The Martian, by Andy Weir

The Martian, by Andy Weir, narrated by R. C. Bray

When a team of Mars explorers runs into some problems while on Mars, they think that astronaut Mark Watney has died. The rest of the crew avoid the storm by immediately heading back home to Earth. Unknown to them, Watney is still alive and must survive on Mars alone with meager supplies left behind by the Mars expedition. With his extraordinary resourcefulness, he manages to survive while desperately hoping that Earth will realize that he's still alive and come to rescue him. 

Firefly and Serenity - Humor, Adventure, and a Question of Morals

In anticipation of Riverview Theater's yearly showing of the movie Serenity (proceeds benefit Equality Now), my boyfriend and I watched the TV series Firefly. If you haven't watched this show, you need to. 

In this story, created by Joss Whedon, humans have moved from an overpopulated Earth to a galaxy with many planets. A totalitarian government called the Alliance rules.