-
See Our Best Book
Club Books of 2026!
Summary | Excerpt | Reading Guide | Discuss | Reviews | Beyond the book | Read-Alikes | Genres & Themes | Author Bio
Book Reviewed by:Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.
Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.
After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he's alive - and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.
Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first.
But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills - and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit - he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?
8 tips for surviving on Mars
So you want to live on Mars. Perhaps it's the rugged terrain, beautiful scenery, or vast natural landscape that appeals to you. Or maybe you're just a lunatic who wants to survive in a lifeless barren wasteland. Whatever your reasons, there are a few things you should know:
1: You're going to need a pressure vessel.
Mars's atmospheric pressure is less than one percent of Earth's. So basically, it's nothing. Being on the surface of Mars is almost the same as being in deep space. You better bring a nice, sturdy container to hold air in. By the way, this will be your home forever. So try to make it as big as you can.
2: You're going to need oxygen.
You probably plan to breathe during your stay, so you'll need to have something in that pressure vessel. Fortunately, you can get this from Mars itself. The atmosphere is very thin, but it is present and it's almost entirely carbon dioxide. There are lots of ways...
What are your favorite 21st century science fiction or fantasy books?
My favorites are James S.A. Corey's The Expanse series and Pierce Brown's The Red Rising Saga . I also 5-starred Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary and The Martian , Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven , Tyrell Johnson's The Wolves of Winter , Daniel Suarez's Delta-V , William R. Forstchen's One Se...
-Luisa_H
What books have you enjoyed so far in 2025, what books are you looking forward to reading?
Recently finished Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and I absolutely LOVED it! It's not my typical read, which was a little out of character for me, but I am a big fan of the movie The Martian (Matt Damon) based on a book by the same Author. I discovered I love his writing style!
-Mari_A
Name your favorite lighthearted novel
Like many, I loved Remarkably Bright Creatures. For an out of this world escape, I also enjoyed Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary and The Martian as well as Mary Robinette Kowal's The Lady Astronaut series (even non-sci-fi lovers might like these reads). For entertaining reads I also turn to several ...
-Gabi_J
Indie Booksellers’ Choice Awards
2015
The Martian really is a great deal of fun. I personally thought it was such a hoot that I ended up buying three copies to give to friends – something I seldom do. Readers looking for a fast, entertaining novel that will nourish their inner space geek will definitely want to pick up a copy...continued
Full Review
(702 words)
(Reviewed by Kim Kovacs).
Astronaut Chris Hadfield, Commander of the International Space Station and author of An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth
A book I just couldn’t put down! It has the very rare combination of a good, original story, interestingly real characters and fascinating technical accuracy…reads like “MacGyver” meets “Mysterious Island.” Larry Niven, multiple Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author of the Ringworld series and Lucifer’s Hammer
Gripping…shapes up like Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe as written by someone brighter.
Andy Weir's The Martian is set on the red planet, the fourth from the sun, which has been part of human consciousness since people first started observing the night sky. Its distinctive red color sets it apart from the other celestial objects. The oldest known star map, found in the tomb of 18th dynasty Egyptian architect Senenmut (who lived around 1400 BC), includes a depiction of Mars. It's mentioned in Egyptian writing even earlier. Chinese astronomers documented its position and orbit before the founding of the Zhou Dynasty in 1045 BCE. Galileo was the first person to observe the planet through a telescope – doing so in the early 17th century.
The planet we now call Mars has had many names over the centuries. The Egyptians ...
If you liked The Martian, try these:
by Kelly Weinersmith, Zach Weinersmith
Published 2023
From the bestselling authors of Soonish, a brilliant and hilarious off-world investigation into space settlement
by Andy Weir
Published 2022
A lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this incredible new science-based thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Martian.
The Sister's Curse
by Nicola Solvinic
The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes
by Chanel Cleeton
The Vanishing Place
by Zoë Rankin
 (1).gif)
Beware the man of one book
Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!
Can you name the title?
Test your book knowledge with our daily trivia challenge!
