THE MARTIAN

By Andy Weir

Mark Watney takes part in an expedition to Mars.  He is a botanist and a mechanical engineer. His duty there is to study the conditions needed in mars for growing crops.

During the works on the planet, an unexpected storm bursts and the crew is forced to come back to the vessel and take off. The team is safe — all but one. Mark is not able to reach the safety of the space vessel and considered dead.

On planet Earth, the homages and praises to Mark’s memory begin. The  President lauds his sacrifice. Everybody considers Mark to be a fallen hero.

Meanwhile, in Mars, Mark recovers consciousness and decides to struggle for surviving despite the fact he thinks he will never be back on planet Earth, and he will appear in the Wikipedia as the first human who died in Mars.

But Mark’s spirits are high. He uses his knowledge in Botany for growing a crop of potatoes and gets wáter from the hydrogen he finds. Mark gets energy from solar panels that he installs on the HAB’s roof.

As well as he provides himself his daily ration of food (basically the potatoes he manages to grow), he writes a diary so that future expeditions take profit of his stay in Mars. Nevertheless, he never loses the hope of being rescued for he is a fighter.

But the goddess Fortune favors him.  NASA realizes he is alive and the world’s media echoes this. Now Mark is considered as a living hero.

NASA prepares the rescue operations. Meanwhile, in Mars, Mark renews his hopes and fights harder for surviving.

Andy Weir, a computer programmer by trade, wrote this novel with acknowledged accuracy about this spatial Robinson Crusoe. 

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS

By John Boyne

the year 1943 runs when Bruno, a young nine years old boy, has to move from his comfortable house to live far from his friends.

Bruno's father, a nazi officer, has been posted to be in charge of the Auschwitz Camp, He is a strict officer that is never satisfied with Bruno's behaviour despite the fact that he is always doing his best to please him.

The new house is in the middle of the countryside and has a very beatiful garden and a lot of space for playing. But there isn't anybody to play with. 

Sourrounded by soldiers and officers, he is puzzled about the things he sees. There, among the soldiers, there are some people who dress with clothes that are like pyjamas and they obey all the orders and allow to be humiliated.

One day, dead of boredom, he finds a way at the back of the house.that leads to a strange place. There, behind a fence, he meets Shmuel, a boy who lives there and wears a  striped pyjama, 

Bruno understands nothing about what's going on. 

John Boyne narrates with mastery the most dreadfull  events of  WWII through the eyes of a naive nine years old boy.