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4.49 AVERAGE
4.49 AVERAGE
I was hesitant to get into this book because my last “alien life” books have been too fantasy driven and not scientific but Weir, as always, has found a scientific explanation to give for every crazy twist and turn. I love the dry humor. I hardly put it down. Just as satisfying as The Martian, if not even better.
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I'm not typically into sci-fi, but when my entire family read this book and raved about it, including my 15-year-old daughter, I knew I had to give it a try. And I'm glad I did, it was such an unusual book with lots of surprises (especially given that I knew very little about the premise). As a narrator, Ryland Grace is so funny and lovable, and without giving too much away, I'll say that the other main character was also so much fun to get to know. The framework of juxtaposing Ryland's present situation with what he starts remembering of the past was clever and I appreciated that even though it was told as flashbacks, there were a lot of surprises and revelations. This is one of those books where you can't imagine how the author will write a satisfying conclusion, especially knowing that it's basically a suicide mission. I love the way this was handled.
There is a lot of science and math explained in this book, which might be a plus for some, but I ended up glossing over long passages where Ryland was nerding out over calculations and experiments. I also found some of the events a little far-fetched or too convenient, but, hey, it's science fiction!
My advice is to try to go into this book knowing as little as possible about what happens. And don't watch the trailer for the film until you finish!
There is a lot of science and math explained in this book, which might be a plus for some, but I ended up glossing over long passages where Ryland was nerding out over calculations and experiments. I also found some of the events a little far-fetched or too convenient, but, hey, it's science fiction!
My advice is to try to go into this book knowing as little as possible about what happens. And don't watch the trailer for the film until you finish!
Real jk rowling coded with these insanely stereotypical side characters
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Spoiler
Andy Weir definitely had a niche for storytelling. There are parallel characters that have almost identical personalities and plot purposes. I didn't dislike the book by any means, but it was basically the fraternal twin of The Martian.I wish we could see some of the fallout and events on Earth. Specifically a recap of the inevitable downfall of civilization and then receiving the little probe.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
This book was everything my little engineering heart didn’t know it needed. I laughed, I sighed, I rooted for the team and ate up all the fuzzy parts in the middle. Extremely technical most of the time but as an engineer who loves to read, books like this don’t come around often, and I’m grateful for this one!
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Andy Weir is the Dan Brown of Sci-Fi in the worst way possible
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I love the humor that was in this book coupled with an apocalypse storyline. It could be hard to read when they talk about the destruction of earth. However, the story is beautiful and focuses on humanity's ability to adapt and love.