The Martian

Ian Grier
Literature of Horror
29 March, 2020


     This week's reading, "The Martian" by Andy Weir is a classic science fiction tale of a trip gone wrong to Mars.  Mark Watney is one of several astronauts on a mission called The Ares Program.  This is several missions designed to send astronauts to Mars in order to bring back to Earth information obtained through testing while there.  Early into their mission, a large storm hit the area they were in and Mark Watney was left after the rest aborted the mission.  Through no fault of theirs or his own, Watney was declared dead after an antenna ripped through his space suit and threw him into rocks and dirt.  Through some pure miracle, and many hard to believe scenarios, he survived.  Not only did he survive but through pure luck and intelligence, he was able to erect a living area with a potato farm and water producing facility.  The book centers around his survival skills and the team work necessary from NASA, Watney, and the rest of the crew to bring him home.
     Even though this is a new frontier science fiction genre, many other genres come into play for this book.  After reading just the first few chapters, it was apparent that this was also an adventure genre.  One reason was because Watney was living day to day on the edge with a chance for anything to go wrong; and, things did go wrong.  In chapter 16, NASA decides against a risky operation to save Watney before he starves to death.  They have decided that the death of one astronaut is better then the death of seven.  At one point the remainder of the Ares crew have to make a decision whether to listen to their orders of not going back for Watney, or doing what they know is right. 
     Another genre could be thriller because all though this book is not scary with monsters waiting to pop out, it does have that sensation of being on the edge of your seat with an exciting plot of what the outcome will be.  The book, overall, is a great read and one that has several genres.  Whether you like science fiction, drama, adventure, or thriller "The Martian" is a must read.