I’m immensely pleased and proud to reveal the full release details of our fine press edition of The Martian by Andy Weir, illustrated by Yuxing Zhang!
It’s hard not to love The Martian with its colourful main character Mark Watney and realistic/detailed science troubleshooting that goes on throughout the story. A real story of overcoming adversity with a particularly satisfying ending.
An undeniably popular novel selling well over 3 million copies since it was picked up by Crown Publishing in 2014. Its popularity prompted the bigwigs in Hollywood to turn it into a movie with the one and only Matt Damon! Matttttt…. Dammonnnn….
We’re following our usual publishing format with all copies receiving the letterpress and hand-binding treatment, something not done before for this story. We will of course be publishing three tiers:
– Standard Edition – x500 copies
– Deluxe Edition – x200 copies
– Lettered Edition – x26 copies
We have tried everything we can to price this sensibly due to current market factors, but as always it’s difficult when my costs continue to rise.
Also included with the CK release of this book is “The Lost Sols”! The Lost Sols are a series of extra log entries Andy Weir wrote for the 10th anniversary edition. After a suggestion by a customer of ours we just had to try and get them in our edition and we have! We always listen to suggestions from customers.
It’s also worth mentioning that if this goes well we will likely publish Project Hail Mary too as that is also a brilliant read and an incredibly enjoyable story. Right, on to the details:
The Martian
Andy Weir’s The Martian began as a self-published project, initially posted chapter-by-chapter on his blog starting in 2009, where it gained a dedicated online following. Responding to reader demand, Andy compiled the story into an e-book and sold it on Amazon for $0.99 in 2011, quickly amassing thousands of downloads and glowing reviews. This success caught the attention of literary agents and publishers, leading to a deal with Crown Publishing, a division of Random House. The novel was professionally edited and released in hardcover in 2014, becoming a bestseller and later adapted into a successful film directed by Ridley Scott in 2015.
The Martian follows astronaut Mark Watney, who becomes stranded alone on Mars after a fierce dust storm forces his crew to evacuate, believing him dead. Left with limited supplies and no way to communicate with Earth, Watney must rely on his ingenuity, scientific knowledge, and resourcefulness to survive the harsh Martian environment. Through a series of clever engineering feats and relentless problem-solving, he grows food, generates water, and attempts to contact NASA, all while facing life-threatening challenges. The novel chronicles his gripping, humorous, and resilient fight for survival against overwhelming odds, alongside the efforts of his crew and mission control to bring him home.
Andy Weir
Born on June 16, 1972, in Davis, California, and grew up with a passion for science fiction and computer programming. A self-proclaimed geek, he began writing computer programs at age 15 and later worked as a software engineer for companies like AOL and Blizzard Entertainment. His love for detailed scientific accuracy and storytelling led him to write The Martian, which he initially self-published in 2011 after posting it for free on his blog, gaining a massive online following that launched his career as a bestselling author.
Following the success of The Martian, which was adapted into a 2015 blockbuster film directed by Ridley Scott, Weir continued to write science fiction novels blending humor, science, and adventure. His later works, including Artemis (2017) and Project Hail Mary (2021), also received critical acclaim, with the latter being adapted into a film. Weir’s distinctive style, rooted in meticulous research and accessible storytelling, has made him a prominent figure in modern science fiction, captivating readers and audiences worldwide.
Art
We have the lovely and incredibly talented Yuxing Zhang illustrating this release with 10 full colour illustrations. I came across Yuxing on Artstation having seen some brilliant work he had done utilising astronauts, and I knew then he would be ideal for working on this title and he has not disappointed at all!
As part of the 10 pieces Yuxing has produced a stunning wraparound illustration for the Standard Edition dustjacket of the final scene. It can’t have been easy to pull together this kind of composition for a scene involving Mark being caught by his teammate after leaving Mars in a ramshackle (and old) craft.
The incredible wraparound piece for the Standard dustjacket is below! We’ll be adding some subtle foil stamping on the spine with the title/author etc for production.
Yuxing Zhang is a freelance Chinese concept artist and illustrator based in Shanghai and is known for his captivating science fiction-themed digital artworks that blend futuristic aesthetics with intricate detailing. His art style features vibrant, atmospheric compositions, often depicting expansive sci-fi landscapes, sleek spacecraft, and dynamic character designs. Zhang’s work emphasizes a cinematic quality, using bold color palettes, dramatic lighting, and meticulous textures to create immersive, otherworldly scenes. His illustrations, showcased on platforms like ArtStation, reflect a fusion of technical precision and imaginative storytelling, drawing viewers into richly conceptualized universes that feel both futuristic and grounded in a sense of adventure.
Standard Edition
Limited to 500 copies only, the Standard Edition is over 370 pages and is letterpress printed on Munken Lynx White 120gsm paper by Hand & Eye Press, London. This is the only version with the wraparound dustjacket art by Yuxing Zhang.
The boards are bound in a printed buckram cloth which has a Mark Watney “ID Card” design across the front and the back, underneath the dustjacket. The spine is rounded and comes with blue head and tailbands and a “rust” coloured ribbon. This edition comes with an illustrated endpaper by Yuxing Zhang.
The slipcase is covered in a “rust” heritage buckram bookcloth and has two hits of foil stamping on both sides in white and black. Each copy is handbound by Ludlow Bookbinders.
This edition is signed by both the author and the artist.
Pre-order Price – £205
Published Price – £225
*We are aware of a typo on the printed boards and will be rectified for production
Deluxe Edition
Limited to 200 copies only. The Deluxe Edition is over 370 pages and is letterpress printed on Munken Lynx White 120gsm paper by Hand & Eye Press, London.
The boards are covered in a deep red “Pivoine” Suedel and comes with a spacecraft onlay on both the front and back boards in Corvon Carbon-X Maroon paper that emulates the style of carbon fibre. The spine has been rounded and comes with two hits of foil stamping as well as white head and tailbands and red ribbon. The top edge has also been hand-sprayed black with red flecks to match the book.
The slipcase is covered in Corvon Carbon-X Maroon paper with the entrance of the case covered in the same “Pivoine” Suedel creating a matching entrance when removing the book. The spine has a stamped label of three colours as well as stamping directly onto the slipcase itself.
This edition is signed by both the author and the artist.
Pre-order Price – £565
Published Price – £590
Lettered Edition
Limited to 26 copies only. The Lettered Edition is over 370 pages and is letterpress printed on Mohawk Superfine White 148gsm paper by Hand & Eye Press, London.
We had a unique and custom paper created for this edition by Zoe at Cave Paper which emulates the surface of Mars and is incredibly tactile and fitting for the novel. The book is fully bound in this material and comes with all three gilded edges. The endpaper has been hand-marbled by master-marbler Freya Scott of Paperwilds.
The Solander has been bound in a black Alcantara with two large onlays across the base with another alcantara colour and the Martian paper. The design depicts humanity’s attempt to rescue the lonely Watney from the surface of Mars. There are also three colours of hot foil stamping utilised on the box.
Exterior trays are also bound in the Martian paper and black suedel. We are also planning to add a few extra touches to the inside for the final version!
This edition is signed by both the author and artist.
Pre-Order Price – £1,800
Published Price – £1,900
