2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss The Martian by Andy Weir, the first book in the The Martian series.

Pages: 384 pages

Length: 1 Month (January)

Participants: Rachael, Valerie, Sunny, Rebecca.

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.


Happy Buddy Reading!

Hello fellow Martians, when are you thinking of starting to read? Will you be ready at the beginning of January or shall we start a bit later?

Loved Hail Mary Project so looking forward to this one!

I think it'll probably be a little further into January before I start. I was thinking perhaps the last two weeks of the month.

I am hoping to start this maybe next week

Probably going to start reading the book this weekend.

I would like to start later as well -- possibly the latter part of next week?

I'm starting this today.

I’ll be starting it tomorrow.

Have read the first 3 chapters and am enjoying the writing style. The first person narrative means I can ‘hear’ Mark’s voice and get some insights into his personality. Although I’m not actually checking the maths (or chemistry), I’m finding that it all feels very real. One thought I had personally was (view spoiler)[ if there was enough morphine to kill yourself painlessly, how many of us would keep fighting against apparently impossible odds (hide spoiler)] but that’s what makes the story interesting.

Just finished chapter 6. Lots of interesting moral and ethical dilemmas to consider there. I tend to agree with the description of astronauts as (view spoiler)[ equal parts insane and noble (hide spoiler)] I like the new dimension added to the novel in this chapter.

I've read three chapters and even though the science was a bit baffling occasionally, I'm enjoying it so far. I like that the chapters are in log/diary form

I agree Rachael, I can really hear his ‘voice’ through the diary entries.

I read this book earlier this year & LOVED it. Mark's voice really shines through, and I've never felt as invested in a character's well-being as I did in his. ♥

Finished chapter 12 (view spoiler)[ be interesting to find out how the rest of the crew cope with the news that Mark is alive and that this has been hidden from them. Interesting moral dilemma here because on the one hand they have been left to suffer but on the other it looks like Lewis could break down over this (hide spoiler)] . Amazed how the author can hold so much imagined detail in his head. Loving the personality of Mark.

Just reached Chapter 8.
(view spoiler)[I really liked a couple of chapters ago where NASA having just found out Mark was alive wondered what he was thinking at that moment and then there was a log entry with a rather inane statement (hide spoiler)]

Eirelyn wrote: "I read this book earlier this year & LOVED it. Mark's voice really shines through, and I've never felt as invested in a character's well-being as I did in his. ♥"

I can't believe it's been 7 years since I read this novel! But I absolutely loved it. I agree with you about Mark's voice and being invested in his well-being.

So, I've just read a short story prequel Diary of an AssCan (available for free online). It gives an insight into Mark before he lands on Mars and (view spoiler)[ hints at things to come (hide spoiler)]

Rachael wrote: "So, I've just read a short story prequel Diary of an AssCan (available for free online). It gives an insight into Mark before he lands on Mars and [spoilers removed]"

Oh, I forgot about that short story. I read that after The Martian; it was fun & insightful & could've been longer. XD I just love reading about Mark.

Finished chapter 14 (view spoiler)[ oh no just when it was going so well! No idea how he’s going to solve this problem. (hide spoiler)]

Valerie wrote: "Finished chapter 14 [spoilers removed]"

It really keeps you invested because everything that happens is basically (view spoiler)[a life-or-death situation! And situations that, on earth, really wouldn't be that big of a deal. But as the only human on Mars, everything is so crucial! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 19. (view spoiler)[Johanson's conversation with her father 😮. Can't work out if she was joking or being serious (hide spoiler)]

Rachael wrote: "Chapter 19. [spoilers removed]"

I think she was serious!

Finished chapter 21. I appreciate the author’s effort to get the science right but not really taking it in. (view spoiler)[ I preferred it when the book was moving more between Earth, Hermes and Mars but I suppose at this point we need to appreciate how alone Mark is now he can’t communicate and how self reliant he really is (hide spoiler)]

I agree I'm not really taking in the science either

I’m finished so here’s my review. I enjoyed the book overall even though some of the science had my eyes and brain glazing over. (view spoiler)[ the plot took me back to being glued to the tv and radio during the return of Apollo 13 and I found the world wide interest and fascination with the fate of one individual human very believable. Mark’s character is really engaging and I loved the way he combined wit and humour with his dogged determination to survive. One strength of the novel was that I was never quite sure he would make it (although I always hoped he would). I agreed with the hopeful message at the end about humanity’s capacity for cooperation although I wish it didn’t take disasters for it to kick in. (hide spoiler)]

I started this one this week and have read up to page 100. I haven't paid much attention to the Chapter #s being drawn in by the SOL schedule -- not to mention all the stuff that's going on. The last Ch I registered is 14.

I'm sort of digging the science bits, though, I think it's because I'm interested in how Mark views things. And even if I don't have a clue to what he's talking about, I enjoy listening to him because he's enthusiastic about his subjects. I had/have friends and family who talked/talk above my head with whom I'm the same way.

Rachael, glad you suggested this one!

Looking forward to seeing how it all turns out.

Sunny wrote: "I started this one this week and have read up to page 100. I haven't paid much attention to the Chapter #s being drawn in by the SOL schedule -- not to mention all the stuff that's going on. The la..."

Sunny, I enjoyed him going on & on about the science too, even if I didn't understand it. I loved his voice & he was always so interesting to read, that I didn't mind when he talked about those things. :D

Finished!

(view spoiler)[
Loved:
*The Hermes Mutiny!
*The tribute to the Apollo astronauts at the close of SOL 390: Man those guys were cool.
*Live Another Sol would be an awesome name for a James Bond movie.

Favorite line: Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped. (hide spoiler)]

Gave it 4 stars! Will read it again one of these days.

I somehow dropped this one this month and just started it today. I guess it's going to be my last read of January (and may bridge into the first few days of February).

I read chapters 1-4 a few minutes ago, and Mark's voice really pulled me in. I read Project Hail Mary last summer and felt that way about the narrative voice in that book. I guess Weir is just really good at creating a first person narrator that draws you in.

Also, (view spoiler)[ I think I might have quit, at least for a while, the minute I realized that my "home" was going to have the persistent smell of feces. And then the creation of water and everything. This is super hard work!

Also, I love the detail that the reason there were potatoes on board was because NASA thought the astronauts should prepare a Thanksgiving meal while they were there since they'd be there on the holiday. I found that detail touching. (hide spoiler)]

Rebecca wrote: "I somehow dropped this one this month and just started it today. I guess it's going to be my last read of January (and may bridge into the first few days of February).

I read chapters 1-4 a few m..."

Aww yeah that detail was super sweet. :D

Sorry I missed this--5 star read for me!

I picked this up again yesterday and got to the part where (view spoiler)[ NASA found out that Mark's still alive. They're trying to figure out what to do and if they can contact him. . . Mark's also about to embark on a long ride in his tricked out rover. I'm a little nervous about how it's all going to work out, but I'm only about 20% of the way through so lots of time to go on this one. (hide spoiler)]

I finally came back to this one and finished it. It was such a good read!! My kindle edition also had the short story Diary of an AssCan in it, and that was such a great way to really round out the story, previewing the mission and finding out what happened to every one.