The Martian

“Yes, of course duct tape works in a near-vacuum. Duct tape works anywhere. Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped.” ― Andy Weir, The Martian

5*****

Fantastic! Hopeful! Inventive! I am happy to report that all the fuss about this book is warranted. It's so unlike something I would usually read, that I was quite skeptical going in, but once I started, I couldn't stop. The story is very imaginative, yet it feel oddly plausible. Mark is stranded on Mars and he is truly the MacGyver of space travel, because he figures out just about the most interesting ways to survive. I was totally absorbed by his story and though there was some anxiety about his fate, the story was about far more than space travel and whacky survival techniques. It's a story about what it means to be human and what a human life is worth; it's the story about an individual's potential and an individual's fears and flaws. The surprise I AM PILGRIM was for me last year, THE MARTIAN is this year. Cannot recommend it highly enough!