincible : it's got all you missed in The Martian , you are BOUND to enjoy it !!! BTW- yes, this cover is exceptionally good, no silly photo of people/person looking at some distant point with concern written all over their Vogue-model faces. Cheers from Poland :)
Love your slightly creepy sense of humour lol I haven't read science fiction for a long time but I'll read this just to see how amazingly well the cover matches the content. I actually had/have this huge fetish with the covers of the Shatter Me series. They match the concepts and plot progression of the series well but, to be honest, I just love EYES. And a world built on en eye is just...too beautiful;))
3.141S92653S29793238462643383279502884I97I69E99 True. Vogel gets introduced way early in the book though, so it's pretty clear where he builds and detonates the bomb if someone were to read your comment.
I liked your review, thanks for that. I just finished reading the book and did not enjoy it one bit. It was hard to invest to any characters because there was zero buildup. There were many complaints but I wont make this comment any longer. Its just because it was my very first science fiction book I've ever read. Let's just say I wont be picking up any sci fi book anytime soon
Great review, man! I agree that is a beautiful cover. Another one that I feel really conveys the book is Boneshaker by Cherie Priest: www.goodreads.com/book/show/1137215.Boneshaker You get the idea that it's steampunk and that it's a woman out of her element (due to the ill-fitting goggles). A simple image that conveys a lot. Looking forward to reading The Martian.
PT Hylton That's a great observation with the ill fitting goggles. I'd not realized that before. I'll not be able to look at it the same way again. Bravo.
There is as well an error when Vogel talks to his wife about the kids. There is no highschool in germany and in the german translation they even kept using the word highschool. For the otherwise acurate storytelling this is an error that i spotted instantly.
John Salvatore Fontanelli fascinating. It's so easy to assume that schools are the same everywhere. I constantly forget the educational system is very different in Canada and US as well.
I have heard a lot about The Martian and it makes me really ant to read it. I understand what you are saying when you say you want to see a character suffer and die. I don't just want a character to just die. I want it to feel realistic and to say "Oh he died." that just is not realistic. Great review, well until the spoilery parts where I had to click off. HAHA!
This looks like the kind of book I wouldn't be able to get out of my head - the same reason I haven't watched Gravity. I wish I had something more intelligent to say about it than that....
Finished this book in 2 days, read the first 30 pages at the book store then finished it the next day ... Had to say I wasn't a fan of the movie after reading the book.
+Dee Hong I can see that. The book is really strong. Enjoyed the movie as an adaptation. It came close, but the book was still better. More personality.
My opinion stands. For some reason I have it out for Mark Watney. In the time since I've learned more about the training astronauts receive that helps them stay calm in danger and uncertainty. Something I wasn't fully aware of before.
Since your channel name is Sabrina Everywhere it will be no less creepy, because you're everywhere! I'm about to watch your Well of Ascension discussion, and then probably everything else as a sort of revenge not creepy marathon.
Let's Read I just finished the book, and just watched your full review. Thank you for making me want to pick this up!!! It turned out to be one of my favorite books of the year. I need to read more scifi. "I want to see the character suffer and die" - hahaha but vey true. That was my biggest issue with it. Mark Watney doesn't struggle enough. But this was so much fun. Lol yes the cover looks like candy. It's too pretty. ^_^
+Let's Read Should I read Apollo 13? I need more like this. Oh and I think the cover of Prince of Thorns represents the book well. My brother saw it and went "is this about a prince who kills a lot of people?" Mehehe. ^_^
Apollo 13 is a book though. Originally published under the title of Lost Moon. It recounts the events that happened and was used as he basis for the film.
why in the end the dramatical wasnot looked as satisfactory as it should been,well,according to the auther,if there was a problem,the resolve should be work out scientificly ,if he cant,just ged rid of it, 就是说为了科学性舍弃掉了一点戏剧性，我觉得这个妥协是可以接受的，毕竟，这本书的优点就在于真实性，sorry about this,just can not keep the bad grammer gets smooth,:( yet still want make a comment'''''''' lol,,,,, in chinese ,anyhow ,like your video
The language was unbearable for me. Excellent plot and loved the scientific element, but the cheesy dialogue and Mark's "yays" on every second page really spoiled it. The book tries to be funny and goofy throughout and I didn't laugh once
nono Well, i do not agree, but i wanna hear what you have to say, first, are you a fan of the book? And what didnt you like about the movie? The Acting? The setings? Costumes maybe?
that UK cover sucked amazingly. I am fascinated at how publishers manage to fuck up a book cover with so much structure and investment. How is that possible? Did anyone like that cover? If I were the author, I wouldn't accept it. I guess Weir had already as many books as he wanted before that cover was made
I liked your review. I think i enjoyed the book a bit more than you did but thats probably because i like the "hard science". 100% agree on the cover though.
Insanearbiter I did get carried away with a few negatives didn't I? I really did like the book especially the hard science parts. The realities of space travel and planetary living make for really compelling storytelling. I think my issues involve minor adjustments in balance. I have over-stressed that point when I could have stated in plainly and moved on. Which hard science fiction books have you enjoyed?
Hi. I would like to ask you something, since you like hard science, if you don't mind.
I am writing a scifi book with aliens on Earth. I know that this alone is already quite far out enough. Even so, I am am trying to create as many justifications and fundament all that is possible to make it as reasonable as possible, both in technology as well as in biology. So I would like to know if you have any pickings or peeves in those aspects.
Secondly, there is one thing I did that sort of escapes my concept. I added mind control in the story. That right there is pretty much not hard science. Yet I couldn't resist it for a couple of reasons.
Does that bum you out. Do you think hard science resonates with alien invasion? Do you have any stories or movies that you feel were more faithful to this concept that include aliens?
@@heitorla Hello. Hopefully my opinion is appreciated as well :). Also I hope that this may be still helpful to you, since it’s been a couple of years. When I read you’re comment I found it quite intriguing. I find it very wonderful/interesting that you’ve decided to make a hard science book including aliens. I don’t think that I really have any peeves or picks for the subject (sorry). However it would absolutely be very interesting to read a book with mind control. This would also be the case for you to write it I think. I would love to see a story about an alien invasion combined with hard science. Hope this helps a bit. Good luck!
The book satisfied me as no other sci-fi book has done in... in... I honestly cannot say. It has been that long!
*_What I really liked_* about the book is that the author did not let his character go through some sort of deep introspection into himself and humanity's place in the universe.
If you could interview astronaut Watney upon his arrival back on Earth, he might say something like, *_"Did I spend time looking into my soul, contemplating the beauty of Mars or thinking about my loved ones? Are you #$&! kidding me!?? I was trying to keep the $#%@! planet from killing me!!"_*
Now retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield really identified with the mindset of the fictional astronaut. How does Hadfield put it? "There is no problem in space that you cannot make worse."
interesting last comment. What bugs you about this introspection and humanity´s place in the universe? I am currently writing a scifi and I would really appreciate your comment on this. Otherwise I might just fall into that category. kkkkk I actually find it interesting that this bugs you. What is the main bummer on that?
I read this book every summer, it's just such a fun ride. As much as I like the book cover, I really do like to read this book on my e-reader. It's kinda fitting to read Mark's digital logs on an electronic device.
I think the science and problem solving are not only great, but necessary. Seeing as most of the trouble is suffered by the main protagonist, his retrospective on it in the form of the mission log would be incomplete would he not enter such details. This is important for the believablility of the journal and the believability of the story itself. Otherwise it would be as good as magic.
I think the long mars rover trip was relatively uneventful because this would be the case IF the protagonist was to make it to the MEV. The 2 major events during that trip would have been deadly itself if not for luck and smarts. It is not realistic to have the protagonist beaten to and inch of his life and then having him to do all that work on the ship. The deadline was the arch and the ascend to Hermes, where he lost almost all control over his destiny, was the climax.
+Diggnuts Yes, science and problem solving are necessary. From a narrative standpoint I think there are few places where omitting certain details could have helped the pace a flow. Not every place mind you just one or two places. It's still a fantastic story and incredibly solid.
That's also a good point about the long mars rover trip. The trip would likely be very uneventful which is why it was treated the way it was. As a reader I wanted to see more of a struggle in that section again for reasons of narrative and increased tension, not reality. You are right though, those moments did culminate in the ascension to Hermes.
Thanks for commenting!
Weir also commented that any serious problem with the rover on that last drive would have resulted in his death because he would not have been able to do anything and would have been stranded there for sure.
This was such an amazing book. I liked it a lot! The cover is really great indeed
What I find dissapointing is that it's only about survival. There is nothing about how it feels to be on Mars in terms of connection with the planet, even after being there for a long time, the psychological effect. It's as if, if he wasn't in danger for depending 100 % on technology, then there wouldn't be anything interesting for being on Mars at all.
Nice angle. I think I would have liked a little more "spirit of discovery" in the story as well.
The character had no emotional depth at all and was way too knowledgeable about things far of his field. That is not how we train our astronauts, we train them as specialist. Being a narrative his fate is never doubt, but they should of demonstrated the range of emotions he would have experienced. Nope he's all chill, it's just a pain in the ass.
GlassTopRX7 I liked that the author didn't go into the psychological aspect of been on mars, and later I saw an interview where he says why he didn't do it and I love the book even more after that
tatisjoa
I haven't seen that do you happen to have the link I would like to see it. That didn't really effect my enjoyment of the book but it was something that frequently crossed my mind.
tatisjoa That's fascinating the author had reasons for doing it that way. I think I can accept it more knowing it was a conscious decision to downplay the physiological factors.
"You want to see a character suffer and die" hahaha, great review!!!
Lindsey Rey I may have a problem.
+Let's Read I wanted them all to either die at the end or get into a predicament (which they still might be in) where they are doomed or have to be saved.
Maybe have an alien burst out of Beth's chest and eat everyone. =D jk
But seriously though, I wanted them all to die at the end. Like, for taking too many risks. and for there to be no way to duct tape or potato their way out of it.
Great review! And that cover is perfect. And your connection with that cover, is also perfect.
The Marvelous Reading Room that's a relief. I spent so much time muttering about it all.
I loved the book and the movie just as much. Man, Matt Damon was so perfect for the role. I was honestly surprised how the film nailed the earlier parts of the book's narrative. Can't wait till I get the blu-ray for myself and watch it again.
Oh definitely. It's rare that the time of the book is captured in film.
This book - arguably my top favourite of 2014. The audiobook narrated by RC Bray is spectacular. I agree, Annie was kind of crass and non-essential. I did love the (what was his name?) smart, self-titled "A**hole" that figured out what NASA should do to help Mark Watley. His interaction with the head of NASA guy was very funny.
I didn't mind all the science; kinda liked it a lot. If I'm being really, really picky I guess the whole journey across to the other station thing could have been more dramatic with all the dust. But that whole ship modification thing was pretty climactic. The cover is amazing, the UK cover looks like Jim Caveziel, And Steelheart (Brandon Sanderson) is also a great cover for communicating the basics of the book.
The science was pretty good. So many interesting physics and circumstances. That self-titled A**hole was brilliant...whoever he was. I too have forgotten his name. Steelheart eh? I'm going to study that cover.
I think you're talking about Rich Purnell, the "Steely-Eyed Missile Man."
I just finished reading this books, and i went to youtube right away to hear what other people think about it. And this is the first book review that I watched. I think The Martian is one of the greatest scifi books out there and certainly the best one i have ever read. Thank you for the review, I never looked at Annie character they way you look at it, but you certainly gave me a new perspective about it. I see Annie as a subtle addition to the book as a regular-non engineer-non scientist person, and how they work around scientist. Thanks again for the review.
teguh samudra Thanks for watching. It's a good book to talk about too so I'm glad you shared your thoughts.
As much as I agree on the "suffer and die," part of me was just really rooting for him to survive. Yes, it could have been a really depressing book, but I'm glad it wasn't.
Oh yes. He's totally a character you want to root for. Would not have played out as well if it was a downer of a book.
Jhea but a bit more of a struggle would have been nice.
I had to go and look at my bookshelf for the "find a cover which encapsulates a book" challenge. I'm inclined to go with the entire Codex Alera series, all of which show Tavi fighting some type of elemental beast. Which is pretty accurate. I also have a copy of 20,000 Leagues under the Sea which is a submarine in a big ocean with a squid on the back. I think that one is pretty accurate too.
Nicole's Adventures in SFF That's nice to know the Codex Alera books feature the character in those situations. 20,000 Leagues under the sea. A bold choice.
Even just for the Non Spoilery portion, you've successfully made me wanna include this to my tbr. You articulate it really well!
jbblkh Why thank you. Hope you enjoy the book.
Great review! Yours is maybe the third review for The Martian that I have seen, and it sounds fantastic. I am especially interested in the style of the writing, and how it is continually shifting. Thanks for making such great videos!
OneBookMore Be sure to enjoy it. It's a nice treat.
Haha glad you loved it and I loved that you spoke so much about the cover and the design. It's a very beautiful cover for sure and certainly does communicate what the story will hold. I can't think of many covers that achieve that as you say, something to think on for sure :)
Kitty G It's one thing I'd like to explore more, looking at cover design every now and then. Of course it's fantastic that you feature cover analysis continually.
I think cover design is vital and would love to see more booktubers featuring and talking about cover designs :-)
well, the last trip to ares 4 MAV was not that empty, there was the big storm which caused a huge problem to recharge the batteries since there's no sun, and there's the scene when the rover actually fall upside down and he needs to move in 5 km/h for hours..I guess it wasn't that easy.
+condichen True. It's a lot of work but he weathers these struggles very well. I suppose it's a "resiliency of the human spirit" tale.
The movie made me go out and buy the book. Was very impressed with both! I havent read a book in some years but I'm so glad i read this one
That's the best feeling when seeing a movie, then the novel turns out to be wonderful.
Thanks for showing the book itself. I hate it when they put the movie cover onto the paperback version, so I might go with one.
+BrawlEmAll Movie posters work well as posters but as book covers they just don't have the same feel. I'm with you 100%
+Let's Read Agreed. They're not all bad, like the Lord of the Rings paperback look really nice because they're subtle and the movie scenes that they're based on look amazing. But I don't really need an actors face plastered over a book.
i felt the same way about all the analytical details in the book. i found myself skimming over some of the long descriptions of his scientific processes mostly because i dont understand that stuff anyways and wasnt quite interested. i would say that is the only thing that really bothered me about this book
Interesting. I wonder what the balance is between people who liked those things and people who didn't is. Most people are no astronauts, even though there are , I suppose, a considerable number of people who geek out. Especially engineers and the like.
i am currently writing a scifi book with aliens on Earth and trying to make things as scientifically acceptable as possible, like Weir did. I do not, however, intend to put any formulas or heavy explanations into it. I agree with you on that.
The only thing I am conflicted about is that I am giving aliens a mind control ability that sort of throws scientific accuracy in the garbage. Do you think it makes any difference to the story? i am avoiding all those hard to believe things such as teleport, time travel, ethereal beings, shapeshifting impossibilities and everything that is much closer to magic and far from science. yet, the mind control thing slipped in. What do you say to that?
I would appreciate your point of view
This book has been on my TBR since it first came out, but I haven't seen a review on it yet... so thank you!!
Wonderful! Hope you enjoy it.
I just finished this book a couple of hours ago and it was so super readable. I thought the language wasn't great on the bit at the end when we were watching the guys on the spaceship, Said, said, said.
Also I know what you mean about the lack of peril feeling at the end but I kind of felt like his equipment/food/shelter situation was either going to be broken and thus death, or working. Kind of hard to get to the dragging himself across Mars situation when you have that binary situation. BUT maybe he could have emoted it better, been more stressed or sad.
Oh, and cover-wise they've now released the nice cover in the UK. No more Calvin Klein guy. :)
Nice cover in UK...hooray!
You're right about Mars being too binary an environment. It doesn't allow for a range of barely surviving. He's either alive or dead. Harumph to the cognitive dissonance of my expectations.
i like the extra technical explanations, i think it makes for a different type of book. it also made the math fascinating.
Taytum Sanderbeck They were awesome, only in a few places would I have lightened them up for breezed through them faster.
Good thing they are naking a movie with Matt Damon
+ShaXXam I didn't know how I felt about a movie but now that trailers are out much excitement.
+Let's Read I feel like the space helmets look a little weird.
I recently finished this and really enjoyed your review. You brought up some things I hadn't reflected upon. Annie didn't bother me but I do agree at Mark at times just has a problem and basically at the same time - the solution. I also wish that Mark would get homesick or at least show some kind of emotional imbalance having been alone so long. Anyway, as written - really enjoyed this, both the book and the review.
Jenny Stenberg Yeah the book has so much going for it. I may have dwelt a little much on the "flaws" You're right about him being homesick, there's practically nothing about his life before mars. Family connections, who he might know or care about back home. He doesn't need a romantic interest, but he's got to have friends or buddies with whom he is connected.
I am in my late 20s and believe it or not, I just started reading books last year andI love reading, I wish my parents would have put taught to read at a young age. I love reading but i can't find the time to read as much as i would like to. So i am turning to Audiobooks but i loose focus to quickly.
Can you give me some tips like, How do you focus? When is the best time or place to listen to it? Are any benefits by listening to Audiobooks like reading books?
Cruxito Cruz I haven't listened to too many audio books and don't have many tips for being able to focus. I usually fall asleep listening to audio books. Hopefully the focus will come in time.
The Dutch cover actually has a zoomed out picture of Mars with this small astronaut barely visable cause hes so small compared to the landscape. I think thats my favorite.
That's a good image, the loneliness....
threatens to what ?
I need this complention for my listening activity.. Please
I've been wanting to read this book since I first learned of it.
(Also, thank you so much for doing the 'click skippy' for skipping spoilers!)
Yesica1993 Oh Good. I'm glad I put it in but will be careful to limit spoilers in future vids.
The cover design is fantastic for this book. (weird side note, the feel of it is really odd. Almost like crepe paper) I agree with you on alot of the plot-solution-problem resolved things. I was a bit disappointed with how quickly Watney gets the answers sometimes. Annie was tiring. I agree with your spoilery bits review. It was super anti-climactic. I still really enjoyed it. I really liked Watney, though. Maybe part of why I liked it as easily as I did was because I haven't seen Apollo 13 or many survival in space movies. Also, I think an episodic tv show would give some opportunity for more detail in the moree glossed over bits that could have been more suspenseful.
Stories from the Shelf I felt the same way about the feel of the paper. It also has an odd shine on the white parts that is strangely unique. Printing presses must have a fun time choosing all those things. Messing with us readers. A lot of books have that waxy cover feel. The paper is great for making colours stand out but it's so odd feeling it with my hands.
The book Apollo 13 (Previously titled Lost Moon) covers a lot of depth regarding astronauts, space travel and the engineers and technicians. Technical acronym's abound. It's also a brilliant movie. In hindsight I'd say the Martian moves at a brisker pace.
Good chat! Watney was fun and I'm glad he was there to take us on the ride.
The cover art is fantastic. I also loved the cover art for each installment of Jeff Vandermeer's "Southern Reach Trilogy".
Brian Martin Yeah that's a knockout design for the Southern Reach Trilogy. Nothing else like it and you can see it from across a room.
This is the best book i have ever read
+Deez Nuts Solid
Captain Coolant, can you tell me what made it get to the top of your list for me?
I am writing a scifi with aliens and I am taking some inspiratin from Weir in it.
I would like to know at least 3 reasons this book is the greatest for you?
Just finished this book! And I loved it! AGREE on cover. AGREE on that scientific stuff! I don't understand it, I'm never going to understand. AGREE on Annie, she was so annnnnoying. Also, Mark Watney was a dream. So cool. Maybe too cool. And yeah, totally knew he was going to survive. That NASA plane bit, I didn't even notice that. But sooo true.
Emma Reads YAY! I wish I had more to say, brain is a bit dumb at the moment.
Do you happen to have a list of books that you recommend? I fell in love with this book and I am in search for another.
+wannabedavinci 2 Don't have an official list, most of that is listed on Goodreads. What sort of story interests you?
+Let's Read Non fiction and Sci-fi.
that cover is actually awesome
TolkienTV They better sell posters, a giant wall sized one would be perfect.
That cover is great! Good to know you liked it. I've had it on my tbr for some time and now I really want to read it before the movie comes out next year! Especially for the similarity with Packing for Mars (I love Mary Roach!), great review :)
ConiAndrea The movie will be out next year? They don't wait for anything do they?
Great review, Brock! Now again I#m torn about reading it. I had initially dismissed it, cause there seemed to be a lot of elements I usually am not that fond of, like near future tellings (you know without space empires and aliens^^), first person pov and the survival plot.
But hearing that it plays with narrative styles and perspective in addition to having a very entertaining main character makes me waver in my decision. Guess it's time to listen to Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn" on a loop and revisit my conclusion. I've I still need to listen to "Torn" in October, I might blame you.^^
Bitten by a radioactive book one man stranded on mars is the first step to space empires and meeting aliens. It's like a prequel to all the genre stuff that we enjoy.
Until you decide...I'll just post this link Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
Just picked it up in hardback. Just wondering maybe you knew what SOL meant at every log entry? Like at chapter one it says LOG ENTRY: SOL 6
It's the number of Solar days they've been on mission. In this case it's how long he's been on mars.
It's also a measurement of how long a day is on the planet you happen to be on.
I don't really get the whole "why wasn't he more afraid of dying argument." ds, he's an astronaut, he literally chooses to get strapped on to a bomb to be hurled through the most dangerous environment know to man, to land on an almost equally dangerous environment for the sole purpose of doing science. People that decide to do that with their lives, then go through all the education/training to get there do not really panic when their life is in danger, since their life being in danger is part of their job.
I think Mark is really hard to relate to because of this, which is good, because astronauts should be hard to relate to; most people simply do not have what it takes to be an astronaut. And astronauts agree. The fact that Andy could create such a character without ever having met an astronaut is amazing.
iwasahipsterb4u You're right. He's ready to face those experiences. Living in space is hard enough. He's at least stuck on a planet with resources.
Shut up you can't say anything bad about this book! Its an immersive bonfire of lovelyness
hillmanant It does seem I'm being harsh on Watney for enduring his challenges in stride.
hillmanant, what is your favorite aspect or quality of this book/story?
Great review...nice. About the cover, you're absolutely right..it just makes you want to read it more and again. The struggles of mark watney on mars was amazingly written. And a movie adaptation is about to be released, can't wait for it though. So again you have reviewed this book nicely.
Jhon Moore Yeah the movie looks pretty good. It should make for excellent visuals.
Let's Read Yeah it should. It will not do justice to the story if there's no excellent visuals. Please do more book reviews. I suggest you do a review on the novel Follow You Home by Mark Edwards. It's a really good story and I'd like to know what you think of it. Thanks, hope you could make it happen.
I'll take a look and see what it's about.
Hey. Thank you for such a nice review. This is the first video from you that I have seen and I just subscribed to your page here. I was looking for someone with a bit of a different perspective on the book and I liked your perceptions and comments.
I am currently writing a scifi novel or syfy (I still don't know the difference, if any) that was inspired in a way by Andy Weir's book. What I thought was cool was how he tried to make it all scientifically possible. So I am sort of trying to go that way as well. The difference is that I have aliens on Earth in the book, so you can imagine that is stretching things a little.
What I am uncertain about is whether all this scientifically possible will resonate with readers. I kind of felt that in Weir's book there was a lot of appreciation from scientific community and geeks all over for that touch he added to his story. I personally consider it cool as well, though not something I would glorify , just because I am not that geeky. The only real issue with the consistency in my story is that I included mind control in it.(because it is damn cool and fixes the communication issues) However, I am a bit worried this could undermine my whole book concept. I mean trying to make everything plausible and then dropping that in the story. Do you think it would be cooler without it? I kind of envy all those stories with crazy scifi elements like ethereal creautures that can travel through electric cables, telelport, metamorph and morphing biotechnology and all sorts of stuff to blow your mind. Yet, I thought of doing something within more limited deliriums, but I do have that mind control that sort of breaks my logic platform. I would really like to know how you or anyone else feels about it. I am playing my cards on the story elements more than on the high tech stuff. Would you also say that the story and conflict elements in The Martian were also much more relevant than the scientific realism and accuracy itself? I ask this because I see three kinds of books that often get a real buzz due to at least one of three elements: scientific realism, historical facts and religious matters. Are these elements that powerful or is the power of these stories much more on plot and conflict and struggles of the protagonist?
Sorry for so many questions, I will be very thankful for any help or opinions.
I strongly advise you: DO READ Stanislaw Lem's The Invincible : it's got all you missed in The Martian , you are BOUND to enjoy it !!! BTW- yes, this cover is exceptionally good, no silly photo of people/person looking at some distant point with concern written all over their Vogue-model faces. Cheers from Poland :)
DwaKsiezyce From Poland eh? Hi! I'll definitely check out The Invincible. The descriptions sounds fantastic.
I'm really enjoying this book so far. I want to watch the movie but I always feel I need to read the book first (if there is one)
Good strategy!
Let's Read i finished the book now. I'm gonna watch the movie
Love your slightly creepy sense of humour lol I haven't read science fiction for a long time but I'll read this just to see how amazingly well the cover matches the content. I actually had/have this huge fetish with the covers of the Shatter Me series. They match the concepts and plot progression of the series well but, to be honest, I just love EYES. And a world built on en eye is just...too beautiful;))
Hannahjqd I agree the eyeball on the cover makes a striking image.
3:15 *He* doesn't build a bomb, but a bomb is built in this novel. Somewhere at some time. And it's epic, like the entire rest of it.
Alex Vogel, a German chemist astronaut built a bomb.
3.141S92653S29793238462643383279502884I97I69E99 Don't spoil stuff, man.
nah, I don't think think that that's a spoiler. Just an astronaut and a bomb. there are way more detail than that.
3.141S92653S29793238462643383279502884I97I69E99 True. Vogel gets introduced way early in the book though, so it's pretty clear where he builds and detonates the bomb if someone were to read your comment.
People wont know where and when he build a bomb.
I liked your review, thanks for that. I just finished reading the book and did not enjoy it one bit. It was hard to invest to any characters because there was zero buildup. There were many complaints but I wont make this comment any longer. Its just because it was my very first science fiction book I've ever read. Let's just say I wont be picking up any sci fi book anytime soon
Good Review.
Great review, but the other astronauts do build a bomb on page 360.
Great Review!
im currently reading.. on like sol 95
and i had to pause at spoliery bits lol
+Iftekhar Ahmed Sorry about that. I'm going to change how I do spoilers from now on so they are at the very end instead of middle.
Thanks, I appreciate you taking it to consideration.
p.s
I've completed reading the novel now :D
Great review, man! I agree that is a beautiful cover. Another one that I feel really conveys the book is Boneshaker by Cherie Priest: www.goodreads.com/book/show/1137215.Boneshaker
You get the idea that it's steampunk and that it's a woman out of her element (due to the ill-fitting goggles). A simple image that conveys a lot. Looking forward to reading The Martian.
PT Hylton That's a great observation with the ill fitting goggles. I'd not realized that before. I'll not be able to look at it the same way again. Bravo.
please do more book reviews!
mehmet baskoylu Oh yes. More are on the way for sure.
There is as well an error when Vogel talks to his wife about the kids. There is no highschool in germany and in the german translation they even kept using the word highschool. For the otherwise acurate storytelling this is an error that i spotted instantly.
John Salvatore Fontanelli fascinating. It's so easy to assume that schools are the same everywhere. I constantly forget the educational system is very different in Canada and US as well.
I have heard a lot about The Martian and it makes me really ant to read it. I understand what you are saying when you say you want to see a character suffer and die. I don't just want a character to just die. I want it to feel realistic and to say "Oh he died." that just is not realistic. Great review, well until the spoilery parts where I had to click off. HAHA!
Bookworms Buddy yeah, stories need struggle.
It's just a weally weally weally weww witten wook!
This looks like the kind of book I wouldn't be able to get out of my head - the same reason I haven't watched Gravity. I wish I had something more intelligent to say about it than that....
Bettie Turner You've reminded me I need to watch Gravity again. It would be the perfect companion piece to this story.
Finished this book in 2 days, read the first 30 pages at the book store then finished it the next day ... Had to say I wasn't a fan of the movie after reading the book.
+Dee Hong I can see that. The book is really strong. Enjoyed the movie as an adaptation. It came close, but the book was still better. More personality.
Umm.... He nearly dies twice in that "uneventful" journey.
My opinion stands. For some reason I have it out for Mark Watney. In the time since I've learned more about the training astronauts receive that helps them stay calm in danger and uncertainty. Something I wasn't fully aware of before.
Less time of the negatives for such a flawless book :P
***** Maybe I should dwell on the negatives less. Not sure I'd call the book flawless but still one of the better reads of the year.
Your videos are awesome and addictive. I marathoned everything a few days back and decided to watch some again today. Just saying. :)) #notcreepy
Since your channel name is Sabrina Everywhere it will be no less creepy, because you're everywhere! I'm about to watch your Well of Ascension discussion, and then probably everything else as a sort of revenge not creepy marathon.
Let's Read I just finished the book, and just watched your full review. Thank you for making me want to pick this up!!! It turned out to be one of my favorite books of the year. I need to read more scifi.
"I want to see the character suffer and die" - hahaha but vey true. That was my biggest issue with it. Mark Watney doesn't struggle enough. But this was so much fun.
Lol yes the cover looks like candy. It's too pretty. ^_^
+Let's Read Should I read Apollo 13? I need more like this. Oh and I think the cover of Prince of Thorns represents the book well. My brother saw it and went "is this about a prince who kills a lot of people?" Mehehe. ^_^
Let's Read Oh wait, Apollo 13 isn't a novel. Gosh, Sabrina.
Apollo 13 is a book though. Originally published under the title of Lost Moon. It recounts the events that happened and was used as he basis for the film.
why in the end the dramatical wasnot looked as satisfactory as it should been,well,according to the auther,if there was a problem,the resolve should be work out scientificly ,if he cant,just ged rid of it, 就是说为了科学性舍弃掉了一点戏剧性，我觉得这个妥协是可以接受的，毕竟，这本书的优点就在于真实性，sorry about this,just can not keep the bad grammer gets smooth,:( yet still want make a comment'''''''' lol,,,,, in chinese ,anyhow ,like your video
+trend qiang The end was rather sudden. I can understand those points.
nasa parts were boring compared to the mars parts, not just Annie a lot of the characters in those parts were annoying. Martinez and Vogel were kool.
The language was unbearable for me. Excellent plot and loved the scientific element, but the cheesy dialogue and Mark's "yays" on every second page really spoiled it. The book tries to be funny and goofy throughout and I didn't laugh once
Haven't read the book but the movie was Major Sucked.
You meant it sucked?
+Afonso Lucas it was sucked big time!
nono Im not shore im following your line of reasoning...
+Afonso Lucas Dude the movie was bad real bad which mean is sucked big time.
nono Well, i do not agree, but i wanna hear what you have to say, first, are you a fan of the book? And what didnt you like about the movie? The Acting? The setings? Costumes maybe?
He doesn't like uk cover. RACIST nah jk XD
+the blue wind gang ha ha ha!
that UK cover sucked amazingly. I am fascinated at how publishers manage to fuck up a book cover with so much structure and investment. How is that possible? Did anyone like that cover? If I were the author, I wouldn't accept it.
I guess Weir had already as many books as he wanted before that cover was made