The Best Mars Books for Red Planet Fans

"The Martian" (Random House, 2014) is a truly great science fiction book that's heavy on the science. Weir tells the story of Mark Watney, a fictional NASA astronaut stranded on Mars, and his difficult mission to save himself from potential doom in the harsh Red Planet environment. Watney seems to have everything against him, yet Weir deftly explains not only what Watney's survival needs are but also how he goes about trying to make them work. "The Martian" was, of course, also made into a movie in 2015; the film stars Matt Damon as Watney and is directed by space movie veteran Ridley Scott. (Read a comparison of the movie and book here, and read an excerpt from "The Martian" here.) ~Miriam Kramer

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