Crossing Over: Science Fiction Survival Stories

It's time for this month's edition of Crossing Over. If you're not familiar with Crossing Over it's a feature where I recommend an adult book with crossover appeal based on a YA book that is similar. It's basically an if you liked, then try but for crossover books. I'm trying to make this a more regular thing where I pick the books based on that month's theme but I skipped last month because I used that theme in the previous month. Although it's only been about an extra two weeks since my last one so we'll go with it. So because this is Science Fiction month I decided to go with two books that are pretty hot right now but they are both fantastic!

Illunimae by Aime Kaufman and Jay Kristoff 
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Illuminae is a book that will serious mess with your head and give you feels that you were not expecting. After an attack on a planet deep in the solar system, the survivors need to figure out a way to survive despite all kinds of crazy circumstances working against them. The main characters use their understanding of technology and military training to get them through things. There are laughs, there are tears, there is tons of action and by the end of the book you will be on the edge of your seat so terrified about how it will all end for the hero you have come to know and love. But the best part is that it's told in an interesting format with a lot of different perspectives really making for a complex and engaging story.

The Martian by Andy Weir
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The Martian is a book that will give you feels that you were not expecting and have you so much more entertained than you thought a hard sci-fi novel would. After an accident on a planet deep in the solar system a man is left behind and needs to figure out a way to survive despite all kinds of crazy circumstances working against them. The main character uses his understanding of science and military training to get him through things. There are laughs, there are tears, there is tons of action and by the end of the book you will be on the edge of your seat so terrified about how it will all end for the hero you have come to know and love. But the best part is that it's told in an interesting format with a lot of different perspectives really making for a complex and engaging story.

These are both amazing examples of why I love Science Fiction and books about survival. There is a huge focus on science and technology but at the heart of the story it is really about the characters. And both of these books have highly intelligent and snarky, sarcastic characters. If you didn't know, those are the characters that I absolutely love. They are also books that just absolutely build to a conclusion that will have you so engrossed and attached that if you aren't worried or in tears, you must be an AI. They are without a doubt two of my top ten books of the year and must reads for anyone who likes Science Fiction.

Have you read Illuminae and/or The Martian? What did you think? What science fiction crossovers do you like? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Audiobook Review: The Martian by Andy Weir

Title: The Martian Author: Andy Weir Narrator: R.C. Bray Published: February 2014 by Crown (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible) Synopsis: Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—& even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.  Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—& a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

What an exceptionally well-done read. I never doubted that it would be for a second.. This is a book that I have seen a lot of people love. I had it recommended to me by Jessie from Jessie Reads Everything and seriously, she has never steered me wrong. Her recommendations are always really fantastic. The Martian was no exception, it was an intricately plotted and thrilling read with amazing characters and so much humor.

One of the things that blew me away about this book is how captivating and intricate the plot development is in The Martian. I read this book as part of my Adventure/Survival month and that is exactly what this book is about, survival. A man is trapped on Mars and has to use his wits and resources to survive. It's like a post-modern Robinson Crusoe. Which if you never saw my review of Robinson Crusoe, I hated but somehow I loved this book. The difference is that it didn't feel like luck that helped Mark Watney survive, it was skill (more on this and him later). There is no doubt that this is a Science Fiction read, and not just because it takes place in space. There is so much technology and science incorporated in this book. I'm not a big science person, I love stories about space travel but I often get bogged down and lose interest in books that have a lot of complex explanations of why and how things are possible. But The Martian did just that in an interesting way. I felt like I was conducting the science experiments with him, I felt like I was restoring equipment and technology with him. I felt like I was surviving on Mars.

Part of why I felt like I was right there is the narrative style in The Martian. Most of the book is told directly from Mark Watney's perspective through his logs. We see his progress from day to day and know what he is working on whether it is as simple as cooking potatoes or as complicated as rebuilding a part of the structure he was living in after an explosion or some other crisis. The stakes are extremely high her and you feel that in Mark's narration and everything he is doing. You also feel that in the other two perspectives, First we get to see the NASA perspective on the ground and how they are working to help Mark then we get to see the perspective of his fellow astronauts in space. It all combines to create this interesting and well-rounded story with a lot of dramatic irony. We know things that the characters don't and it helps to bring the drama. Not a single perspective is uninteresting and it never felt like it took anything away from Mark and his struggle. In fact it may have made me more invested in that struggle because of the other characters commitment to his survival. It all worked together to create a unique and interesting narrative style that kept me reading from beginning to end.

But probably my favorite thing about this book was the characters. Obviously the character you connected the most with was Mark Watney. Seriously, there is just something amazing about this guy. Pretty early in the book we hear about why he was selected to be part of this mission including some key personality traits. But before we learn that he's resourceful and intelligent, the he won't give up, and that he is prone to crack inappropriate jokes to ease the mood we are able to see that firsthand. I instantly connected with him on a personal level. Mark is the best kind of everyman. He's the class clown that doesn't get annoying, the person you want to be friends with because you can not only have an intelligent conversation with him but you can also have fun at a party. I bet Mark Watney throws some amazing parties. His personality and humor made a serious book lighthearted and fun. He may even have entered "book boyfriend status" for me and that is not a list I add to very often. But in addition to Mark there was also a ton of interesting and likable secondary characters. I particularly enjoyed Venkat and Annie who had a great dynamic as well as all the other astronauts like Captain Lewis, Martinez, Johanssen, and Vogel. They were all so unique and well together.

Finally, because I listened to the audio for The Martian I have to take a second to talk about that. You all know I'm an audiobook fan and there are just some books that I think perfectly fit that medium and this is one of them. The narrative style and intricate plot perfectly fit the audio format. On top of that, the narrator, R.C. Bray, did an amazing job of bringing each of the characters come to life with the different accents as well as subtle personality differences. I'm so glad I listened to this audiobook and if the audible app wasn't being so difficult at that point I would have probably finished it all in a day.

The Martian was an absolutely brilliant Science Fiction novel with an intricately plotted and captivating story of survival, a unique and complex narrative style, and likable characters. Definitely one of my favorite books of the year so far.

I give The Martian by Andy Weir 10 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! Buy, buy, buy. Get your hands on a copy of this book. Fall in love with Mark Watney and get ready for feels as he attempts to survive on Mars. A must read for science fiction fans but even if you aren't a fan of books with all that crazy technology you will love the emotional struggle for this man and the people trying to help him. I'm telling you, READ IT!