The film was good, and Matt Damon was a strong choice for Mark Watney, but the book simply gives you more. What I like is that the story never feels too neat. Problems keep showing up, things are clunky, and not everything goes smoothly. That makes the survival angle land harder because Watney is constantly forced to adapt rather than glide from one win to the next.
Even with all that pressure, the humour never disappears. That balance is what makes it memorable for me. It is tense without becoming heavy, smart without becoming dry, and funny without undercutting the stakes.