The Martian (1 Viewer)

[Mr. Ected]

I was recently turned on to this book as something my SF-loving pre-teen son would love. Yesterday I found out that it was being made into a movie that opens in October. The cast of the movie looks very good. Here is a preview.

So I bought the book for my son, and when he said he would wait until school started to read it, I decided I'd read it. I knocked out the 350+ pages last nite and this morning. Andy Weir, the author, does a great job with this book, his first. A description of the book:

The Martian, Andy Weir's first novel, narrates the story of Mark Watney, a botanist, mechanical engineer and astronaut, who was left alone in Mars when his crew mates thought he had died during evacuation and left without him. Weir, who calls himself a “space nerd”, has meticulously researched on manned missions to Mars. The story provides credible details and ensures that Watney is faced with all situations where things could go wrong with someone stranded alone in another planet.

Has anyone else read the book or heard of the movie?

 

[timschochet]

Excellent novel. The story reminded me greatly of Apollo 13.

Looks like it will be a good film, though I'm not sure how they will do it since the main character of the book is all alone and often that doesn't translate well IMO. But I'm hopeful.

 

[Scoresman]

Excellent novel. The story reminded me greatly of Apollo 13.

Looks like it will be a good film, though I'm not sure how they will do it since the main character of the book is all alone and often that doesn't translate well IMO. But I'm hopeful.

Maybe he'll draw a face on his helmet and call it Wilson.

 

[Mr. Ected]

Excellent novel. The story reminded me greatly of Apollo 13.

Looks like it will be a good film, though I'm not sure how they will do it since the main character of the book is all alone and often that doesn't translate well IMO. But I'm hopeful.

I wonder if there will be a bit more of the bits on Earth or in Hermes, in order to get more screen time for other people in the movie.

 

[timschochet]

Excellent novel. The story reminded me greatly of Apollo 13.

Looks like it will be a good film, though I'm not sure how they will do it since the main character of the book is all alone and often that doesn't translate well IMO. But I'm hopeful.

Maybe he'll draw a face on his helmet and call it Wilson.

Yeah see I hated that movie.

 

[Scoresman]

Excellent novel. The story reminded me greatly of Apollo 13.

Looks like it will be a good film, though I'm not sure how they will do it since the main character of the book is all alone and often that doesn't translate well IMO. But I'm hopeful.

I wonder if there will be a bit more of the bits on Earth or in Hermes, in order to get more screen time for other people in the movie.

From the trailer it looks like a big part of the movie is the NASA people debating on whether or not to rescue him. I doubt it'll be a ton of just Matt Damon in a landing pod.

 

[msommer]

Liked the book a lot. Looking forward to the movie

 

[Barry]

some of the science was interesting but the book wasn't that great. at no time is there anything that makes you believe the final outcome won't happen. bland.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Excellent novel. The story reminded me greatly of Apollo 13.

Looks like it will be a good film, though I'm not sure how they will do it since the main character of the book is all alone and often that doesn't translate well IMO. But I'm hopeful.

Maybe he'll draw a face on his helmet and call it Wilson.

Yeah see I hated that movie.

Why?

 

[timschochet]

Excellent novel. The story reminded me greatly of Apollo 13.

Looks like it will be a good film, though I'm not sure how they will do it since the main character of the book is all alone and often that doesn't translate well IMO. But I'm hopeful.

Maybe he'll draw a face on his helmet and call it Wilson.

Yeah see I hated that movie.

Why?

Because he was by himself so much. I was bored. It works in a book but in a film I like human interaction.

 

[E Street Brat]

Pretty good book. It was on the verge of being a little to nerdy.

 

[CBusAlex]

Pretty good book. It was on the verge of being a little to nerdy.

relevant

 

[heckmanm]

Liked the book a lot. Looking forward to the movie

This.

 

[facook]

I thought it was really entertaining but I had to suspend a lot of disbelief. Sand told me that it isn't that far-fetched. The thought that this is "within my lifetime" possible is pretty intriguing.

 

[Quez]

Is this like the movie Moon or Castaway where the entire story is about 1 guy alone?

 

[Bob Magaw]

There was a children's movie from '64 titled Robinson Crusoe On Mars, about a stranded astronaut (on You Tube).

 

[Rayderr]

There was a children's movie from '64 titled Robinson Crusoe On Mars, about a stranded astronaut (on You Tube).

I remember that. And there were yellow rocks that produced oxygen so he could survive and eventually he comes across an alien mining shaft.

 

[Tau837]

Liked the book a lot. Looking forward to the movie

Same here.

 

[WampusCat43]

Just got the book in the mail. Trailer looks good ("Going to have to science the #### out of it").

 

[lombardi]

Great book.

I think they have 3 sets. Him on mars, NASA mission control, and also the ship that left him behind.

Should be pretty cool although a lot of the book was pretty nerdy/McGyver content explaining how and why certain things worked. I wonder how much of that will make it into the movie.

 

[tud_duke]

some of the science was interesting but the book wasn't that great. at no time is there anything that makes you believe the final outcome won't happen. bland.

I can't count the times I thought to myself "how is he going to get out of this one" knowing full well he would eventually. But the difference between this book and a super hero movie was the believable 'how' part that kept it interesting. Plus the humor in this book is pretty good as well.

 

[Insein]

Pretty good book. It was on the verge of being a little to nerdy.

relevant

I'm in.

 

[dhockster]

Getting 94% rating on rotten tomatoes. I am going to see it this weekend. Who else is in?

 

[snogger]

Getting 94% rating on rotten tomatoes. I am going to see it this weekend. Who else is in?

Seeing it Friday at 1pm for an extended Lunch break..

 

[RUSF18]

Great book.

I think they have 3 sets. Him on mars, NASA mission control, and also the ship that left him behind.

Should be pretty cool although a lot of the book was pretty nerdy/McGyver content explaining how and why certain things worked. I wonder how much of that will make it into the movie.

I just started glossing over a lot of when it was getting too technical, and it didn't bother me very much. Still really enjoyed it. "Pirate-ninja" and all that (and as an early season How I Met Your Mother fan, I got an extra kick out of that part).

 

[BroncoFreak_2K3]

Excellent novel. The story reminded me greatly of Apollo 13.

Looks like it will be a good film, though I'm not sure how they will do it since the main character of the book is all alone and often that doesn't translate well IMO. But I'm hopeful.

Maybe he'll draw a face on his helmet and call it Wilson.

Yeah see I hated that movie.

Why?

Because he was by himself so much. I was bored. It works in a book but in a film I like human interaction.

Yeah, as if it wasn't apparent from the title of the film....

 

[Tom Servo]

The Martian, Andy Weir's first novel, narrates the story of Mark Watney, a botanist, mechanical engineer and astronaut, who was left alone in Mars when his crew mates thought he had died during evacuation and left without him. Weir, who calls himself a “space nerd”, has meticulously researched on manned missions to Mars. The story provides credible details and ensures that Watney is faced with all situations where things could go wrong with someone stranded alone in another planet.

OK - this is the part I'm having trouble with. How do you blast off from Mars and not notice one seat is empty? Do they not think to look for him? It's not like they left him at a bar.

 

[snogger]

The Martian, Andy Weir's first novel, narrates the story of Mark Watney, a botanist, mechanical engineer and astronaut, who was left alone in Mars when his crew mates thought he had died during evacuation and left without him. Weir, who calls himself a “space nerd”, has meticulously researched on manned missions to Mars. The story provides credible details and ensures that Watney is faced with all situations where things could go wrong with someone stranded alone in another planet.

OK - this is the part I'm having trouble with. How do you blast off from Mars and not notice one seat is empty? Do they not think to look for him? It's not like they left him at a bar.

Guessing you haven't seen any of the hundreds of trailers.. Never read the book myself but the trailers easily explain they think he died and so they left.

 

[dhockster]

The Martian, Andy Weir's first novel, narrates the story of Mark Watney, a botanist, mechanical engineer and astronaut, who was left alone in Mars when his crew mates thought he had died during evacuation and left without him. Weir, who calls himself a “space nerd”, has meticulously researched on manned missions to Mars. The story provides credible details and ensures that Watney is faced with all situations where things could go wrong with someone stranded alone in another planet.

OK - this is the part I'm having trouble with. How do you blast off from Mars and not notice one seat is empty? Do they not think to look for him? It's not like they left him at a bar.

Guessing you haven't seen any of the hundreds of trailers.. Never read the book myself but the trailers easily explain they think he died and so they left.

And staying to look for him to verify would have meant they all died.

 

[Foosball God]

Why does he say "In your face Neil Armstrong!"? What did poor Neil Armstrong do?

 

[dhockster]

Why does he say "In your face Neil Armstrong!"? What did poor Neil Armstrong do?

And I want to know what Scott Fitzgerald did, because they keep saying F Scott Fitzgerald. What did he do?

 

[Buckychudd]

The Martian, Andy Weir's first novel, narrates the story of Mark Watney, a botanist, mechanical engineer and astronaut, who was left alone in Mars when his crew mates thought he had died during evacuation and left without him. Weir, who calls himself a “space nerd”, has meticulously researched on manned missions to Mars. The story provides credible details and ensures that Watney is faced with all situations where things could go wrong with someone stranded alone in another planet.

OK - this is the part I'm having trouble with. How do you blast off from Mars and not notice one seat is empty? Do they not think to look for him? It's not like they left him at a bar.

The plot is pretty much Home Alone in space, only with little green men as the burglars.

 

[Mr. Ected]

Why does he say "In your face Neil Armstrong!"? What did poor Neil Armstrong do?

From the book:

“They say once you grow crops somewhere, you have officially ‘colonized’ it. So technically, I colonized Mars. In your face, Neil Armstrong!”

It has a lot to do with self-deprecating humor; like being able to name stuff after himself because he can, things like that to keep him sane while being alone.

 

[Tom Servo]

The Martian, Andy Weir's first novel, narrates the story of Mark Watney, a botanist, mechanical engineer and astronaut, who was left alone in Mars when his crew mates thought he had died during evacuation and left without him. Weir, who calls himself a “space nerd”, has meticulously researched on manned missions to Mars. The story provides credible details and ensures that Watney is faced with all situations where things could go wrong with someone stranded alone in another planet.

OK - this is the part I'm having trouble with. How do you blast off from Mars and not notice one seat is empty? Do they not think to look for him? It's not like they left him at a bar.

Guessing you haven't seen any of the hundreds of trailers.. Never read the book myself but the trailers easily explain they think he died and so they left.

And staying to look for him to verify would have meant they all died.

Gotcha. Thanks.

 

[EYLive]

Gonna watch next week.

 

[snogger]

What a great film!! 5 out of 5.. One of the best I have seen in quite some time.. Do NOT miss it!!

 

[Jules Winnfield]

So does Matt Damon play the role of Marvin?

 

[the moops]

i was disappointed that he died at the end though. thought for sure he was gonna get back to his family

 

[Uncle Leo]

i was disappointed that he died at the end though. thought for sure he was gonna get back to his family

Are you serious...?

 

[Pumpnick]

i was disappointed that he died at the end though. thought for sure he was gonna get back to his family

Are you serious...?

Yep, car accident

 

[the moops]

 

[skol asylum]

Good movie but they cut a lot of important scenes from the book. Wish they would have added like an hour to it even though it was already 2 hours 20 minutes.

 

[Tom Servo]

I downloaded a sample of the book a couple days ago. I think I'm going to love the book.

 

[shader]

Great movie.

 

[RUSF18]

Thought they absolutely killed it. The things they cut were primarily the science-heavy stuff that bogged down the book at times.

Probably the best movie-from-book work I've seen.

 

[Maelstrom]

I saw it this afternoon, and it was really great. There was only a couple of the more major action parts from the book left out, probably mostly for time and because the fact that he was resourceful and could solve problems was pretty well established. Did a good job of explaining what he was doing without it becoming a science lecture.

I kinda hope this movie helps spark interest in space travel and exploration.

 

[TenTimes]

Not nit-picking, just curious...is growing plants inside a HAB on Mars the same as growing plants on Mars? Anyway that's where 'in your face' came from as he one upped Neil Armstrong by colonizing the planet. I think? (Non-book reader)

Book readers, what did we miss? I heard about the cannibalism stuff

 

[DaVinci]

I saw it this afternoon, and it was really great. There was only a couple of the more major action parts from the book left out, probably mostly for time and because the fact that he was resourceful and could solve problems was pretty well established. Did a good job of explaining what he was doing without it becoming a science lecture.

I kinda hope this movie helps spark interest in space travel and exploration.

Spoiler

Did the book explain why the MAV for Ares 3 had to bug out because of the storm but the MAV for ARES 4 was expected to sit there just fine for several years before that mission reached Mars?

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Er, not that impressed. It's always difficult to discuss these movies without spoiling concerns, but let's just say this movie 1. has the flaw that a couple amazing things just pop up in the middle of the plot to fix a script that has factually run into a dead end, and 2. has some scientific issues which I'm guessing were arranged for the movie but which the book probably handled better. Also Kristen Wiig does not fit here. I will say the cinematography is beautiful, I like the character's human insistence to survive, and the overall concept. / Final Grade: B-.

 

[RUSF18]

I saw it this afternoon, and it was really great. There was only a couple of the more major action parts from the book left out, probably mostly for time and because the fact that he was resourceful and could solve problems was pretty well established. Did a good job of explaining what he was doing without it becoming a science lecture.

I kinda hope this movie helps spark interest in space travel and exploration.

Spoiler

Did the book explain why the MAV for Ares 3 had to bug out because of the storm but the MAV for ARES 4 was expected to sit there just fine for several years before that mission reached Mars?

Added something to this spoiler after thinking about it some more...

Spoiler

I don't remember if it's addressed specifically or if this actually helps answer the question, but one thing that was a much much bigger plot point in the book was that the Ares 4 site was not only REALLY ####### FAR away - so maybe conditions were very different - but it was also located in a massive crater that possibly could have protected against that type of storm. In the book, Watney's Rover actually flipped on its descent into the crater.

Also, one thing the movie skipped was that he had no knowledge of a major storm that was going to impact him on his journey there, creating a dust cloud which would deplete his solar panels quicker and cause them to take much longer to charge. NASA knew of this but he didn't have his communication system with him for the trip. So in describing the storm, they might have addressed why it didn't impact the MAV.