The Evolution of Science Fiction discussion

This is to discuss March's group read from the 2010's The Martian by Andy Weir.

This book has come with a lot of good recommendations so i've been looking forward to reading it. Due to a long day of travelling back from the UK to Belgium I am currently 91% of the way through. Really easy to read so far. I don't want to comment yet though until I reach the end as this is what has the potential to spoil a book for me.

I read this last June. It's good; I recommend it. McGyver in space.

McGyver in space is a really good description. I finished it this morning and it was definitely an enjoyable read. It successfully combined tension, humour and science.

I was just reading about the planned film, not sure I pictured Mark Watney as Matt Damon but Ridley Scott directing can only be a good thing so I will have to wait and see.

The closest thing I've read recently to The Martian is Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. They're really not too similar in plot, but they are stories about people on Mars. I enjoyed The Martian much more.

I read that The Martian is Andy Weir's first novel and that it was initially self published. It's probably the best self published novel I've read.

I haven't read anything similar although I would like to. I always like books set in space (but not really space opera). There seem to be a lot of space exploration films which is great but i've not read many hard sci fi space books recently. If anybody has any recommendations here especially of something written recently... In fact if anybody has read The Long Earth i'd like to know what you thought.

Jo wrote: "I haven't read anything similar although I would like to. I always like books set in space (but not really space opera). There seem to be a lot of space exploration films which is great but i've not read many hard sci fi space books recently. If anybody has any recommendations here especially of something written recently... In fact if anybody has read The Long Earth i'd like to know what you thought. "

I'd say that The Martian is about as good as any SF I've read lately.

Here's a link to my review of The Long Earth. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... Pratchet writes series. If you're into that, you may like The Long Earth

Written fairly recently, Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, which I read last month, is pretty good. Not a space opera, but a present day / near future Big Brother is watching you kind of a book. Probably fits in the YA category.

Buck wrote: "I'd say that The Martian is about as good as any SF I've read lately.

Here's a link to my review of The Long Earth. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... Pratchet writes series. If you're into that, you may like The Long Earth"

Thanks Buck. The reason I asked about the Long Earth was as I was passing through the airport there was The Long Mars which looked good but then I saw it was the third one. Seems from your review the first one is only OK. I quite like reading a series from time to time so may give it a go anyway with the theory they usually get better as they go along.

Not read Little Brother so will add that to my list.