" The Martian "
by Andy Weir

1/16/17

"The Martian" by first time writer Andy Weir reads like a modern day version of "Robinson Crusoe" to me.  The presiding moral of the latter is "God helps those who help themselves".  "The Martian" however adds another component of equal importance on team work to this fantastical novel.  They are both in line with the mainstream thinking of our time.

It is not exactly my cup of tea however.  Still in fairness I want to give credit when it is due.

The minuses first, the writing is too technical to my liking and those descriptions unfortunately take up a big chunk of the book. His writing style is way too offhanded and language less than refined to my taste.   In addition, all the characters in the book are one-dimensional cardboard-like figures and uninteresting except our hero.  While most of the tech enthusiasts embrace the story thinking it a valid scientifically based sci-fi story, some may challenge the plausibility of its storyline like myself.

For example, a lot of things could go wrong being on a strange planet with hostile environment all by himself, and, whenever something bad happened our protagonist always came up with a solution to save himself.  This happened over and over again through out the book.  In the realm of reality the probability works against one in the long run and he stays on the planet of Mars for almost two earth years!  But of course, this is a fictitious tale and I guess in science fiction imagination reins supreme as the first requirement of this genre.

Now come the pluses, the story is indeed well researched in its combining of fiction writing with meticulously gathered scientific data and facts to the point it all comes together and seems real, just like a regular space travelogue if you will, except the off the cuff language.  Amazingly enough it remains quite readable even to a layperson like me who cannot tell the celestial body and knows nearly nothing about the technical stuff he describes in the book.  Even with less than perfect writing style and the unpolished language, the upbeat tone through out in this impelling story may in fact add to the appeal of the book to many.

Given the background in research and knowledge about what he writes about in the story, it still takes a whale of imagination to render the book appealing enough to sci-fi aficionados or regular readers.  Beside, the details of the milieu of the Mars described, the inexhaustible tech gadgets and apparatus offered, and numerous action sequences with some cliff-hangers mixed in between are quite a treat to average readers.  Not to mention the hardcore sci-fi fans who thrive on unlimited provision of novice gadgets as well as strange scenarios manufactured by the storyteller.  All these allow them earthlings hours on end simulating a celestial trip right in the comfort of their own living rooms.

While many sci-fi stories do not measure up in the category of characterization and this one is no exception, I still found the story engrossing enough to read on.  In our hero, his resourcefulness continues to amaze me, his no nonsense approach to problem solving and his perseverance admirable yet unimaginable by regular earthlings such as you and me.  Yet, this is a fantasy story, the norm of the genre is to let your imagination run wild even by bending a bit of reality.  He who helps himself is bound to be helped if not God but by many others.  Like numerous American heroes in history or in imaginary world, we are inclined to root for them throughout their ordeals.  And I am no exception.

Lastly it is genuinely funny.  Humors abundant were inserted here and there even in the direst situations our hero was to encounter which are many.  Humors here are used to unleash tension and restore hope and strength to pull himself out of distress.  To many the reading offers the thrill of a rollercoaster ride which does not want to end, humors also serve as a respite to the tension and suspense the readers in turn have to endure in reading the fast paced and suspense filled story.

The final mission completion scene rewards not only the perseverance of our hero but the team effort of many people including those on the planet of Earth and the crew members in space.  The positive message the story carries is uplifting and the happy ending welcome by most readers, no wonder it becomes NY Times bestseller and a blockbuster movie made shortly after the release of the book.

I like the way the book concludes right upon our protagonist being    rescued safe and sound in space when the story reaches its climax, and not rambling on or adding yet another chapter as the movie version does.  What happened after he returned to the earth would not shed much light and meaningful information. However, most movie fans probably welcome a closure a bit more solid when their hero and his crew finally planted their feet on earth.

Not a bad achievement for the first time novelist Andy Weir.

Grace