Sci-Fi Author Andy Weir Talks Fantasy, Humanity, and Education

This week's guest writer is world renowned Sci-Fi author, Andy Weir.

His latest novel, The Martian, has recently been adapted into a full-length feature film and is slated to grace the big screen later this year.

Below is an introduction to the novel, followed by an exclusive interview with Weir himself.

"Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

"Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.

"After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue 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 kill 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. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?"

- Courtesy of Random House Publishing, copyright 2015

P: What are your three most treasured sci-fi fantasies from childhood? Discuss.

Weir: I would say "I, Robot" (Asimov), "Have Spacesuit, Will Travel" (Heinlein), and "Tunnel in the Sky" (also Heinlein).

P: Would you care to comment on the recent studies regarding how science fiction has been said to have predicted actual events well in advance of their time and how the genre continues to grow and evolve through the ages? In what ways (or to what degree) can science fiction be educational?

AW: Sci-Fi often predicts future [technology] but that's not surprising. People who like to think about future technology are often interested in sci-fi, so it's only natural that such speculations make their way into fiction.

P: Have you yourself ever experienced an extraterrestrial or paranormal/other-worldly encounter? Tell us about it and what effect it had over you, personally.

AW: No I haven't, and I don't believe anyone on Earth ever has. I do believe there's a very high chance of extraterrestrial life existing somewhere out there, I don't believe we've ever had any interaction with it.

P: Pubslush recently posted the following challenge on Prose:

“You are an alien that has just landed on Earth. Describe your first encounter with humanity. (You happen to have a masterful grasp of the English language.)”

How might you respond to this, from the perspective of the lead character in The Martian?

AW: It would depend entirely on where I landed. I would interact with whatever humans I met. So if I landed in India, I would think humans were all like Indians. If I landed in Malaysia, I'd think humans were all like Malaysians. It would take a lifetime of study for me to truly understand the complexity and variety of human cultures.

For more information about Weir, visit his website by copying and pasting the following link into your web browser: www.andyweirauthor.com.

Look for "The Martian," directed by Ridley Scott and starring Kristen Wiig, Jessica Chastain, Matt Damon, Jeff Daniels, among others, to release on November 25, 2015.

For details please visit: imdb.com/title/tt3659388/

You can also find Weir on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/pages/Andy-Weir/462962073803090

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