Which is Better? The Martian by Andy Weir

Oh man! I haven't done one of these in a while! I really should catch up on them, but my initiative of writing shows as they airs is really challenging. Movies are a lot easier to do, hence this is being posted before 11/22/63 and Shadowhunters.

My husband and I watched The Martian this past weekend after I read the book. I've heard really good reviews of the movie, and after reading the book, I couldn't imagine the movie messing too much of it up. It's pretty direct and action packed, but I did wonder how they were going to shift the first person perspective to an entire movie third person (for the most part).

There were a few things I knew and didn't know before I read the book and then watched the movie. Obviously, I knew that Matt Damon played the guy that gets stuck on Mars. Though it was never explicitly told to me, I figured out that the guy that got stuck on Mars eventually goes home.

(Usually when it's a sad space movie, people eventually spoils it for you).

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I still haven't seen Gravity.

Anyway, I didn't realize how funny the book would be and though Matt Damon would be good regardless, I was pleased to see him in such a likable role.

I really enjoyed the movie, and they stayed pretty truthful to the book. However, I felt like there needed to be more with Mark and his time on Mars. I know they had to shoot different scenes with NASA and the various plans to get him home, but I thought they could have done less of those and more with Mark trying to survive on Mars. In the book he was so charming that I didn't mind him talking about science and what he was going to do. It would have been more exciting to me to see him struggling with survival rather than Kristen Wiig looking alarmed the entire time.

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Oh yeah, a lot of other people are in this movie too. I'm not sure why though? It's a fun film, but I guess they all like science and NASA? This movie and the book did make me enthusiastic for Space again.

I do have 1 bone to pick with the movie. Mindy Park... should have been an Asian girl. I'm sure there are white people with the last name Park, but come on! I imagined her as Asian in the book, and again, not saying that white women can't have a job at NASA, but... we're already having a problem with diversity in movies and the least that could have been done was case an Asian person with the obvious Asian name. Its not as if there aren't any Asian actresses that are up to the task of staring at the computer screen and acting smart. I'm sure Lucy Liu is always looking for a job... is Elementary still on? She was a Charlie's Angel, she could have definitely been in two places at once.

In all seriousness though, that role was poorly miscast. Mackenzie Davis did a fine job, but I'm sure she doesn't have a shortage of auditions looking for a tall, blonde lady. Asian actresses have it much harder, and with something so obvious as Mindy Park should have been given to an Asian actress.

Overall, if you want a fun way to spend a few hours, watch the film. It's not much different than the book, other than seeing lots of famous faces on screen. There is less technical jargon, which is more user friendly than the book.. but if your conceited like me and want to feel smart, read the book too.

House of Hades by Rick Riordan

There is not much of an introduction except that I've read all of Rick Riordan's demi-god book series. There something about reading them that takes me back to that YA time in my life, though to be completely honest with you, I read the first one when I was 23.

These books are also guilty pleasures because it also reminds me of a time when I was a complete fanatic and watched Hercules and Xena TV shows every single day from ages 9 to 11, when they moved the show from it's 4:00 and 4:30pm spot respectively.

Did anyone else dream of the day you discovered you were a daughter of a Greek god or goddess and miraculously had powers and they needed you to fight their battles for them? Or that you would wake up one day and actually be in the same universe as Hercules and Xena and get to hang out with them?

Anyone? Just me, then?

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You can't deny how bad-ass Lucy Lawless is. I just wanted to BE her when I was younger.

Anyway, back to Rick Riordan. Not only am I a sucker for books with Greek Mythology, I am incredibly jealous of Riordan's career. He simply took all the mythology (Roman, Egyptian, Norse), gave them all young protagonists and the books practically wrote themselves. I still feel like my love of Xena and Hercules should have given me the kick in the pants to write them, but I digress.

This book is another installment using the famous Percy Jackson character, but it isn't apart of the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series, but The Heroes of Olympus series, which combine Roman and Greek gods, mixing Greek and Roman culture as well. The Mark of Athena ended on a cliff hanger, which enraged me, but by the time it actually came out, I moved on to other books.. but I was glad to eventually get around to reading it.

Now, are they meaningful, deep books that will change your life once you've read them? No. Are they well written books that build on the themes of friendships, responsibility, duty and commitment that is appropriate for the YA audience? Yes. It was an enjoyable read for me, and it's nice to read books where the author took care to age his characters appropriately, but also allow them to keep a bit of their innocence for just a tad bit longer... and to encourage kids that are reading them to enjoy fantasy and magic for just a bit longer as well.

I have the next book in the docket, and I hope to read it soon. My husband did throw Infinite Jest on my book pile... so... we'll see.
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For old times sake.

The Martian by Andy Weir

I wasn't aware that The Martian was a book before the movie came out, but when it was 20% off at Target, I snapped it up. I also haven't seen the film first, but I heard from many that it's pretty good, and I quote, "he grows potatoes and shit."

I figure that was a good enough endorsement, and since I realized that it takes me longer to get through books once I've seen the movie (because it just feels like I already know what's going on and nothing is a mystery anymore), I decided to wait to read the book, and catch The Movie when it was out on DVD/Redbox/Amazon/HBO Go.

So, with what this book is about, and the fact that many friends that read the book also warned me that it was pretty technical, I thought this would be a drag, and it would take me weeks to finish. However, I was flat out wrong. The combination of such a funny, geeky, crass character named Mark Watney, the probability that the United States would go to Mars in the 20 or so years, and the improbability that Watney would survive made a riveting book.

I didn't mind the jargon and the technical talk. It actually inflated my ego a whole lot because I felt like I understood him, though I'm sure actual astronauts would roll their eyes and say that's not how that would all work. It really helped that the main character was so jovial and made jokes, despite his impending doom every 5 minutes.

I really liked the different perspectives of NASA and the drive to get Watney home.

It's a very straight forward, action packed book with a bit of suspense at the end. I knew that they would have to get Watney and that everyone would live, but there was a moment or two where I thought it was possible that another astronaut would die, or even Watney would die.

I can't wait to watch the movie!