Jenny (Reading Envy)'s Reviews > The Martian
The Martian
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Jenny (Reading Envy)'s review
bookshelves: audiobook, sci-fi-fantasy, sff-audio, read2014
Jan 11, 2014
bookshelves: audiobook, sci-fi-fantasy, sff-audio, read2014
To steal a phrase from a friend who abandoned the book - "MacGyver in space." At least, it starts that way. Astronaut Mark Watney is abandoned on Mars by a captain who thinks he's dead, and much of the story has to do with piecing together survival skills to function, even if he thinks he will die before he can be rescued.
Slowly MacGyver morphs into Apollo 13 and the author starts splitting the story between what is happening on Mars and what is happening at NASA. Most of the astronaut's story is told in his log, so there are moments of emotion and humor but not nearly as many as I would have liked to better enjoy the story. I get it, he's an old school military trained... botanist? Huh. Well anyway, there's just not a lot of emotion here for someone trapped alone on another planet. Imagine the PTSD!
I think the best audience for this book is Boy Scouts and Doomsday Preppers.
I listened to the audio, and R.C. Bray is a good choice for the performance of this novel - he's like an old school military thriller type voice, and it is well suited to it (although it drives home the lack of emotion in the story.) Keep a clear head! Invoke your training! Etc.
Slowly MacGyver morphs into Apollo 13 and the author starts splitting the story between what is happening on Mars and what is happening at NASA. Most of the astronaut's story is told in his log, so there are moments of emotion and humor but not nearly as many as I would have liked to better enjoy the story. I get it, he's an old school military trained... botanist? Huh. Well anyway, there's just not a lot of emotion here for someone trapped alone on another planet. Imagine the PTSD!
I think the best audience for this book is Boy Scouts and Doomsday Preppers.
I listened to the audio, and R.C. Bray is a good choice for the performance of this novel - he's like an old school military thriller type voice, and it is well suited to it (although it drives home the lack of emotion in the story.) Keep a clear head! Invoke your training! Etc.
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Reading Progress
January 11, 2014
– Shelved as:
to-read
January 11, 2014
– Shelved
February 26, 2014
–
Started Reading
February 26, 2014
– Shelved as:
audiobook
February 26, 2014
– Shelved as:
sci-fi-fantasy
February 26, 2014
– Shelved as:
sff-audio
February 26, 2014
–
Finished Reading
February 28, 2014
– Shelved as:
read2014
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Tamahome
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rated it 4 stars
Feb 28, 2014 07:40AM
![Tamahome](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1338998570p1/2768410.jpg)
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![Julie Davis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1277820647p1/2125014.jpg)
![Jenny (Reading Envy)](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1455391853p1/68030.jpg)
It does have a lot in common with heinlein juvies. And three stars is decent, just not mind blowing or a book I'd push on others.
![Julie Davis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1277820647p1/2125014.jpg)
Oh I'm not putting down the three stars. I've been pestered by people thinking three stars is a put down but it is a good, solid rating. Just not amazing ... and I can completely get that about this book. Just depends on your mind set. And tolerance for details.
![David Sven](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1402220807p1/8802423.jpg)
I'm wondering how you keep your new hairdo poop free. Do you scrunch or fold?
Great review Jenny. Sorry to drag poop into it.
![Jenny (Reading Envy)](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1455391853p1/68030.jpg)
Any overlap in the homesteader and prepper communities? I would expect there to be. :)