Spoiler Alert ❗
He's the most famous man on earth ...
The problem is, he's not on earth ...
Andy Weir's breathtaking novel The Martian welcomes you to the incredible adventures of Mark Watney, an astronaut stranded on Mars, with these words. I started reading this book four months ago without any expectations but with the very first chapters sending shivers up my spine I devoured it – 369 pages in total - at the speed of light. This book is a must-read for everyone who wants to witness that the springs of hope in human heart never run dry, even on Mars.
What is this book all about❓
A team of astronauts on Mars are forced to leave their mission due to an unexpected sandstorm. On their way back to the spaceship Mark Watney, one of the astronauts and a botanist at the same time, gets hit by a huge antenna and disappears. The severity of the sandstorm forces the team to leave him behind and depart immediately. NASA is shocked by the news but there is simply nothing to be done. Nobody can go back to Watney and save him (or let's say find his corpse in this case because everybody knows that he should already be dead and even if he is not, his chances of survival are zero). His funeral is organized by NASA and the whole world mourns for his death but there is something still unknown to the world: Watney is still alive and all alone on Mars.
Let's have a look at the way this forlorn astronaut describes his situation:
If the oxygenator breaks down, I’ll suffocate. If the water reclaimer breaks down, I’ll die of thirst. If the Hab breaches, I’ll just kind of explode. If none of those things happen, I’ll eventually run out of food and starve to death. So yeah. I’m fucked.
Yes. The huge antenna doesn't kill him, the oxygen flow in his spacesuit stays normal after the accident and some hours later he opens his eyes on a faraway planet all alone.
He is not dead. For the time being of course.
I basically summarized the very first chapters for you. My mind was full of questions and I was even sweating while I was reading these parts. Believe me or not I even had to make some short breaks to shush the persistent questions popping up in my mind to be able to concentrate on the text.
How will the world know that he is alive? Can he come out of this horrifying Mars adventure alive? What about the food? He needs to eat, drink and breathe to survive but how will he manage it with no direct access to these elements of vital importance? Even if he has some food and water stored somewhere how long can he live on them? Hopeless case, isn't it❓
Mark Watney makes it clear in the very beginning that it is impossible for his team to come back for him or for NASA to pick him up because he will starve to death till a new team arrives. This confuses the reader because you still have more than 300 pages waiting for you and if this book is not all about never-ending funeral organizations for a dead astronaut and NASA's mourning, Watney should somehow find a way to go back to earth. BUT HOW? This curiosity skyrockets your reading pace. The next line may bring you his death and you read as fast as possible as if your reading pace could help him sort things out and lead to his survival.
Andy Weir's writing style is amazing. Easy intimate language and short chapters keep you in the game. The chapters are written either from Watney's or NASA's perspective. I read the whole book in two days and had one of the most exciting reading phases of my life.
What happens in the end❓
Of course I'm not telling you what will happen in the end. At least not in this post. Go and find this book! It is definitely worth reading it.
Below you see my three favorite quotations from this book:
I started the day with some nothin’ tea. Nothin’ tea is easy to make. First, get some hot water, then add nothin’.
Conclusion: I don't need the water reclaimer at all. I'll drink as needed and dump my waste outdoors. Yeah, that's right, Mars, I'm gonna piss and shit on you. That's what you get for trying to kill me all the time.
Space is dangerous. It's what we do here. If you want to play it safe all the time, go join an insurance company.
I hope you have enjoyed my post!
Who am I❓
Nesibe Yildiz. 28 years old, living in Germany. Master’s degree in English Literature. English and German teacher. I do love reading, writing and learning/teaching foreign languages.
From now on I will be writing about books on Steemit.
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