The Martian iPhone screenshot
Author Andy Weir began writing his technology-filled science fiction novel The Martian in 2009. The commercial audiobook version was released in 2013 by Podium Publishing. Narration for this 10.5 hour a-book is provided by the seasoned Voice Actor R. C. Bray.
The overall subject matter is a NASA long range space mission series and this is sure to attract the interests of Older Teens up through Adults. There is some swearing, though, in the story in the form of conjugations of the f-word peppered in the dialogue and use of the s-word, albeit almost solely in its quite literal meaning. Nonetheless, this is a lively, très droll-to-humorous, and finally uplifting tale of survival of the First Martian, who was actually born on Planet Earth.
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The Storyline
A third team of astronauts has landed on Mars to begin 30 days of studies and investigations. Mark Watney, a Botanist and Mechanical Engineer, is severely injured during a sandstorm just 6 days into the mission and he ends up being left for dead by his teammates. When Mark comes to, he realizes what has happened. So he makes his way back to the shelter called the Hab, patches up his wounds, and begins to make use of his brain to determine how he's going to get back to Earth. Here's when all his training and education will come into play and a lot of the story contains his journal entries of his plans so he can be rescued.
Use this large view of a map of Mars to follow Mark's travels across the planet's surface. Mark's crew landed in the Acidalia Planitia and the next crew is scheduled to land in the Schiaparelli Crater, some 3200 km to the southeast. It will be many Sols (or Martian days) before the team makes contact, so theoretically Mark has plenty of time to do a few EVAs (extravehicular activities) before setting out for the landing site. In fact, Mark spends so much time on the planet, he thinks of himself as a real Martian.
Meanwhile back on Earth, as Mark is busy keeping himself housed, clothed, fed, and breathing, NASA has discovered he's alive by viewing routine satellite data from the planet. Their duty now is to find a way to tell both Mark and then his former crew that they know he's alive and will get him back home. But the questions are: Can they do it soon enough? At what cost? And is saving the life of one man while jeopardizing the lives of the crew even worth it?
After trekking to the almost forgotten Pathfinder and Sojourner (which landed in Ares Vallis), Mark is soon able to communicate (old school) with JPL. Now if he can just stay alive until the next mission landing, they will be able to rescue him. That won't be uneventful or easy, but Mark's got his resourceful brain on the case. And Mark is adapting himself to Mars.
Find The AudioBook
Vendors:
Audible.com
YouTube