Posted on 09/29/2015 1:07:58 PM PDT by Textide
FReepers, I can't recommend this one enough. This book is phenomenal.
Here's an effort at a short summary: In the near future, an astronaut is presumed dead and left behind on Mars during a dust storm. Turns out he pulled through and has to figure out how to survive. NASA has several missions planned over the coming years so he meticulously plans and executes his survival with the hopes that the future missions take place.
What struck me was that he didn't feel sorry for himself. He conducted himself as a man and even had contempt for fate. He wasn't concerned for the environment or the emotions of loneliness. Instead the focus of the book is continuous engineering and problem solving.
I read an article in the Wall Street Journal the other day which stated that the author was glad that Hollywood didn't insert a love story into the movie. It's meant to be about man's triumph over Nature and the application of science to that end. The science is the drama, as the author says.
Matt Damon is a Left Wing Libtard, but I hope the movie coming out this Friday is a success. Ad Astra!
I thought it was very good. The tech was solid and well explained.
Yup.
The premise sounded pretty dull. I was expecting an Apollo 13 type of scenario.
Boy was I pleasantly surprised!
Per Ardua Ad Astra.
So he is going to die on Mars?
I did. It was an excellent book. It kept me riveted until completed.
I do want to see what Hollywood has done with the special effects on this one.
The book sounds like a really good read — but the movie has Matt Damon in it...
Thanks, but I'd pass...
These libtard whack jobs will no longer get my money...
I'd just read the book..
This was the first audio book I ever bought. (Wanted something different to listen to on my long runs and in the car. Well worth it.
Read the book!
I hear there is this thing called "Pirate bay"...
Haven't used it myself, but I hear it is out there.
Kind of hard to insert a love story into it when he’s there alone. But it’s definitely on my list of movies to go see. “The Intern” this weekend and “The Martian” next weekend.
The book was written by a developer in his spare time, released chapter by chapter, weeks at a time. Space is his hobby. Well worth the $10 for the book.
It’s the only book I’ve finished in 24 hours since reading Dr. Seuss as a kid.
Why?
The movie looks a remake of Robinson Crusoe on Mars minus the Martian monkey creature thingy...
A half-hearted reference at the old ‘Dianetics’ commercials there....
Yes, Mars has gravity. That is why it orbit's the Sun. Had it no gravity, it wouldn't be there.
( No IRON CORE )and that solar winds blow everything off.
They don't know if Mars has an Iron core, but it probably does. What it doesn't have is a sufficiently strong magnetic field. As a result, they believe that the Solar wind does take off big chunks of it's atmosphere.
I read at least 20 books a year. This one was far and away the best book. I can’t stand Matt Damon. But I can’t wait to see the movie. I have some movie passes that have been sitting on my desk for about 2 years. I will use them for this one.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.