“Yes, of course duct tape works in a near-vacuum. Duct tape works anywhere. Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped.”
If you loved The Martian by Andy Weir, you’re certainly not alone. With its captivating blend of science, survival, and humour through its protagonist stranded on Mars, The Martian has become a modern sci-fi favourite. But what should you read next? Whether you’re craving more books like The Martian with smart, resourceful characters, realistic science fiction, or thrilling space-based adventures, this list has something for everyone. Join us today at What We Reading for reads ranging from hard science fiction that dives deep into the technical data to emotional survival stories set on faraway worlds, novels that capture the spirit and intensity that helped make Andy Weir’s tale so iconic. So, if you’re looking for the best books like The Martian, these recommendations are sure to launch you into your next unforgettable sci-fi adventure.
The Martian Summary
Andy Weir’s The Martian is a gripping, smart, and surprisingly funny sci-fi novel that has become a modern classic. When astronaut Mark Watney is accidentally left behind on Mars after a fierce dust storm, NASA believes him to be dead. Yet Mark is still very much alive – and now stranded alone on a hostile planet, with limited supplies and no means of contacting Earth.
A botanist and mechanical engineer, he must rely on his ingenuity, scientific knowledge, and dark humour to survive whilst desperately working to signal for rescue. Packed with real science, clever problem-solving, and heart-pounding tension, The Martian is a masterclass in survival fiction.
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Red Mars (Mars Trilogy #1) – Kim Stanley Robinson
Our first stop on this list of books like The Martian is Kim Stanley Robinson’s Red Mars. This epic novel follows the first hundred scientists and engineers sent to colonise and terraform Mars, turning the famous Red Planet into a habitable world. As they build the first permanent human settlement, tensions begin to mount over political ideologies, corporate interference, and the ethics around changing an entire alien world.
The book masterfully blends hard science, engineering challenges, and human drama, making it a compelling read for anyone who loved the survival elements and scientific accuracy in The Martian. With painstaking attention to Mars’ geology, atmospheric conditions, and long-term terraforming, Red Mars offers a thought-provoking take on space colonisation and the future of humanity.
The Explorer (The Anomaly Quartet #1) – James Smythe
When journalist Cormac Easton is chosen to document the first manned mission into deep space, he dreams about cementing his place in history as one of humanity’s greatest explorers. But, in space, nothing ever goes quite according to plan.
The crew wakes from hypersleep to discover their captain dead in his supposedly fail-proof safety pod. They mourn, and Cormac pens a beautifully worded eulogy back to Earth. The reply they receive is that, no matter what happens, their mission has to continue. But, as the body count soon begins to grow, Cormac finds himself increasingly alone and spiralling towards his own inevitable death. Similar to The Martian, The Explorer by James Smythe is a tense, claustrophobic sci-fi thriller featuring one man’s attempt to survive against impossible odds.
Adrift – Rob Boffard
In the far-flung depths of space, a group of tourists board a small vessel for what will be the trip of a lifetime. They are setting out on a tour around Sigma Station, a remote mining facility and luxury hotel with stunning views of the Horeshead Nebula. However, during the course of the trip, a mysterious ship with devastating advanced technology attacks the Station.
Their pilot’s quick evasive actions ensure the tour escape with their lives; yet, as the dust settles, they discover they might be the only survivors. Adrift in outer space, out of contact with civilisation, alone on a vastly under-equipped ship, and facing another impending attack, the passengers must work with one another to avoid perishing in the endless void of space. Adrift by Rob Boffard is a fast-paced space survival story, perfect for anyone who loved The Martian.
The Calculating Stars (Lady Astronaut Universe #1) – Mary Robinette Kowal
On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to Earth and wiped out much of the east coast of the United States. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the rest of the Earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonise the stars, and demands a much larger share of the human race to take part in the process.
Elma York’s experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a spot in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put a man on the moon as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved in the program, it doesn’t take long for Elma to question why she can’t go into space, too. Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so compelling that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.
Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir
No list of books like The Martian would be complete without mentioning another one of the best Andy Weir books, Project Hail Mary. This gripping sci-fi novel follows Ryland Grace – a schoolteacher-turned-astronaut – who wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of who he is, or why he’s there. As his memory slowly returns to him, he realises he’s humanity’s last hope: Earth is dying, and his interstellar mission may be the only chance to save it.
With only his intelligence, engineering skills, and an unexpected alien ally, Ryland is forced to solve a series of complex scientific problems in the furthest corners of deep space. Similar to The Martian, Project Hail Mary delivers fast-paced survival drama, realistic science, and a charmingly nerdy protagonist, making it the perfect follow-up if you’re on the search for another thrilling solo space adventure.
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We Are Legion (We Are Bob) (Bobiverse #1) – Dennis E. Taylor
Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. Which makes it a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street. Bob wakes up a century on to find that corpses have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded to a computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in a probe on the hunt for habitable planets.
And the stakes for his mission are high: no less than the first claim to entire worlds. If he turns down the honour, he’ll be switched off permanently. If he accepts, he becomes a prime target. There are other countries attempting to launch their own probes. And they play dirty. The safest place for Bob is in space, heading away from Earth. Or so he thinks. The universe is home to plenty of other nasties, and trespassers like Bob make them very, very mad.
The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress – Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein’s The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is a classic hard science fiction novel that is sure to appeal to fans of The Martian looking for intelligent, thought-provoking tales. Set in the year 2075, the story follows a lunar colony’s rebellion against Earth’s authoritarian rule. Told through the lens of a witty computer technician and a self-aware AI named “Mike,” the novel combines political intrigue, scientific innovation, and survival in a hostile environment.
With detailed engineering, orbital mechanics, and strategic planning, it’s a book that blends rebellion with realism. Similar to The Martian, Heinlein deploys a brilliant protagonist using logic and science to outthink impossible scenarios – only this time, it’s in the service of revolution.
The Terminal Man – Michael Crichton
Another one of the most famous sci-fi books like The Martian, Michael Crichton’s The Terminal Man introduces readers to Harry Benson, a man prone to violent, uncontrollable seizures who is under police guard after attacking two people. Dr. Roger McPherson is head of the Neuropsychiatric Research Unit at University Hospital in Los Angeles, and convinced that he can cure Benson through a procedure dubbed ‘Stage Three’.
During this highly specialised experimental surgery, electrodes will be placed in the subject’s brain, sending monitored, soothing pulses to its pleasure canyons. Whilst the operation is a success, there is an unforeseen development. Benson learns how to control the pulses and increases their frequency. He breaks out – a homicidal maniac loose in the city – and nothing will stop his murderous rampages or impede his deadly agenda.
The Dispatcher (The Dispatcher #1) – John Scalzi
One day, not too long from now, it will become almost impossible to murder someone. 999 times out of a thousand, anyone who is intentionally killed comes back. Whilst we don’t know how, the entire landscape for war, crime, and daily life is changed in an instant. Tony Valdez is a Dispatcher, a licensed professional whose job it is to humanely dispatch those whose circumstances put them in death’s crosshairs, so they can have a second chance to avoid the reaper.
But when a fellow Dispatcher and former friend is apparently kidnapped, Tony discovers that there are some things that are worse than death and that some people are prepared to do almost anything to avenge a supposed wrong. In John Scalzi’s The Dispatcher, it’s a race against time for Valdez to find his friend before it proves to be too late.
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The Dog Stars – Peter Heller
Hig somehow managed to survive the flu pandemic that claimed the lives of everyone he knows. Now his wife is gone, his friends are dead, and he lives in the hangar of a small abandoned airport with his dog, Jasper, and a mercurial, gun-toting misanthrope named Bangley.
But when a random transmission beams through the radio of his 1956 Cessna, the voice ignites a hope deep inside of him that a better life may exist outside the perimeters of their tightly controlled sanctuary. Risking everything, he follows the static-broken trail, only to discover something that is both better and worse than anything he could have ever hoped for. Poignant and post-apocalyptic, The Dog Stars is a lyrical sci-fi tale about a lone man in a changed world, perfect for anyone looking for what to read after The Martian.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
