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This is a spinoff from the "Anyone else read"Wool"?" thread of over a year ago. Chris Attebery had recommended a book titled "The Martian", by first-time author Andy Weir.
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?57796-Anybody-else-read-quot-Wool-quot/page2
A great book. Which those of us who already read it, were happy to hear the news that it was being made into a movie, which will be released at Thanksgiving. Directed by Ridley Scott, starring Matt Damon, and quite an interesting collection of other actors which include includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Sean Bean, Michael Pena, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mackenzie Davis, and Donald Glover.
There is still no official trailer for it, despite claims by fakers. Although some clips were shown at a recent sci-fi convention.
EDIT - There are two real trailers now. See messages #25 and 29.
A few photos have been released, I'll include two at the end of this message.
I recently started re-reading the book. It is interesting to re-read it, even knowing how it goes. And now to put "faces" with a lot of the characters by knowing who is playing what. Envisioning a critical early scene with the character Mindy Park, played by Mackenzie Davis, for example - I won't even hint at what that scene is about but anyone who reads it should know what I mean.
I have one big recommendation for those who have not heard of it, and want to find out more about it...... you might not WANT to find out much more. At least not about the plot. Because already there are online descriptions of the book plot that just give away too much info. Sort of like how for the movie "Interstellar" (spoiler alert, jump to the next paragraph if you have not seen that movie but plan to on cable), more than one site blabbed about how many years went by on Earth, specifically for a major character (I was glad I saw the movie early and had not read that first).
So, after the pics below, I'll copy my basic description of what it is, and is not, without spoiling anything that is not in the first chapter of the book.
If you're not into book readin', that's OK, just wait for Thanksgiving and avoid trying to find out more unless you do not care about possible spoilers. But if you want to read a great sci-fi book. that is actually realistic, get the book and read it, don't go looking for more info or you'll likely spoil some really neat stuff.
- George Gassaway
This pic looks like Damon's helmet faceplate is off. Well, must be a break in the filming, as the story has no technobabble/magic solution to allow the atmosphere on Mars to be breatheable (unlike the tricks on "Robinson Crusoe on Mars", for example). Or....possibly they wanted a clear view of his face and a virtual faceplate will be added by CGI (as was done in a least some scenes in "Gravity"), but it's likely just during a break. The Earth-blue sky of the pics will probably be changed to a reddish tint, and the ground redder. Edit - Forgot that the Mars sky is actually blue most of the time, other than when the sun is low on the horizon and dust storms
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?57796-Anybody-else-read-quot-Wool-quot/page2
A great book. Which those of us who already read it, were happy to hear the news that it was being made into a movie, which will be released at Thanksgiving. Directed by Ridley Scott, starring Matt Damon, and quite an interesting collection of other actors which include includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Sean Bean, Michael Pena, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mackenzie Davis, and Donald Glover.
There is still no official trailer for it, despite claims by fakers. Although some clips were shown at a recent sci-fi convention.
EDIT - There are two real trailers now. See messages #25 and 29.
A few photos have been released, I'll include two at the end of this message.
I recently started re-reading the book. It is interesting to re-read it, even knowing how it goes. And now to put "faces" with a lot of the characters by knowing who is playing what. Envisioning a critical early scene with the character Mindy Park, played by Mackenzie Davis, for example - I won't even hint at what that scene is about but anyone who reads it should know what I mean.
I have one big recommendation for those who have not heard of it, and want to find out more about it...... you might not WANT to find out much more. At least not about the plot. Because already there are online descriptions of the book plot that just give away too much info. Sort of like how for the movie "Interstellar" (spoiler alert, jump to the next paragraph if you have not seen that movie but plan to on cable), more than one site blabbed about how many years went by on Earth, specifically for a major character (I was glad I saw the movie early and had not read that first).
So, after the pics below, I'll copy my basic description of what it is, and is not, without spoiling anything that is not in the first chapter of the book.
If you're not into book readin', that's OK, just wait for Thanksgiving and avoid trying to find out more unless you do not care about possible spoilers. But if you want to read a great sci-fi book. that is actually realistic, get the book and read it, don't go looking for more info or you'll likely spoil some really neat stuff.
- George Gassaway
This pic looks like Damon's helmet faceplate is off. Well, must be a break in the filming, as the story has no technobabble/magic solution to allow the atmosphere on Mars to be breatheable (unlike the tricks on "Robinson Crusoe on Mars", for example). Or....possibly they wanted a clear view of his face and a virtual faceplate will be added by CGI (as was done in a least some scenes in "Gravity"), but it's likely just during a break. The Earth-blue sky of the pics will probably be changed to a reddish tint, and the ground redder. Edit - Forgot that the Mars sky is actually blue most of the time, other than when the sun is low on the horizon and dust storms
I realized I went a bit too far in not trying to spoil anything, that so far there has been no basic description of what "The Martian" is, or isn't.
It is not about aliens or monsters.
It is not about using some future "technobabble" technology magic.
It is a realistic story that uses the same technology as exists today, but more advanced as it would be a few decades into the future.
It IS about a future mission of humans from Earth to Mars (Sadly, that is the most outrageous fictional part of the book .. that we'd actually DO it, and actually plan to do many of them).
The story is about the third mission, which was getting about the same attention on Earth as the 3rd planned lunar landing on the Moon (Apollo 13, which was being mostly ignored until, you know).
Mission 3 lands safely on Mars, the crew sets up camp, begins exploring, and so on. Routine.
A few days later... a natural event happens a severe one . leading to a disaster.
I've not spoiled earlier chapters of the book, because the book starts off after the disaster has occurred, and the above is described early in chapter 1, beginning with the 9th paragraph.
There are many clever moments in the book. Even at least a couple of "OMG" moments. Many many problems to be solved, or else. Also many setbacks. Also, some old tech. And some very VERY old tech.
Here's a link that has the first chapter, and the first 8 paragraphs of chapter 1 are pasted below:
https://www.space.com/24721-chapter-one-of-the-martian.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Chapter 1: Log Entry SOL 6
I'm pretty much f*****.
That's my considered opinion.
F*****.
Six days into what should be the greatest two months of my life, and it's turned into a nightmare.
I don't even know who'll read this. I guess someone will find it eventually. Maybe a hundred years from now.
For the record . . . I didn't die on Sol 6. Certainly the rest of the crew thought I did, and I can't blame them. Maybe there'll be a day of national mourning for me, and my Wikipedia page will say, "Mark Watney is the only human being to have died on Mars."
And it'll be right, probably. 'Cause I'll surely die here. Just not on Sol 6 when everyone thinks I did.
Let's see . . . where do I begin?"
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