SOJALS rating:

Good (3/5)

I first read this on the 19th October 2015.

A massive dust storm threatens the Ares III mission on Mars and the crew evacuated.

All the crew except for Mark Watney.

Injured and abandoned on the Red Planet, Watney faces a lonely death. But he will not give up, he will be inexhaustible in his efforts to keep himself alive.

Wow, what a ride! This is an excellent novel. It's got nail-biting tension, drama and humour. Weir has caught the character of both NASA and the archetypal astronaut perfectly. An astronaut who is half scientist, half engineer, indomitable and yet good-humoured.

It brought to mind Hal Clement's "Mission of Gravity" in the depth of detail and the faith in science. I think it's time to read "Mission of Gravity" again.

We should all be so clever, learned and determined as Watney.