If you know who Andy Weir is, it’s likely because of the film, The Martian, which is based on his book. What many people don’t know is that he was a programmer and self-publishing author of fanfiction before he became a best-seller. In fact, he self-published The Martian before hitting it big.
He is the reason I love Sci-Fi.
I grew up on Star Wars and Star Trek, and at some point I became a little burned out from the genre. The countless space operas overwhelmed me or else seemed overated. But Weir’s writing style makes the intricacies and complications of science-fiction believable, easy to understand, and endlessly fascinating.
His characters are always struggling to solve some intricate science problem, and I’ve never wanted to learn about science more than when I was listening to his technology-fueled epics. Not only are the details interesting, but Weir has an excellent sense of humor that feels effortlessly twined through the stories.
He has two traditionally published novels other than The Martian. Artemis follows a young smuggler and her adventures across the first city on the moon. My personal favorite is Project Hail Mary, which follows a science teacher who is sent into space to find a way to stop Earth’s sun from being “consumed” by micro-organisms.
Weir’s stories have a way of capturing the imagination as he painlessly details how rocketscience and spacetravel work with quirky characters that bring his work to life. They can also be incredibly thoughtprovoking, as his protagonists often spend long periods alone and pondering the lonely secrets of the universe.
His short stories are of equally good quality, and if you haven’t, please read The Egg. There are few short stories that have completely wrecked me and the way I see the world like this one did.
The unique perspective lends to the mind-bending interpretation of how the universe functions. And the simple premise of a nameless middle-aged man meeting God after death sets up the perfect twist.
“But don’t feel bad about it. Everyone dies,” I said.
The Egg, Andy Weir
Andy Weir is a major inspiration for me. His journey from self-publishing to best-seller gives me hope for my career. His work is so easy to read that it makes me feel smarter. And his stories have the perfect blend of mystery and science that makes each novel a thrilling series of discoveries.
What part of Weir’s writing and stories have you enjoyed most?
Grant Pearson 
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