Well, I have to say the first thing that disgusted me was the writing style that is found in the log section of the main character. The style "I write as I speak" that is found in many blogs or Anglo-Saxon books. I admit my penchant for a little richer prose. Nothing condescending in my remarks, it's just a habit.
The other thing that strikes at the outset is the psychological character of poverty: it is completely hollow (at least on the first 60 pages). It is the enthusiastic time, even states in his journal that he is screwed. I'm done, I'll die! But it's cool. There's no lizards' He never loses courage seems completely impervious to lower the blues. It should not still spoof: it is alone on an uninhabited planet, abandoned by his closest companions and with survival chances absolute zero. A little bit of time depression time would have been a little more consistent '
I am a techie, I regularly read scientific journals. In short I love science and science fiction, but for once, I admit to not having this hanging unpacking lifelike technical terms. The author of the research we feel upstream but 'I think it failed' or did not have the desire 'to simplify the text to make it more accessible to the reader. Ok it's great, the character managed to fool the oxygen regulator, blocking the device's ports, but the explosion of the hydrogen 'due to oxygen from inhalation' it's going to 4 or 5 pages but a work written in this way, it is a love kills (well for me).
And last thing: it is very, very American. It is a hymn to NASA and the US. The mission is entirely American (which, given the cost 'and little interest, as demonstrated Curiosity robot' of such an expedition, is still quite implausible: international cooperation would more than likely). When NASA announced to the international media that they left a man behind them (oops), it is the whole planet that aims to help but the author finally seems to summarize this help to the only American helping hand (SETI , for the occasion). In short, I do not know, a trip to Mars seemed more open to universality of European, Chinese, South American, African etc. But no. This is the besetting sin of American culture, this "cultural anthropocentrism". Personally, I find that it reduces this beautiful space adventure in a scientific expedition in Texas. Well, the next hand on the heart and eyes planted in the flag had to bear fruit because the book will be adapted for film by Ridley Scott.
