All posts by Howard Tayler

Reviews

The Martian, by Andy Weir

I picked up The Martian on the strength of Annalee Newitz‘s review of it on io9, and realized after reading the excerpt that the author, Andy Weir, was a webcartoonist at one point (Casey & Andy, back to haunt him!), and also happened to be an old friend of Sandra’s.

Look, I’m not in the habit of reading books just because they were written by an ex-webtooningfriend-of-a-friend , even if the “of-a-friend” friend is my best friend ever. I’m in the habit of reading books that I think I’ll like, and based on the excerpt I was pretty sure I’d like this one.

Holy crap.

The Martian is, bar none, the best hard science fiction I’ve ever read. I don’t know what Andy Weir’s background is, or who helped him with some of this research, but every bit of science in this book with which I had passing familiarity passed with flying colors. The pieces I wasn’t sure about? Well, Andy sold me on them. The potentially boring bits (exploring the chemistry of hydrazine, for instance, which isn’t at all boring if you have a sense of the energies involved, but I digress) were covered entertainingly, and on the few occasions where I decided to skim I only skimmed for a couple of paragraphs because I could tell a bad thing was going to happen and oh crap I’m so tense and…

Holy crap.

Folks, this is hard science fiction, and it’s a thriller, and it’s brilliant.

What’s it about? Man gets stranded on Mars, lost and left for dead in an emergency mission-abort event. Based on the mission specs, he can probably survive for six months. The next landing isn’t for years, and it’s 3,000 kilometers away besides.

I plowed through it yesterday, and while the book has some flaws and shortcomings (the first POV-shift from the 1st-person journal format was jarring, and could have been telegraphed better, but I DON’T CARE) none of them are show-stoppers.

It released this week. I’d love to see Andy’s career take off, and I have no doubt that this is the right launch vehicle for it (pun unavoidable.) Buying the book this week is the best way for you to support a new author, and if you like hard science fiction (note: Schlock Mercenary isn’t really hard science fiction, though I’m tickled that some of you call it that)The Martian by Andy Weir delivers the goods.

Journal

A Trip Through The Minefield

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 I lost my parents over twenty years ago. I’ve been alive longer without them than with them, and I’m not an old guy. So yes, from time to time my thoughts wander across the minefield as I wonder things like "how would Mom feel about this?" or "I bet Dad would have figured this out by now."

Unlike a real minefield this is one you can build up a resistance to. What used to blow off a leg now just means I need to brush my pants clean. The metaphor fails in extended application.

Today I’m positively giddy with excitement. A new (but very good) friend and consummate professional is joining me and some of my other consummately professional friends (also very good) for two days of recording sessions. I sprang awake at 5:15am with the sort of enthusiasm I usually reserve for Christmas.

And I wondered, casting my mind back to my early years "when Dad was 43, was he ever giddy with Christmas-morning-esque enthusiasm?" 

 
[CHING-KLICK] goes the pressure plate to the mine I’ve just stepped on.
 
"No," I say to myself in irritation. "This isn’t ‘I miss Dad,’ this is a serious question. Do you ever remember him being giddy?"
 
I ponder the matter, poring through the jumbled mess of poorly indexed memories from twenty-five, thirty, and thirty-five years ago.
"No," I reply. "I don’t."
 
[BOOOM]
 
Did it explode because I can’t remember something I should, or because I wish my Dad had been a happier person? Regardless, I’m going to need to change these pants.
 
 
 
 
Journal

Dressing Down

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I wore a t-shirt in public today, and threw a "Halo ODST" cap on my dome to complete the grungy ensemble. My usual crisp, professional look stayed in the closet.

I think this is the first time I’ve been this grubby while shopping in around two years.

It’s also the first time a checker has asked not just to compare the signature on my card, but also checked TWO photo IDs (one on my Sam’s Club card, one on my Driver’s License) to confirm my right to pay with Howard V. Tayler’s Discover card.

The moral of the story?

Dress nicely if you want to get away with stealing other people’s credit cards.