The Martian by Andy Weir Shows How Humanity Shines In The Darkest of Moments

[@jillianrasch5240]

This is such a weird coincidence. I finished Dune this morning and decided to pick up the Martian because it’s been sitting on my shelf for forever, and then he comes out with this video... that’s pretty cool

[@GreymansGoose]

I listened to this book on audio, during a car trip between Oklahoma City and Jackson Mississippi. I was driving by myself, which is always prime audiobook time, and I can tell you I was not prepared. It was before they released the movie, and I can tell you this... Listening to this book on a long car trip when you are on your own is as an ideal setting to listen to this book as anything. I listen to the first half on the way to jackson, and I listen to the rest going back to OKC and by the time it was finished, I felt as if I had been sitting in that Rover with him 90% of the time. For me, that was a good thing. It was as close as to being in his shoes while it was going on that I could get, and though I have gone through the book several times since, nothing beats that first ride. The book itself is very replayable. Much like the aforementioned Kings of the Wyld, it is indeed a good pallet cleanser. And if you're anything like me, you cast the roles of specific characters in your head. In this case, Hollywood and I were on 100 agreement. From the moment Mark opened his mouth, I knew it had to be Matt Damon. That's a guy who deals with struggles with sarcasm, I never found Mark's humor to be out of place. Some people fall apart, some people get serious, and then some people crack wise. If he would have been the serious type, this book would have never taken off. He never sugarcoated what he was going through and never tried to hide it from the audience, but in my humble opinion if he would have stopped cracking jokes, even for a minute, he would have cracked... Well, cracked harder than he actually did. So I can't fault the humor. But, to summarize, as usual this review is pretty much spot on. The most people who pick this up won't regret it.

[@mike2RR]

The audiobook is really excellent. R C Bray is the only narrator that has actually got me looking for my next listen by searching Audible by narrator.

[@GreymansGoose]

@@mike2RR I would include Oliver Wyman, James Marsters, and Bronson Pinchot... Though they are pretty much always paired with my favorite authors, I have listened to their other stuff and have never been disappointed.

[@melsbookshelf]

Agree about the audio version! It was spectacular!

[@aaroncummins5769]

"Well, I'm pretty much f***ed" is an all-time great first line. Loved this book.

[@TLhikan]

When I first borrowed a friend's copy back in 2014, I got home late and decided to read a chapter before bed. I ended up finishing the book in one night.

[@mikesbookreviews]

I can see that.

[@rosierumsey]

I remember getting really choked up in those scenes where humanity is all united and holding their breath while waiting for reports about potential rescues. I just loved how everyone was focused on saving one man. I think reading that now it might hit even harder, we could use some unity rn. Lol

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Great to hear your take on The Martian, Mike! Like you, I saw the movie, but I’ve yet to read the book. At the heart of survival stories, I think, are two things: fear of isolation, and our admiration for an indomitable spirit. I loved seeing your NASA pictures, and great advocacy for the spirit of exploration!

[@michaelminevich1198]

I love a good dystopian SciFi book, but it's exhausting that so much of SciFi is only about that at this point. It was such a joy to read the Martian and see the positivity of human ingenuity.

[@mikesbookreviews]

💯

[@melsbookshelf]

Great review, Mike! The audio version of this was fantastic! Oh you will love Dark Matter!!! Sooooo good!!!

[@elizaearhart4533]

I’ve never been more excited for a video in my life. You’re the best, Mike!

[@franciscordon9230]

Love your channel and your content. Thank you and keep it up!

[@TheFunnyVille]

Your intros sell me on every book you review! Love your content!

[@ZachMurtaugh]

After I read a book I always watch your video (if you have a review on said book) keep the reviews coming and I’ll keep coming back!

[@kaylaalbers1153]

Your reviews are always the best!

[@auqua6477]

Completely agree with it being a pageturner. I read it on audiobook last year and I took every chance I could get to listen to it. I still think about it from time to time. It's a story that sticks with you. Still debating myself on watching the movie. 😄

[@yaarghmaargh]

The Martian: competent people doing things competently, over and over and over and over again.

[@jordankeith1821]

I read this book immediately after seeing the movie and even though I knew what was gonna happen I still couldn't put it down! One of my fav books

[@curriadvdesign]

I really like your intros, keep it up.

[@ChristiansEntertainmentEcke]

I read it several years ago and it was a blast! Really liked it, great to hear you feel the same.

[@leefidel]

glad you enjoyed this. I loved this book and the movie adaptation was incredible as well.

[@gjori4704]

I just could not get over how funny the Martian was when I first read it. I really liked Mark as a main character

[@avsambart]

I'm so glad you enjoyed this book ☺️ it's the perfect balance of suspense, humour, understandable hard science, and charm.

[@edwincardona6646]

I absolutely love ❤️ mark watney

[@glockensig]

That conversion revolver (!?) is awesome!

[@Musicteachersheff]

I’m so glad you like this! I loved this book! Like you have said before the movie was a super faithful adaptation so I do have a hard time separating the two, but I think after reading the book that the movie was PERFECTLY cast! I personally loved the humor, I didn’t mind the math, and I loved how plausible it sounded. Great review! Thanks! BTW, his other sci-fi “Artemis” was really good too. WAY more sci fi unrealistic, but a very exciting story!

[@danecobain]

Great review! I read it a while back and then re-read it and re-watched the movie a couple months ago with my girlfriend. Funnily enough, that happened to coincide with a time when Mars was at its brightest in the sky!

[@katieamarsh]

I voted for you to read this (though I thought you’d like Recursion too). It was fun to see this review because you reached just how I thought you would. Super cool that you talked about NASA at the end too. I completely agree with you. Maybe us sci fi fantasy folks are dreamers to begin with. Science is so important.

[@Ulmo90]

Great review as usual, I just finished listening to this book on Audible. The book flew by, exiciting, funny, great characters

[@Imaginetheday1967]

I read The Martian back in 2015 and absolutely loved it. I have to take breaks from books when they get too intense, so this was quite the roller coaster ride. It took me over a month to read because of the stress I experienced, but it's still one of my favorite books of all time and Mark Watney is one of my favorite characters. I totally get you what you said about the ending. I wanted the after! That's one of the things I prefer about the movie, because it gives that to us.

[@flowaroundtherock]

The opening to this video got me HYPED

[@GaryRodeo]

Love this book so much. Probably my favorite I read this year

[@vamsiampolu8438]

I reread the book nearly 6 years after my first read, i was surprised by the number of side characters i remembered and how much they improved the second time around. Mindy Park's arc as a character stood out to me a lot

[@charlesgrey8651]

Great movie, love the story about the book. Good one for Andy

[@katieamarsh]

I loved this book, it had such a big range of feels. You laugh. You feel super stressed out in his behalf. The science is there but it’s approachability, even for people who don’t normally read sci fi. I feel the same way about The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, another book I’ve had lots of non sci fi folks read and they loved it.

[@craniusdominus8234]

Man, I read this a few years ago, in a single day, and it was just awesome, one of the few books I literally could not put down. About two weeks after I finished it, the trailer for the movie dropped.

[@alaingomez7816]

I just finished the book yesterday and I loved it!

[@bmoneybby]

Having randomly read Life of Pi way before the movie came out many years ago. I had never known or heard anything about the book and I was strangely blown away by the way the story unfolded. Several years later a movie was made based off of the book and I thought it was great as well. But reading that strange story for the first time with no idea what I was reading was a reading experience I'll never forget. I had to think about the meaning for quite a while afterwards. I wish everyone who watched the movie and liked it could've read the book first. (Sorry im gushing about a book that the video is not even about) On the opposite side of experience, I saw The Martian movie before I read the book and thought the science and humor was great. I liKed the book as well, as a fun, raw and entertaining book. Maybe I'm a little off here, but I think the book and movie essentially achieve the same thing. I'm happy you finally satiated The Martian fans. Good vid!

[@189804]

I read the martian for the first time in 2013, only cost me £0.77, I think it was the best deal on a book I've ever had

[@Booksinthedark]

I feel like there wasn’t much to remember from the movie. The movie didn’t have half the obstacles he overcomes in the book. It’s a great book. I loved it.

[@carolinek1818]

I've read it twice. One day I got sudden urge to reread it. I started at 3PM listening to audiobook and finished at 2AM in bed reading from Kindle. I just couldn't but it down although I knew the story already

[@NAFUSO1]

Speaking of NdGT, he's gone on record saying The Martian is proof that science fiction can be more science than fiction. He said this is the most accurate use of science in science fiction.

[@nelspaulson3099]

not a race against the clock but a race to wind the clock. Mark needs to "find" enough time that survival becomes a possibility.

[@mikesbookreviews]

That’s the phrase I was looking for ha ha

[@hanak69]

I will start the book this week.

[@alfredinthebookcave5331]

This book brought me back into the Sci-Fi fold, as well as rekindling the love of space. Totally agree with the sentiment here.

[@dennicaid7682]

I actually haven't read it or watched the movie yet - I have it on my Kindle, though. I had originally planned to read it this year but pre-empted it for Battle Ground on my 2020 reading challenge list. It's on next year's plan, though, and I look forward to getting to it.

[@thatsci-firogue]

Absolutely adore the film and will definitely read the book next year since I'm prioritising sci-fi books next year.

[@jellevanbreugel325]

obligatory, the book is even better 😂😂😂

[@tracipratt7830]

I loved this book, and it is a great one to re-read. I loved the humor! It's really what makes this book stand apart from other sci-fi. Ignore the nay-sayers. It was absorbing, page-turning and laugh-out-loud. Two thumbs up from me.

[@inocanandrei6950]

Hello Mike you aren't the last man that read the book. I think I am. But now I must read it.

[@maddy6033]

Book was super funny for me, had a great time reading it

[@samwisegamgee4659]

Like The Expanse this book is Sci-Fi with palatable hard-science.

[@yogalaya455]

Pleased tell me should l read the Martian or the stand I like those to types of plots but which is better

[@RhinoViper]

The Martian was pretty good. Life of Pi was just ok for me.

[@richpaul6806]

Any recommendations for similar near future space travel books?

[@danielbetancourt1483]

Have to appreciate the Ziggy Stardust reference

[@mikesbookreviews]

You know it.

[@derrisreaditbefore]

I love this book, I think the movie is great, and the audible version is freakin' awesome. I laughed out loud while listening so many times. ♫"I'm alive, and I'm in the Rover!"♫

[@scottkrametbauer90]

I understand the character in this book, I'm the kind of person who makes jokes when things go south. I do what needs to be done to resolve the issue, but if I open my mouth a sarcastic quip about the situation is likely to come out. Like you, I grew up in Houston (okay Sugar Land, but close enough), and after a couple decades in the frozen wastelands of Montana and Idaho I now live in Dallas. I too wish we were more focused on space travel and exploration, because regardless of what we do sooner or later we will all die if we don't get off this rock. If you wanna check out another work of fiction that is heavily math and science oriented while being interesting you should check out the anime Dr Stone.

[@whutzat]

One of the rare times a movie does the book justice. EDIT: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch is an even BETTER book! Enjoy it!

[@conkerlive101]

These are great reviews. I would love if you read the Legends of the first Empire series by Micheal J sullivan. The characters have great charm just like Hadrian and Royce from Riyria

[@renzodm6203]

In may Andy Weir's new book will be released and from the reviews I have seen it as good perhaps even better than "The martian".

[@189804]

Artemis was pretty good as well, though I did prefer the martian

[@nealhoffman7518]

With the exception of a few scenes, the movie follows the book really well. I'll do one or the other depending on how deep I want to be immersed. But I do prefer the depth of the relationship development in the book... if my Nook is charged

[@jellevanbreugel325]

Excellent book!!! Also, it came in 2015???? Wtf!!!

[@joshchavez8190]

Oh my god how crazy. I just finished ready player one and anxiously trying to pick my next book because I also have no interest in reading ready player two

[@LegionOfNeil]

Have you been following SpaceX and their Starship? Quite remarkable what they are attempting.

[@UnqualifiedReviews]

The music to start was way to loud for me.

[@mohammedismailkhalid4395]

Mike! Search SpaceX and NASA collaboration

[@mikesbookreviews]

Oh I’m aware. I’m just still skeptical.

[@mohammedismailkhalid4395]

@@mikesbookreviews okay Mike. Nice review by the way!

[@joejoey7272]

16:50 I genuinely believe Elon Musk will get humans on mars and he has the equipment and money to do it , he's defiantly crazy enough .

[@kyleo883]

SN8 launch was super encouraging. Pretty hopeful we'll make it to Mars before the end of the decade.

[@joejoey7272]

@@kyleo883 that flip was an impressive feat of engineering, in sure they’ll stick the landing in the next test flights

[@ThanatoselNyx]

He is definitely defiant!

[@warrenmarkins1611]

I'd love to go to even one Neil deGrasse Tyson concert, whatever that is

[@neilthomas6042]

Cute kids in the photos.

[@Citizen88020120820]

Loved this book, of course it makes the movie less cool with the stuff they left out.

[@aomukai]

we used to call it "hard scifi"

[@YourBrainonBooks]

I liked your channel already, then you open up with a Bowie line......

[@mikesamp11]

I loved the Martian a lot. His second book, Artemis, was barely readable.

[@glockensig]

Two things tend to advance technology....space and war..... I prefer to put my tax dollars into space!

[@emosongsandreadalongs]

Life of Pi is good but it honestly doesn't read like a survival story

[@stevewhite8178]

Just started this book and I think I’m gonna have to move on. So far it’s just bad humor and a running list of tasks he’s done or needs to do. Poorly written, boring and the narrator is annoying. I’m surprised they were able to make a good movie out of it

[@treyg8148]

The movie was dog shit compared to the book

[@DREWSBOOKREVIEWS]

This one is currently on my TBR pile. Not sure If I will get to it in 2021 as I Have more on my TBR pile than I typically read in a year