Oh. My. Gosh.
I love, love, love this book!
Okay, so I’m a nerdy NASA engineer. Of course I loved it. But I know all you non-nerdy folks will also love this book. And here’s why:
It’s interesting & engaging
It’s a survival story set in one of the harshest locations imaginable. So many things can go wrong … and so many of them do go wrong. Every step of the way. It’s nearly constant edge of your seat entertainment. Add in some NASA politics and a few personality conflicts and you’ve got yourself a real pager turner.
It’s funny. No, it’s hilarious
The narrator … the astronaut who gets stranded on Mars … has a terrific sense of humor throughout the entire book. He’s quite a character and his personality stays upbeat despite his less than ideal circumstances. Much of the narration is of him logging his daily activities into a computer system in which he has no idea whether anyone will ever read or not. He’s basically talking to himself for much of the book and it’s quite humorous.
It’s technical, but not in a bad way
There’s a constant stream of problem solving throughout the book. But I don’t think it will make your eyes roll back in your head. Most of the time the details are given in a way that the layperson can understand. Sometimes the narrator even “dumbs” down the technical details for the reader.
It’s real
Well, mostly real. This is science fiction, but it is not your typical far-fetched or far-futuristic science fiction. Much of this story could occur today using technology that we actually use today or technology that we are developing and testing today for use on future Mars missions. Most of the engineering solutions are also real and possible today using current technology. There is very little hand-waving here. And it is very satisfying.
Note: This book is not for kids. The narrator … the astronaut who gets stranded on Mars … curses like a sailor throughout the entire book.
I highly recommend this book. It’s a very interesting and engaging read that is difficult to put down. It’s entertaining for engineers and non-engineers alike.
Click below to order the book for yourself. You can buy it in paper or digital formats from Amazon, the most popular online store in the world!
Thanks for your interest.
Kurt
