Hatchet

Hatchet Gary Paulsen 2 / 5	Published 1986 First Sentence "Brian Robeson stared out the window of the small plane at the endless green northern wilderness below."
Publisher's Description: ALONE Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the single-engine plane in which he is flying crashes. Suddenly, Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but a tattered Windbreaker and the hatchet his mother gave him as a present -- and the dreadful secret that has been tearing him apart since his parent's divorce. But now Brian has no time for anger, self pity, or despair -- it will take all his know-how and determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed, to survive.  For twenty years Gary Paulsen's award-winning contemporary classic has been the survival story with which all others are compared. This new edition, with a reading group guide, will introduce a new generation of readers to this page-turning, heart-stopping adventure.
Dear Reader, It seemed like everyone and their mother had this book assigned to them in middle school. I never did, though, and because it was an award-winner, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Well? Meh. I always wonder if these books were more appealing when they were actually published, or maybe it's just that survivalist stories just aren't my jam. I suppose I was impressed by a book that could feasibly appeal to a young, male audience, which was a new idea at the time of publication. So I do appreciate that. And I know many loved this story. It just didn't draw me in. While part of me wanted to pay serious attention because you never know when you might be stranded and need basic survival skills - which I think is the appeal of the book, really - I just didn't always enjoy the minutiae of watching Brian set up camp. Part of what might have bothered me, though, was the absolute hopelessness of ever being rescued - that just felt so bleak to me, and I wondered: why bother? Of course, I understand why Brian did, but I don't know if I could have rallied quite like he did - he almost took things in stride, which I very much respect. Perhaps that is just what happens - your survival instinct kicks in before you have time to recognize your hopeless situation for what it is, because yes, food will take precedence over contemplation. Now that I think about it, perhaps the narration was also what negatively influenced the book, for me! The audiobook version featured an older male's voice which just kind of felt lethargic, and it included "dramatic music" at certain points, which I think can work really well if done right - but just wasn't, in this case. Hmm. I also do wonder if this book would have resonated with me more when I was younger. I sometimes feel as if I missed out on some great opportunities for discovering beloved books when I could have identified more with them. But, alas, such is the way life goes! I am glad that I did read this book, finally, even if it will never be a favorite. Yours, Arianna P.S. There are sequels to this book. Sequels! I can't even fathom...has anyone ever read any of them? I am just so curious. Does Brian get stranded again and again? Do we follow him until he grows to adulthood, watching how his life is affected by this formative experience? I'm SO intrigued!

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The Martian

The Martian Andy Weir 4/5	Published 2014 First Sentence "I'm pretty much fucked."
Publisher's Description: Apollo 13 meets Cast Away in this grippingly detailed, brilliantly ingenious man-vs-nature survival thriller, set on the surface of Mars. Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first men to walk on the surface of Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first man to die there. It started with the dust storm that holed his suit and nearly killed him, and that forced his crew to leave him behind, sure he was already dead. Now he's stranded millions of miles from the nearest human being, with no way to even signal Earth that he's alive--and even if he could get word out, his food would be gone years before a rescue mission 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 get him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills--and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit--he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. But will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?
Dear Reader, I have been reading this by flip flopping from hardcover to audiobook. I don't do that often but sometimes I like to see which one I prefer and if I get the book for free, that is also a huge help. This is the first book I've received from bloggingforbooks.org and it came in the mail promptly (after I had already purchased the audiobook through audible). I started reading it hardcover but quickly realized how good this book would be as an audiobook. After switching over, I never looked back... well, there was a night I picked up the book and started reading it the old fashioned way and found myself itching to put the book down and pick up the headphones. Despite my preference, this book is great and should be picked up (whether you read or listen to it). I knew I would like a book that has this thrilling techy side to it, but I was surprised to find out that this book is beloved by MANY readers who don't love that nerdy/techy thing. In case you haven't heard about this book, the basic premise is as follows: Mission to Mars goes wrong, man gets stranded after crew thinks him dead, man attempts to survive, NASA finds out and tries to help man stay alive until rescue can be done. So, based on that... does it sound like it would be widely loved by so many different people with varying taste in books? Yeah, didn't think so. What grips you about this book is that man, Mark, who has this amazingly faulty but comical personality that you just can't help but fall in love with. So you do... and then you start caring very deeply if this man will survive, giving you an attachment to this book you wouldn't have found yourself loving. Obviously, there is a little more to this book than the impressive main character. The Author brings up many questions that are terrifying to think about. How would you feel if you were left behind by your co-workers (basically to die)? Would you give up or face the situation head on and figure out ways to survive? How would you entertain yourself? Would you feel proud to have been the "first" to do things on Mars even though you will probably die anyways? I had a real hard time thinking about some of these and trying to be honest with myself. This situation is unthinkable and heartbreaking on so many levels. I don't want to give it all away but I think this is a book you should read this year, it flew under the radar at first but came to the forefront with a BANG. Don't let the subject scare you, I can almost guarantee you'll enjoy this one (if not love it). Happy Reading, AmberBug P.S. - I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. Here are a few resources about the book: The Martian Press Release A Conversation with Andy Weir More Info About the Author

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