Absolutely phenomenal. Users with more knowledge of physics than me can tell you that the science that permeates the book is pretty much solid. And instead of being boring, it's incredibly entertaining.
Survival stories are some of the oldest tales ever, and putting a hard-science scenario into something that most of us are anticipating within our lifetimes is just brilliant.
The characters are distinct and vastly entertaining, with a variety of personality traits and quirks that make them memorable. This applies mainly to the Ares 6 crew; many NASA personnel start to blend together unless one pays careful attention. The most entertaining Earthbound characters are the sarcastic, awkward, or out-of-their-element NASA techs trying to deal with the biggest space catastrophe the book's world has ever encountered.
The writing itself is witty and dryly funny, with plenty of puns, references, and the like to soften the hardship Watney has to endure. Written mostly in first-person mission logs which enhance the humor immensely (Watney takes the concept of recording his experience for posterity with little gravity), the occasional break for third-person narration (NASA interactions) and omniscient narration (when shit hits the fan) is jarring at first, but the sudden change warns the reader that something different is happening the second it appears.
Humor in the face of utter disaster, a snarky but lovable main character, a fantastic set of side characters, and a bleak chance at survivor all combine to create an excellent read.
The only issue is dialogue descriptors. If I were counting every time I read the word "said" during third-person narration, I would never have finished the book.
Everything else was perfect.
If you haven't read it yet, it's in print, ebook, and online. Go. Read.
The Martian
Absolutely phenomenal. Users with more knowledge of physics than me can tell you that the science that permeates the book is pretty much solid. And instead of being boring, it's incredibly entertaining.
Survival stories are some of the oldest tales ever, and putting a hard-science scenario into something that most of us are anticipating within our lifetimes is just brilliant.
The characters are distinct and vastly entertaining, with a variety of personality traits and quirks that make them memorable. This applies mainly to the Ares 6 crew; many NASA personnel start to blend together unless one pays careful attention. The most entertaining Earthbound characters are the sarcastic, awkward, or out-of-their-element NASA techs trying to deal with the biggest space catastrophe the book's world has ever encountered.
The writing itself is witty and dryly funny, with plenty of puns, references, and the like to soften the hardship Watney has to endure. Written mostly in first-person mission logs which enhance the humor immensely (Watney takes the concept of recording his experience for posterity with little gravity), the occasional break for third-person narration (NASA interactions) and omniscient narration (when shit hits the fan) is jarring at first, but the sudden change warns the reader that something different is happening the second it appears.
Humor in the face of utter disaster, a snarky but lovable main character, a fantastic set of side characters, and a bleak chance at survivor all combine to create an excellent read.
The only issue is dialogue descriptors. If I were counting every time I read the word "said" during third-person narration, I would never have finished the book.
Everything else was perfect.
If you haven't read it yet, it's in print, ebook, and online. Go. Read.