The title of Andy Weir's 2011 novel, "The Martian," refers to Earthman Mark Watney, who is stranded on Mars when a sudden sandstorm blows him from the sight of the rest of his crew, leading them to believe he is dead. They leave Mars without their crewmate, who survived with only minor injuries. With only a few months of provisions, Watney must rely on his wits to survive. The next planned Martian expedition is scheduled to arrive in four years, and Mark is likely to die of exposure, starvation, thirst, lack of oxygen, or accident well before then.

But Mark is an experienced botanist, engineer, and problem solver. His ingenuity, perseverance, and resilience led him to grow food, maintain the oxygen and water machines, and survive. Sometimes, his plans go awry (he survives an explosion and a leak in his habitat's airlock), but his ingenuity (and sometimes a bit of luck) always finds a way to resolve the problem.

The book begins with Mark's journal, detailing his struggles to adapt to the planet, grow potatoes, and maintain a positive outlook. It later switches to a narrative, as we look inside NASA headquarters when they learn that Mark survived, and inside the returning spaceship as they return to Mars to rescue their abandoned comrade.
NASA directors wrestle with politics and public relations, while the returning space crew struggles with the guilt of inadvertently leaving a man behind.

Weir frequently switches from scientific explanations to adventure to Mark's lighthearted cynicism. The adventure and cynicism make the story fun, while the science makes it believable. I cannot speak to the veracity of Weir's calculations and scientific assertions because I am neither a botanist, an engineer, a physicist, nor an astronaut. But all the science sounded plausible to me, and the details added an element of reality to the book.

"The Martian" is a fun ride that successfully balances science, drama, excitement, and humor.