Really enjoyed "The Martian" by Andy Weir - Page 5

Dazrin · 11-19-2014, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varlog

There is an article on "The Martian" on Ars Technica. Being afraid of spoilers I havn't read it yet but it seems interesting.

Thank you!

And to be clear - the article is FULL of spoilers even though the author said he would save them till the end. Don't read unless you have already read The Martian or you don't care about spoilers.

curtw · 11-23-2014, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I read the self-published version last year and really liked it, I am wondering how it has changed by being traditionally published. If anyone has read both versions (or wants to lend me the new version

) I would love to hear a comparison.

OK, there is a REAL, SIGNIFICANT spoiler in my response, so don't say I didn't warn you.

Spoiler:

curtw · 11-23-2014, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by latepaul

... I'd like to have seen more colours of emotion than that - he never seem to get down or despondent.

Tension ramped up toward the end though which was fun.

You should read the Ars interview mentioned in this thread. Weir admitted that he flat-out disregarded the crushing depression that would inevitably set in, and wrote Watney as an impossibly upbeat individual (with a pointer to the Aquaman joke).

I work in the space business, and I didn't even have to suspend disbelief about Watney's attitude, having met people like Don Pettit. On his first mission to ISS, Don spent a holiday (I can't recall if it was Easter or Mother's Day) trying to revive a "dead" payload that I was supporting (a freezer). He got it up and running, just long enough to make an ice cube (in a lattice of his own invention that got the water to stay in place by surface tension), and then it died forever. He was cheerful throughout, even after the final failure.

The real-world Mark Watney is Don Pettit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Pettit

twowheels · 11-25-2014, 06:11 PM

Just got notification from eReaderIQ that this book dropped to $3 on Amazon. I bought it immediately -- perfect timing as I'd just finished another book. So far I'm enjoying it.

Adding the audiobook was another $3, so $6 for both if you're interested in the audiobook (I passed on that).

Nancy Fulda · 12-11-2014, 07:30 AM

My claim to fame: Andy Weir was one of my older brother's best friends. We played laser tag and RPGs and made fun of stupid movies together when I was a kid.

He's an all-around great guy and totally deserves his success, and so I am only slightly miffed that he hit the NYT Bestseller Lists ahead of me.

treadlightly · 12-12-2014, 08:13 AM

Thanks for all the recommendations for this book! I just finished it and loved it. The science descriptions were perfect - not glossed over yet not drawn out. Interesting to learn that there was an epilogue in the self-pubbed version - I felt the published version could have expanded on the ending. A Watney and Kapoor reunion for example.

twowheels · 12-12-2014, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treadlightly

Thanks for all the recommendations for this book! I just finished it and loved it. The science descriptions were perfect - not glossed over yet not drawn out. Interesting to learn that there was an epilogue in the self-pubbed version - I felt the published version could have expanded on the ending. A Watney and Kapoor reunion for example.

Epilogue? He didn't mention that on his triangulation interview when asked about continuing the story. Now I have to go look for it!

A bit of Googling doesn't find it. Can anybody point to where the last paragraph might be read?

Dazrin · 12-12-2014, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twowheels

Epilogue? He didn't mention that on his triangulation interview when asked about continuing the story. Now I have to go look for it!

A bit of Googling doesn't find it. Can anybody point to where the last paragraph might be read?

It was only in the self-published version so not readily available anymore. I have it from when the entire story was posted on his website.

Mods: Can I post it or a link? It is about 265 words. I am just not at all sure on the legality in this case. Would this count as fair use?

pdurrant · 12-12-2014, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dazrin

It was only in the self-published version so not readily available anymore. I have it from when the entire story was posted on his website.

Mods: Can I post it? It is about 265 words.

Only if you have explicit permission from the author. E.g. if it was published on his web site with a creative commons licence that allows distribution.

Dazrin · 12-12-2014, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Only if you have explicit permission from the author. E.g. if it was published on his web site with a creative commons licence that allows distribution.

That's about what I thought. I will check if he did, but I doubt it.

Edit: Nope, no such luck in what I have.

pdurrant · 12-12-2014, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Would this count as fair use?

That's really a question on a court can decide, but I suspect not.

Dazrin · 12-12-2014, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

That's really a question on a court can decide, but I suspect not.

Right, I am not going to push it.

twowheels · 12-13-2014, 01:49 AM

Well, that's OK. I remembered hearing that the originally published it on his website for free, so I jumped in my time machine and went back in time to read it [hint hint]. Turns out that the last paragraph wasn't all that great (IMO) and it was probably best that he cut it -- it didn't add anything to the story, and if anything seemed incongruent.

treadlightly · 12-13-2014, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twowheels

Well, that's OK. I remembered hearing that the originally published it on his website for free, so I jumped in my time machine and went back in time to read it [hint hint]. Turns out that the last paragraph wasn't all that great (IMO) and it was probably best that he cut it -- it didn't add anything to the story, and if anything seemed incongruent.

Good to know! I won't bother looking for it then.

cromag · 12-14-2014, 02:45 AM

Just finished reading this one myself. I really, really (really!) liked it!

I've read some great books this year -- not that they were necessarily published this year, but it has worked out well for me!

11-25-2014, 06:11 PM	#64
twowheels Wizard Posts: 1,853 Karma: 13432974 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kobo Clara HD, iPad Pro 10", iPhone 15 Pro, Boox Note Max	Just got notification from eReaderIQ that this book dropped to $3 on Amazon. I bought it immediately -- perfect timing as I'd just finished another book. So far I'm enjoying it. Adding the audiobook was another $3, so $6 for both if you're interested in the audiobook (I passed on that). Last edited by twowheels; 11-25-2014 at 06:13 PM. Reason: [clarifying source]

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12-11-2014, 07:30 AM	#65
Nancy Fulda I write stories. Posts: 700 Karma: 16437432 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northern Germany Device: kindle	My claim to fame: Andy Weir was one of my older brother's best friends. We played laser tag and RPGs and made fun of stupid movies together when I was a kid. He's an all-around great guy and totally deserves his success, and so I am only slightly miffed that he hit the NYT Bestseller Lists ahead of me.

12-12-2014, 08:13 AM	#66
treadlightly Wizard Posts: 1,370 Karma: 6957792 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ottawa, ON Device: Kobo H2O	Thanks for all the recommendations for this book! I just finished it and loved it. The science descriptions were perfect - not glossed over yet not drawn out. Interesting to learn that there was an epilogue in the self-pubbed version - I felt the published version could have expanded on the ending. A Watney and Kapoor reunion for example.

12-13-2014, 01:49 AM	#73
twowheels Wizard Posts: 1,853 Karma: 13432974 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kobo Clara HD, iPad Pro 10", iPhone 15 Pro, Boox Note Max	Well, that's OK. I remembered hearing that the originally published it on his website for free, so I jumped in my time machine and went back in time to read it [hint hint]. Turns out that the last paragraph wasn't all that great (IMO) and it was probably best that he cut it -- it didn't add anything to the story, and if anything seemed incongruent.

12-14-2014, 02:45 AM	#75
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 26,285 Karma: 459765791 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	Just finished reading this one myself. I really, really (really!) liked it! I've read some great books this year -- not that they were necessarily published this year, but it has worked out well for me!

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