When we say that we are highly anticipating a movie, we aren’t kidding. The Martian, directed by the super-computer also known as Ridley Scott, looks so amazing that we are kind of weirded out by how much we wish we’d paid more attention in those STEM classes instead of Theater and English Lit because then we’d be able to hang with Matt Damon and “do the math.” We like them apples, ifyouknowwhatwemean, Matt. We do.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, take a look at this fall’s probably #1 blockbuster, The Martian.

That looks tense. And hilarious. And emotional. The trifecta of fall movie fare.

And that cast. Kate Mara, Jessica Chastain and Kristen Wiig. #LadyPower

Plus Sebastian Stan, Sean Bean, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Donald Glover. It’s like 75 different fandoms jammed themselves into one casting room and Ridley Scott ejaculated an Oscar season’s wet dream.

That was gross. Sorry. What I’m saying is: people be wanting to see these folks on screen together. It’s a STELLAR cast. And they are all hitting theaters October 2nd.

And that brings us to this month’s Boozy Book Club.

 

September’s Boozy Book Club: The Martian

In preparation for this ridiculously good-looking movie, we are reading The Martian by Andy Weir. I know a bunch of you are ahead of the curve on this one, and have read it already. I know this because my Goodreads feed is basically a star-spangled banner of 5-star reviews. But for those of you who, like me, require a bit of big screen nudge to care about bestsellers and Goodreads Choice Award Winners (this is my skeptical face), we are reading it collectively this month.

Here’s the official summary, for those of you who didn’t watch that video or who don’t believe in the compulsive power of YouTube trailers to make us want to read bestsellers.

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 & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—& 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—& 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?

Optional in September: Uprooted

Our optional book this month is for those of you who need a little bit of our regular fare: fantasy book boyfriend boning. Coming highly recommeneded from one of our favorite (actually our definite favorite) urban fantasy authors, Karen M. Moning, we are also reading Uprooted by Naomi Novik.

Here’s the official summary:

“Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that’s not true: he may be a wizard and immortal, but he’s still a man, and our fathers would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every ten years. He protects us against the Wood, and we’re grateful, but not that grateful.”

Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.

Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.

The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.

But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.

Not unlike The Martian, Uprooted has a string of five star reviews on Goodreads to recommend it. And being highly recommended by the creator of Jericho Z Barrons, herself, I’m really looking forward to meeting this Dragon dude. #ThereBetterBeFantasyBoning

Between now and the end of September, discuss our book club picks in our Goodreads Group and on twitter using the #TNBookClub hashtag.

So, let us know what you think of September’s Boozy Book Club picks in the comments. Which are you looking forward to more: The Martian movie or the novel … or the potential for fantasy boning in Uprooted? Don’t lie. We know you.