An astronaut is abandoned on Mars after a dust storm separates him from his crew. Through journal entries, he tells the story of how he tries to survive.

The story starts out a bit dry but it starts to shine once people on Earth realize he’s alive and begin to make plans to rescue him. The POV shifts around between the “Martian”, the NASA employees trying to save him and the members of the crew that left him behind.

The book and the movie have their strengths and weaknesses but I prefer the movie to the book. The set pieces are well served by being presented on screen accompanied by well placed musical cues.