The Martian | Andy Weir | Talks at Google

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first men to walk on the surface of Mars. Now, he may be the first man to die there. You can find the book on Google Books: goo.gl/fKpFjU
Andy Weir's brilliant debut novel The Martian ( is a gripping story of survival against all odds...set in space. Wise cracking astronaut Watney is a member of Ares 3, the third manned mission to Mars, scheduled for a two month assignment. After an epic dust storm threatens the crew's ascent they are forced to abort the mission. Watney, separated from the rest of the team, is unintentionally abandoned, with the rest of the crew believing him to be dead. Now he's stranded millions of miles from the nearest human being, with no way to even signal Earth that he's alive-and even if he could get word out, his food would be gone years before a rescue mission could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to get him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his MacGyver-esque ingenuity, mechanical engineering skills, and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit, he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. But will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?
Weir, first hired as a programmer for a national lab at age fifteen, has been working as a software engineer ever since. In The Martian, all of the obstacles his hero confronts, and the solutions he engineers (from generating water to calculating calories needed for survival), are entirely believable and science-based thanks in large part to Weir's relentless research and fascination with space travel, NASA, orbital dynamics, astronomy, and the history of manned spaceflight. If we started planning a manned mission to Mars tomorrow, it would look a lot like what's depicted in these pages. The Martian is that perfect blend of science and suspense. As astronaut and Commander of the International Space Station Chris Hadfield notes, The Martian is the "...very rare combination of a good, original story, interestingly real characters and fascinating technical accuracy."
This talk was hosted by Boris Debic.

[@mwfilm]

21:50 I like how he says he wanted the book to "keep the user interested" instead of keep the reader interested. A true computer programmer

[@EricTraclet]

+kubkins "Mark Whhhaatry" I cringed so hard.

[@EricTraclet]

Farseer Flore It wasn't his accent that caused the error, he did not know the main character's name. He had one job! :)

[@farseerflore9512]

EricsAdventuresHD He also carried the mic around to the people there so they could ask their questions. 2 jobs.

[@petrino]

I had to play "spot the difference" on those sentences...

[@robpalmer2050]

Loved the book. Unbelievable that the guy introducing the author didn't bother to learn the name of the book's hero.

[@eeskaatt]

Andy Weir is basically Mark Watney.

[@The1wsx10]

except andy weir could look everything up to check if they were right and mark watney had to be a genious

[@eeskaatt]

1wsx10 I was referring to their personality, but you're correct too! Also, Andy Weir doing all those research and software development for his book is, imho, ingenuity in itself.

[@The1wsx10]

yeah it takes a special kind of person, and i love it when everything is accurate in a piece of media (as rare as it is)

[@liveecarbme]

A hearty thanks to Adam Savage and the Tested team for the recommendation! Great novel!!

[@gerGoPrint3D]

He is a true software guy, i love how he calls readers "users" at 21:48

[@jnrg5063]

"Duck Tape fixes anything" - The Martian

[@captaincomrade8056]

Duct tape should be worshiped

[@juliovnobre]

Andy was really talking to his crowd there he looked really comfortable. If you haven't read The Martian beware there are some spoilers but he warns about it don't worry. I read The Martian and it's fresh high quality sci-fi really you need to read it if you haven't trust me you'll thank me later or you'll thank Andy but go read it now! :) Thank you google!

[@williammullikin2076]

So glad I got to "meet" Andy Weir, great talk, very interesting and wonderful book. I have watched this video over and over and enjoy it every time and I will most likely watch it again. Best book I have read this year

[@jcbbb]

Andy Weir, amazing writer, you have inspired me greatly with this book.

[@asmundhagen]

15:45 Orbital mechanics, explained with simulation. 17:50 Simulation of Hermes, Ares 3 expedition from start to finish(in a few seconds)

[@JohnBare747]

Best book I have read in the last couple of years, I all but sat hunched in a corner drooling while reading it. The Martian grabbed me exactly like the book The Hunt for Red October and the movie Alien did many many years ago. Looking forward to the movie, but knowing I usually am disappointed in the movie versions of my favorite books but repeated viewings finally gets me to accept the totally different forms of media, it is different but the same story. I guess the pictures in my mind are just different enough from the movie that I take some time to adjust.

[@Greedytheonly]

I am really amazed how this guy is using metric system. :) Nice book too!

[@nobytes2]

Metric is used in space.

[@tomislavnikolic5778]

Impressive! I was already amazed by the book, and all, but didn't know Andy wrote a simulation program for it. It's just so cool.

[@canadianwildlifeservice8883]

This story mixes a decent amount of technical writing and science fact with a good story.

[@ErizotDread]

Started listening to the audio book, and I'm really enjoying it. The awesome thing is that the story behind the story is just as interesting if not more interesting than the story itself. It's very inspiring, and a testament to what's possible for a creative person with the internet, and also doing something for the love of it can still lead to successes. Well done, Mr. Weir!

[@seanarmstrong1156]

This guy should play Mark in the movie...seriously!!

[@j.peters3053]

Sean Armstrong I heard and seen a clip they got matt damon...

[@seanarmstrong1156]

J. Peters ya same, but i think Andy makes a better Mark :D

[@j.peters3053]

well I hear the movie comes out in November,so I hope its worth the wait..

[@wfurney]

J. Peters october

[@SuperSMT]

Sean Armstrong Andy has said the Mark is basically him, just better. Who he wishes he could be.

[@WillianMolinari]

Watching this in 2022 while listening to the Audiobook and still impressed about everything

[@qqwweerrttyy2]

Perfect book. Thanks mr.Weir.

[@nibbunrep]

Great book Andy! Finally a sci fi story that deals with the serious perils of space flight and planetary exploration..who needs the damn monsters and space slaughter scenario..stories like yours, and the story that came after yours, "Gravity" show that there is enough challenges, suspence and triumphs to to satisfy the publics need for chills and spills without resorting to serial murders in space or men parading around in rubber monster suits trying to appeal to a 14 year olds

[@JonCoxote]

I listened to his book as an audiobook, a few months ago. Loved it.

[@jeraldbrewer6087]

Fascinating, this is as much about inside publishing as it is about this excellent book.

[@emilie131]

I am loving the book and am grateful to have now found this talk by Andy Weir. Also, I am looking forward to the movie based on the book.

[@Son0fSmallFace]

I just finished this an it was one of the best books I've read in a long time. Also one of the few books to actually make me laugh out loud. Easily in my top 10 all time favourites.

[@iamkenignacio]

This is awesome! Now I'm even more excited to see the movie this October! Loved the book!

[@PeterPalmiotti]

Great talk, look forward to giving this a read!

[@RedAnimus]

Once I started The Martian I read the whole thing, all 369 pages of it. My new favorite book.

[@alanjhaugen]

Thanks for sharing

[@DeepBlueWaves]

Andy speaks as fast as he types code :)

[@EthanRom]

Wow, this makes the book 10 times cooler!

[@apachedisco]

"Well I'm pretty much fucked". For me is right up there with "The sky was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel" Outstanding.

[@svyt]

Andy's comments (around 40:42) about having written The Martian *before* "Gravity" are interesting ("hey, this is like Gravity!"), and it seems to be happening again with the development of the movie and the releases of teasers/trailers, except now, newbies are commenting how "hey, this is like Interstellar!" But those of us who know this book know the real deal!

[@nicholashylton6857]

OMG! That is so F&%*ing awesome!! It might be cool to add it on a CD in a special edition of the book.

[@bendriscoll6631]

This book was infinite levels beyond awesome. It reminded me of the movie Cast Away but on Mars. I am definitely going to go see the movie version in theaters as soon as I can. I wondered most about the design of the rovers. I imagined them with the basic profile of a Dingo 2 military truck but built for mars and painted bright green.

[@Noanator]

BEST BOOK I'VE READ IN YEARS!

[@NellyNelson7pod7]

Outstanding!

[@jawoody9745]

I enjoyed your book, Andy! It was one hell of a read! It is going to make a great film!

[@bsdude010]

As a huge fan of the book and Kerbal Space Program, i'd love to get my hands on Andy Weir's Homes transfer program!

[@bmosca07]

Loved the book. Kudos for publishing it for free b/c it was what he loved doing and then the industry came knocking. I hope he can cash in on the movie options.

[@pierreboyer9277]

Awesome movie, can't wait to read the book

[@TheNikhilmishras]

It's awesome Book ! right away !

[@nexus888]

He must have been really nervous; Reading sooo fast from his book. Yeah great book and happy it's available on Audible for listening while on the way to/from work. Can't wait to watch the movie.

[@shantyb6396]

Loved this book!! I bought it on iBooks Store but now I regret it because I want to reread it in physical form so I'll have to buy it all over again but it's totally worth it!!

[@janetsawyer5451]

Best ever book!!!!

[@BandedesPandas]

I can't wait to see how the film adapts the climax of the book... Or how it conveys what the heck Watney is trying to do by diddling and MacGuyvering all his equipment without Nolanesque exposition.

[@wesleypatterson2267]

I'd be curious to know if Andy is familiar with either Cory Doctorow or Dr. Richard Fineman. His ability to explain complex ideas is definitely close to theirs.

[@jovanienazaire1362]

The book is just awesome!!!

[@Djinnk042]

I like the Czech ebook edition cover as well.

[@pebegou]

That was the closest i have ever seen of a constant acceleration trajectory simulation. Was interesd in seeing 1G acceleration though

[@CWINDOWSsystem32]

Anyone else read along with Andy Weir?

[@saburusakai]

Gotta see this. I've watched the trailer umpteen times, makes my heart pound. I loved Gravity to, but I saw a fair number of tech errors from my not so informed vantage point. I wanna get the book, but I don't want to read more than about half of it before I see the movie. Great drama, and I've always spotted so many errors in war movies and aviation stuff, I love the tech accuracy, even if it's stuff I'm not familiar with. I'm pretty much limited to stuff that flies and shoots, takes pix (on film), and military history, so I think I'' be pretty impressed. I know I am so far.

[@The420Ant]

saburu sakai Read tho whole book before the movie comes out for ur own sake, and dont watch the trailer again until u have finished it, its for the best.

[@saburusakai]

The420Ant OK, but i kinda dont want the movie to be messed up for me. I like to read the books afterwards, as I hvae in the past quite a few times. Helps the simplifications etc. Kinda hard to put all of a book into a 2 hr movie, so I know I miss stuff, but I will consider it. I do like non fiction war movies like "A bridge too far", band of bros, Tora Tora Tora, Patton etc, despite knowing what the historical outcomes are, but that's a bit different. I realize that a trailor cant really show the story, but it does seem to indicate some good production and writing values.

[@Cg23sailor]

+The420Ant Just the opposite. If a Movie is made of a book you have not read yet... ALWAYS watch the movie first, THEN read the book. Because... Movie then book: Hey Great movie! Hey, even better book! Book then Movie: Hey Great book! Aww... Movie was a let down from the book.

[@gregorheinrich]

+Cg23sailor watching a movie first is a bit cheating on the creativeness of your own fantasy. The movie later will let you appreciate litte details in the movie (if it is a good movie).

[@abhimaddali]

+Cg23sailor But then the book may seem like a loooooong screenplay 😐

[@MJRoBot_MarceloRovai]

"The Martian" is really a great, great book!!!!!

[@Eladore]

Make this a movie stat!

[@FLOABName]

it is already underway, directed my Ridley Scott and Matt Damon is cast as Mark.

[@ulmo06]

Great-great "The Martian"! Bravo Andy!!

[@selfish1716]

hope we will actually go there soon

[@captaincomrade8056]

I would love another the martian book about an astronaut from ares 5 stranded on mars startung with the line "guess what? It fucking happened again"

[@afonsolucas2219]

And the best part... its MARK AGAIN XDXD

[@charlielikeswaffles]

hey i am a kid and i love the book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@nothkeskerbalmodsdevelopme7751]

I wish that they showed this trajectory in the film, it makes so much more sense than that futile Rich Purnell "I'll take that pen" scene.. Even cooler, Andy should've cameoed as rich =)

[@sofivear]

Love this guy

[@weirdguy564]

If you like The Martian, I am now listening to the audio book called Endeavor: Sleeping Gods about humans first trip to another solar system and answering the "Fermi Paradox" about where are all the intelligent life.

[@xianzing4647]

LOVE THE BOOK

[@TechNomadUK1]

Is there an app that i can this as a podcast? And what audio book app you guys can recommend so i can read the book? The movie is just freaking awesome and deserves an Oscar.

[@abhimaddali]

Audible, it's awesome 🙂

[@TechNomadUK1]

Abhishek Maddali But Audible ain't free.

[@afonsolucas2219]

+Gino Guillermo Its on KZbin.

[@bain19]

And now they're making a movie :D

[@FLOABName]

with Ridley Scott and Matt Damon. I am so excited for this movie!!!!

[@hadorstapa]

Great talk, and Mr Weir is a really talented writer, but he spoils his own work by rushing his reading at the start. It's way better than the presentation suggests.

[@HittTheDekk]

"Oh, I've got a mouse" XD Did he forget this is 2013/14 and not 1990?

[@rRobertSmith]

orbital mechanics on a computer that cost less than $2000 with less than 100 lines of code....amazing.....simply amazing In the movie it's a scientist with a mainframe.

[@ttype231]

Listening to the Audible now. Great book! Very funny! ...you might need to be a little nerdy to understand some of the jokes...

[@mederinho10]

39:40, the question is about "next year's 'ugos'? What is that?

[@markpeterson3220]

love science novels!

[@towtypao]

The orbits in the simulation lies in the same plane, the actual should not be and the calculation/simulation with one more axis must have required a supercomputer... just like in the movie?

[@yatsumleung8618]

26:27 Randall Munroe of xkcd???

[@koshu4]

for the "inaudible" subtitle @37:39 it sounds a lot like "Scalzi's blog" i.e. writer & critic John Scalzi. whatever.scalzi.com/

[@RaymondChenon]

24:11 "Many, many more people bought it from Amazon than download it for free on my site."

[@prollejazz]

I do hope andy weir play the game, kerbal space program; especially the mods, real solar system and realism overhaul. To go to Mars, we do not need the ion drive. Since only the necessary dv from LEO to mars injection is 3km/s. To maximize the gravity assist from the earth, the orbit should be lower. This means we do not have enough time to accel the ship by ion drive, or we will lose a lot of dv by cosine loss. At least, for Venus or mars, chemical rockets will be more efficient, simply because the injection DVs are low.

[@ZeldaWolf2000]

It might be because of time constraint that he's reading too fast, but if it isn't, I don't feel like Weir is the best reader. Great author though.

[@HerrMisterCain]

Andy reads from the book too fast...

[@SomethingSeemsOff]

+HerrMisterCain this guy literally has never written before this book. and very little to no experience pub speaking

[@SomethingSeemsOff]

***** Ya exactly

[@stark1987]

+HerrMisterCain the mark or a true nerd, he knows hes got to make 40 min, but he cant get through it fast enough

[@Greenwolfdragon]

+HerrMisterCain In later interviews he actually gets better at reading it.

[@TheNikhilmishras]

how can i make those orbit simulations ?

[@russesse1]

why did everything fall to the surface of Mars at the same rate that thing fall to the surface of Earth.should take about twice as long with 1/2 the gravity.

[@dgmills2000]

Has anyone calculated the real world timeframe that the story is set in yet?

[@FLOABName]

Someone has. I think they said it takes place in the 2030's. But what I find interesting about this is ares 3 is the third mission. One mission every 4 years. That puts mans first landing on mars around 2017-2025 ish. If only that we're true.

[@countvlad8984]

"INAUDIBLE"? You could have just written "CENSORED"... People preffer honesty you know!.

[@kabamarutv9976]

basil Malakasis kindle ebooks....check him out:)

[@Danlovar]

It read this book because of Ridley Scott.

[@RichardAllen7753]

Andy Weir = Clark Kent

[@greencheesewhiz7359]

Wow that guy who did the introduction is terrible. Never imagined adults were that bad at her job

[@captaincomrade8056]

"Mark Watrey?" Jesus christ that was awful

[@jemuelmongado5030]

wait, the Hermes was powered by ION ENGINES?

[@NaihanchinKempo]

wonder howmany nerds freaked out about the "sandstorm" on Mars

[@khlash]

Don't quit your writing job to be a audiobook narrator..lol. Good book though.

[@TheBowersj]

Its obvious that guy never read the book he can't even pronounce Marks name right...

[@cheekybastard99]

heh, google nerds.

[@justaholyfool]

DILF!

[@tski3458]

The movie sucked in comparison to this book. Who nutared Annie? No humor, plastic acting and dialog.

[@gerGoPrint3D]

He is a true software guy, i love how he calls readers "users" at 21:48