TWO QUICK REVIEWS: BOOK VS. MOVIE - THE MARTIAN

This month I decided to do something different for my Two Quick Reviews post. Instead of comparing two books as I usually do, I will talk about last year's bestseller The Martian and movie of the same name that is based on this book.

(check my Rating System for detailed explanations of my quick rating)

The Martian by Andy Weir

Genre: Sci-fi / Speculative Fiction

Release date: February 2014

Purchase: Amazon / B&N

     
      

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—& even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—& a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

MY THOUGHTS:

The Martian is the smartest and most honest survival book I have ever read. I fell in love not only with writing style but also with the "voice" of the narrator. Even in such out-of-ordinary situation as being stranded on Mars, it was very easy for me to connect with Mark Watney. The biggest surprise? This book is funny. It turned out that Mark Watney has a great sense of humor.

There has been a lot written about this captivating thriller but one word sums it up the best - spectacular. I simply could not put it down!

The Martian (October 2015)

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain,

Kristen Wiig, Sean Bean...

Watch Trailer: YouTube

More info: IMDb

During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.

 MY THOUGHTS:

The Martian movie stands on its own but as non-scientist, I'm glad I read book prior to watching the movie. Why? Because in the novel, scientific stuff was explained in the more detailed way. As usual, creators added some Hollywood-screen-worthy scenes but fortunately still managed to keep the spirit of the book.

Matt Damon was brilliant. He embodied Mark Watney's personality perfectly and his performance brought out all the feels. The Martian is visually creative and amazing movie. It is definitely worth seeing on a big screen.

VERDICT?

Usually, I prefer books over movies. But in this case, both complement each other perfectly. So I definitely recommend experiencing both. Still, if I HAD TO chose, I would say that book is slightly better.

DO YOU TEND TO READ BOOK BEFORE WATCHING ITS MOVIE ADAPTATION?
DO YOU PLAN TO READ/WATCH THE MARTIAN?

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