Release Date of Ridley Scott's 'The Martian' Is Announced!

The Martian by Andy Weir is one of my favourite books ever and is firmly placed on my Shelf of Fame. It's not just me who has recognised its quality and the book was actually voted the best science fiction novel of 2014 in the Goodreads Choice Awards! Without going into too much detail, which can be read in my review, the story outlines the struggles of Mark Watney when he is stranded alone on Mars. Presumed dead by his ship-mates, NASA and the peoples of Earth, Watney must use the scant resources available to him to produce food, water, oxygen and, ultimately, find a way to send a message back home . . .

You can understand then why I was excited to learn that Ridley Scott had taken an interest in the book when he announced that he would be adapting The Martian into a feature-length movie staring Matt Damon as Mark Watney. The book will undoubtedly adapt well to a film and it's original release date of March 2016 has recently been moved forward to 25th Novemeber 2015! This is a huge announcement for science fiction fans and Scott's The Martian will probably be one of the biggest sci fi films of the year! If you don't believe me, there's plenty of time to grab a copy of the book and see for yourself before the film is released!

Scott has now released the official trailer for the movie, along with two teaser trailers to wet our appetites:

The Martian - Andy Weir

RATING: FIVE STARS

The world watches while Mark Watney and a small group of astronauts land on the surface of Mars. They are not the first men and women to have stood on the distant planet and their mission is routine, one of exploration and scientific experimentation. But a ferocious sandstorm barrages their camp after just six days and the explorers are forced to flee back to the safety of the ship that orbits far above.

That is five of them escape. Mark Watney may have been the seventeenth person to walk on the surface of Mars, but he will be the first man to die there. Wounded and utterly alone, Mark knows the hopelessness of his situation. Yet self-preservation is a powerful instinct and he cannot just lie down and accept his end. He will have to survive until the next group of astronauts arrive on Mars - in about five years time! Mark needs water, food and equipment. He needs company. Surviving in an environment that denies human survival by its very nature will be far from easy.

The Good
The Martian is an extremely well researched book and Andy Weir has really done his homework. Weir describes the equipment and procedures Mark uses throughout his extended stay on Mars in great detail, which really adds a sense of plausibility to the book. He outlines specific processes and procedures and really goes into the science behind them. I'm quite scientifically oriented myself and particularly enjoyed the depth this added to the book.

Weir has also established Mark's character well, going into his thoughts and motivations as he struggles to survive. As you may already have guessed, The Martian isn't a book filled with shooting and action, but Weir still manages to make it exciting and it is captivating throughout. In fact, I blitzed through it in around a week and found the book extremely difficult to put down!

The Bad
In truth, there was nothing I didn't like about The Martian. However, its science won't be for everyone and I expect some people will find it a little tedious when Weir's explaining the chemistry of a chemical reaction, for example, or working through the mathematics of how many calories Mark will need to survive until his rescue.

My Thoughts
The Martian is a true gem of a book and is very different to most science fiction novels, so even people aren't usually fans of the genre might still enjoy it. I strongly suggest that everyone gives it a go - it has been my favourite read of the year so far and is among my favourite sci fi books ever! It's certainly worthy of its place on my Shelf of Fame!