Genius. Literally. If you're looking for a book with a smart protagonist up against almost insurmountable odds, this is it. I listened to a couple of interviews with the author, which prepared me for the sort of book I was about to experience. There's no romance in here, no inter-personal drama (well, a tiny bit) and little introspection. Just science and adventure. Not a good book for those who break out in hives when they start reading about science. It didn't seem to me that you had to understand the science to enjoy the book, but I come from a physics background, so it may have been easier for me to read it than it might be for someone else. Not necessarily because I understood all of it, but because I felt confident that I didn't have to understand it completely to appreciate the situation and the character's amazing brain. Loving science isn't about grasping every detail. It's about appreciating the spectacle, even when the hows and whys elude you. 
 Ah, what a good read. I needed that. Thanks, Mr. Weir!