The Martian

This novel has everything! Suspense, humor, steamy romance, space pirates!

Ok, ok, one of those things is not true.

As for the rest, only thing I can say is: What a ride!, I am not the most prolific reader and certainly not the fastest, but in the case of this novel it was impossible to put it down!

The setting is very believable, the format of logs make is very easy to follow along and the narrative is so clear that even though it is choke-full of technical terminology at no point I felt like reading a math or physics book and the breakneck pace makes it a flow to read.

The characters are fleshed out just enough, you will not spend pages upon pages of backstory in order to understand the psychological drivers of the decisions made by each character. You will not have to love or hate any of the characters because the entire setting feels organic and you see them for what they are: humans, yeah, trained, well educated, normal humans who aspire to the simple things in life: surviving, feel close to others and the eternal search for a place that doesn’t smell like crap.

Some reviews claim that at times the novel feels more like an immature adult resorting to humor and witty comments at times of stress. To those reviewers I can only say this: You are bunch of dicks.

If you want a story that is believable, free of stereotypes, intense (I mean bite-your-nails-sitting-at-the-edge-one-more-chapter-and-i’ll-go-to-sleep intense) and with enough humor to make you root for the hero since page one, then you have to read this.

Otherwise just keep reading whatever you have next on your list, you will not find vampires, adolescents with powers, shades of anything (other than red I mean) and no games, although the theme of hunger is present all throughout.

PS. If I ever write a novel I am totally going to make my hero(ine) travel through the Watney Triangle.