#176. The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman

Title:	The Ocean At The End Of The Lane
Author:	Neil Gaiman
Genre:	Supernatural/Fantasy/Fiction
Synopsis:	A young boy encounters a strange family and touches another world where reality shifts and neither memory or perception can be fully trusted.
Verdict:	A beautiful, haunting tale with moments of childhood terror made real and powerful. Gaiman has a gift for writing from the viewpoint of childhood with the innocence and the terror that are each as powerful as the other. Some of the ways that memory is used in this story remind me a bit of Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones, a possible hat tip from one friend to the work of the other.
Pages:	178
Read:	August 2015

#175. The Martian by Andy Weir

Title:	The Martian
Author:	Andy Weir
Genre:	Future/Space Travel/Survival
Synopsis:	Mark Watney is assumed dead after an accident and left alone on Mars when the mission is cancelled and his crewmates evacuate. He has to use what he has, his knowledge and his wits to try survive long enough to be rescued.
Verdict:	An absolutely excellent book that mixes adventure, science and survival with beautiful sarcasm. The personality of the main character makes it a quick and enjoyable read, the science is explained in a way where you can get a decent idea of what is going on if you aren’t science-inclined and can enjoy the detail if you are. This is going on my favourites list. Bonus comment: They did an excellent job with the movie, didn’t leave out anything key and didn’t add anything stupid.
Pages:	369
Read:	August 2015