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books like The Martian
A curated list of gripping, science-driven survival stories featuring intelligent protagonists, realistic technology, and high-stakes problem-solving in extreme environments.
Books Like The Martian
Explore a curated roundup for books like The Martian. We prioritize replay value, depth, and niche-friendly qualities that match the search intent. Scroll the cards, then try the generator for fully personalized recommendations.
Project Hail Mary
A lone scientist wakes up on a spaceship with no memory and must save Earth from a global energy crisis.
Same author as The Martian; combines hard science, humor, and inventive solutions under pressure.
Artemis
A smuggler in the first city on the Moon gets caught in a conspiracy threatening lunar independence.
Also by Andy Weir, features realistic tech, a witty protagonist, and physics-based challenges.
The Apollo Murders
A Cold War-era space thriller involving sabotage, espionage, and a deadly mission to the Moon.
Authentic NASA detail and suspenseful plot driven by technical accuracy and human conflict.
Robinson Crusoe on Mars
A stranded astronaut struggles to survive on Mars using ingenuity and limited resources.
Classic survival-in-space narrative with strong parallels to Mark Watney’s ordeal.
Seveneves
After the Moon explodes, humanity races to survive in orbit amid cascading technological and social collapse.
Epic-scale hard sci-fi with deep scientific rigor and complex engineering challenges.
Leviathan Wakes
A detective and a spaceship crew uncover a conspiracy that threatens the balance of power in the solar system.
Realistic physics, tense survival scenarios, and believable future tech like in The Martian.
The Ministry for the Future
A global effort to combat climate change through radical technology and international cooperation.
Features large-scale problem-solving grounded in real science, much like Watney’s improvisations.
Voyage
An alternate history where NASA mounts a manned mission to Mars in the 1980s.
Meticulously researched depiction of Mars travel with authentic technical and medical challenges.
Spaceward Bound
Scientists simulate Mars missions on Earth, testing isolation, equipment, and survival strategies.
Nonfiction insight into real-world preparation for Martian survival, complementing The Martian's realism.
Packing for Mars
A deep dive into the bizarre and critical details of human space travel and life off Earth.
Reveals the practical, often humorous realities behind surviving in space, echoing The Martian’s tone.
The Right Stuff
Chronicles the early days of the U.S. space program and the pilots who risked their lives.
True stories of courage, technical mastery, and survival against odds—spiritually aligned with The Martian.
Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery
Astronaut Scott Kelly’s memoir of living aboard the International Space Station for 340 days.
Firsthand account of long-term space survival, resilience, and scientific perseverance.
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