The MartianThe Martian
Score Modern
What it's about
Six days into what should be humanity's greatest achievement, astronaut Mark Watney is stranded on Mars, injured and presumed dead after a dust storm forces his crew to evacuate. With no way to contact Earth and supplies that won't last until the next mission arrives in four years, the botanist and engineer has to science his way out: growing food, making water and solving one life-threatening problem after another.
Why it's worth reading
It's an irresistible survival story, smart, funny and constantly suspenseful, with a hero whose sarcastic log entries make you laugh while he's facing death. It's pure fun from start to finish.
You'll love it if you liked
Project Hail Mary
The Right Stuff
Dungeon Crawler CarlGood to know
There's a lot of science and math, all explained, and plenty of swearing. If you loved Project Hail Mary, this was Weir's first.
By the numbers
- Readers96 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller91 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #8 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #42 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #76 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Adventurous
More by Andy Weir
If you like this, read next
Gideon the Ninth
All Systems Red
Promises in Death
Innocent in Death
Cryptonomicon
The Blind AssassinExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Martian worth reading?
Yes. It's an irresistible survival story, smart, funny and constantly suspenseful, with a hero whose sarcastic log entries make you laugh while he's facing death. It ranks #76 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 87.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Martian about?
Six days into what should be humanity's greatest achievement, astronaut Mark Watney is stranded on Mars, injured and presumed dead after a dust storm forces his crew to evacuate. With no way to contact Earth and supplies that won't last until the next mission arrives in four years, the botanist and engineer has to science his way out: growing food, making water and solving one life-threatening problem after another.
How long does it take to read The Martian?
About 10 hours (385 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Martian?
If you liked it, try Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe or Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman.