Discussion questions for The Martian by Andy Weir

1. Some critics point to Mark’s lack of emotion about his plight as a mark of poor writing.  But, according to the New York Times, “Mr. Weir admits freely that his stranded astronaut has little angst or inner life. Watney simply pushes forward, putting crises into a mental lockbox and figuring out how to survive. ‘[The book] could have been a deep psychological thing,’ he said, but ‘that’s not the kind of book I like to read, and it’s not the kind of book I wanted to write.’ James Bond, he notes, is not weepy; ‘I wanted it to be more MacGyver on Mars.’”  Does he succeed?  Is Watney a relatable character?
2. Kirkus‘s reviewer says: “The author imbues Mark with a sharp sense of humor, which cuts the tension, sometimes a little too much—some readers may be laughing when they should be on the edges of their seats.”  Did you find that to be the case when you were reading?  What was your favority humerous moment?
3. Is Watney a round character or a flat character?  Does he change as the story progresses?
4. Have you seen the movie?  Talk about the differences between teh movie and the book?  How do you think the book translated onto the big screen?  Was anything important left out?
5. In the New York Times, Dr. Jim Green, the director of the planetary science division of NASA, weighed in: “More important [than strict technical accuracy], he said, is that the movie could excite and inspire the public about a human mission to Mars at a time when the space program has essentially figured out how to get it done. ‘It makes it real,’ he said.”  Did reading this book change the way you feel about a mission to Mars or space travel generally?
6. Think about the scientific and technical details included in the novel.  Did they add to your reading experience or detract from it?  Which of the three reviews below comes closest to your opinion, or do you have a different opinion altogether?
   1. Kirkus: “Weir displays a virtuosic ability to write about highly technical situations without leaving readers far behind.  The result is a story that is as plausible as it is compelling… just the right amount of geekery.”
   2. New York Times: “In an interview from his home in Northern California, Mr. Weir, a former software engineer, said he wrote his book with one overarching thought in mind: It should be as scientifically accurate as possible.”
   3. Publisher’s Weekly: Weir laces the technical details with enough keen wit to satisfy hard science fiction fan and general reader alike.
   4. Compare these quotes to Dr. Green’s thoughts in question 5.

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