I'm sorry to say this was my first Andy Weir book.....but it will definitely not be my last. This story is entertainment gone wild with a side of buddy love in the weirdest way. That just means that I've already reread the book it was so good.
The very first zig in this zig zag story is that the pollution that everyone is fighting now is what will ultimately slow down the death of the earth.....yes, instead of destroying us, it will save us. The zag comes when our hero finds himself face-to-face with an inhabitant of another planet who is facing the same world wide destruction as Earth. Are you following? And then our hero cannot go home because he does not have enough food to make the return trip.....which he was never supposed to live to make anyway. There is sooooo much to love about this book. Treat yourself to a me weekend and join the Hail Mary in her trip to save the Earth.

I am a firm believer that a book should start a chapter late, when the main character is already in the midst of some conflict and the reader immediately has questions that they're eager to have answered. Some authors prefer to ease into their openings, letting the reader get a page or two of the main character living their regular (maybe boring?) life. And then there's Andy Weir, who likes to start chapter one with his main character nearly dying. And I am all for that!

Project Hail Mary is very aptly named. It's about an end of the world situation where Earth has thirty seconds left in the 4th quarter to get a touchdown or else the entire planet freezes to death. And there are no timeouts remaining. But sandwiched in the middle of the doomsday plot is a very interesting and highly technical (this is Andy Weir, after all) sci-fi story that one could argue is purely character development with very little plot progression. It encompasses nearly all of the second act, and when I say it's very interesting, I mean there were times when I forgot that every minute our main character Ryland spent exploring this really cool thing*, his entire planet back home was getting one minute closer to extinction.

*I know I'm being vague but I was extremely happy not to know about this particular part of the book beforehand, so I definitely do not want to spoil anything.

I'll admit, some parts of this book were slow, which is why I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5, but overall it was enjoyable and heartfelt and suspenseful in a way that only Andy Weir can make physics problems suspenseful. And just as he starts his book with Ryland in utter turmoil, he also ends Project Hail Mary riiiiight before so many questions are answered. Meaning I thought about this book for days afterwards. And isn't that when you know you've discovered something special?

Andy Weir has done it again! This was a thrill a minute joy ride of a book. I read it thinking of it as a movie. I thought it was much better than the Martian. Similar to the Martian, there are many twists and turns that keep the story moving along quickly. Ryland Grace is a character that remained in my mind even after I finished the book. I definitely recommend this book for anyone who likes fast paced sci fi. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to read an advance copy of this book.

Hands down the top book of 2021! I have been recommending this book to all of our patrons and more. If you haven't read a book by Andy Weir, grab a copy and fall in love. You won't be able to put this book down.

After Artemis, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from Project Hail Mary, Andy Weir’s latest book. However, Project Hail Mary is absolutely a return to more hard science fiction (very heavy on the science!)

Although I liked the main character in Project Hail Mary, and I loved Rocky, I struggled to get into this one because of how heavily Weir leans into the technical science side of things. The book was pretty slow in the beginning because there’s so much background to the story, and it took quite a while for it to pick up. The whole amnesia storyline didn’t quite work for me since it led to so much info-dumping. Although I understand why the author chose this storyline, I think there were other ways to incorporate it.

However, once the book got past the initial science-heavy info-dumps, I enjoyed reading about the adventures of Ryland and Rocky. The last fourth of the book was excellent, both in terms of plot and character development. If you’re a fan of hard science fiction, consider checking this one out!

Wow! Andy Weir hit another one out of the bookstore! This book was amazing and had me until the last page. I can see this being made into another blockbuster movie. I tell my students I'm not a 'sciency' kid, but this book was written so I could understand the complexities of what the protagonist was experiencing. You can't go wrong buying this book! What are you waiting for? Go!!

This story was great! It was funny and full of that science fiction that makes Weir so great! I loved that the story is told through present and past. It was great!

Another fun techy book from the author who blew me away with his frist book. Although not as engaging, this was another fun romp. too many details but thats ok!

This is a great book - showing both strong imagination and research - with both heady topics and in the weeds logistics.

A man wakes up and quickly determines he was in a medical coma, that 2 others didn't fare so well, and then it gets more interesting -- he's on a spaceship near a star! And not just that, but a star dozens of light years away.

With the help of a nanny-ish ship computer, he figures out the controls and begins having memories to piece together why he's there and what his mission is. He's actually a high school science teacher/failed academic who somehow became a worldwide expert on space organism that was stealing the sun's energy.

As he remembers more and more about his mission and what's going on, the plot thickens exponentially. This is a great study in perseverance and experimentation at incredible odds. The perilous situations kept coming to the extent that there probably should have been mention of starting some recording or otherwise ensuring the data would get back to Earth in the event of catastrophe.

Other than that, extremely creative exploration into what it means to be human/alive & the good of the individual vs. the collective and all kinds of relativity.

I will never pass up the chance to read an Andy Weir novel. My little biochemistry brain thrives on his storytelling and strong basis in science. While Project Hail Mary was in the same vein as the other books I have read from him (The Martian and Artemis) there is a very different feel to this one. While the Martian was hilariously plausible, and Artemis was obviously a fictional space drama, this one sits somewhere in the middle. As a result, I didn't adore it in the same way that I did the others. Without being too spoiler-oriented, I found the interaction between Ryland and Rocky to be just one step outside of my suspension of disbelief. Once I decided to get over that incredible hurdle, I settled into an "OK since we are here we should enjoy ourselves" attitude and wound up very satisfied with the conclusion of the story. Definitely one to pick up if you enjoy sci-fi with a fair degree of snark built in.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wish I understood how Andy Weir can write a book about one singular person and make it as fascinating as watching an action movie. This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, wondering what was going to happen, and my friends can attest that I was panicked about so much of it because I was deeply invested in the plot and characters.

My one qualm is with the ending - it wrapped up a little too neatly for my liking, and after the emotional roller coaster I felt the rest of the book, I was expecting something a little more gritty/rough/not neatly tied in a bow. But also, after the emotions I felt, I was glad not to be pissed off at the ending.

Would highly recommend for fans of thrillers and sci fi!

There's something about Andy Weir's work that is boundlessly optimistic even in the face of horrendous odds. And he writes the kind of protagonists that you love and want to succeed.

'The Martian' is easily on my Top Ten books of all time, and possibly ekes into the Big Top Three. 'Project Hail Mary' isn't quite on that par, but it is easily a five star book for me. I love how Weir excels at making science both protagonist and antagonist, and throwing realistic but challenging problems at his main characters.

I think where 'Project Hail Mary' pulls ahead in one respect is emotion. Even more than 'The Martian', 'Hail Mary' pulled some heart strings. I not only sincerely cared for the main character, Ryland Grace, but that are scenes where I was so invested in all the characters and the plot that I teared up.

So. Yeah. My brain probably gives a 4.5 for 'Project Hail Mary', but in my heart, it's a solid 5. Just keep writing, Mr. Weir, and I'll be there to buy your books.

This is one of the funniest and most heartfelt books I've read in a long time and I laughed so hard that I cried. As someone who was a big fan of The Martian and disappointed by Artemis, I was so happy that this story worked with me. The plot was easy and fun to follow and as someone who hated physics and almost failed it, I felt that the science was broken down into an accessible level and only added to my enjoyment of the book. The characters in this book were so well developed and I loved getting to know them. I can really see an improvement from Weir's previous works. The book was even funnier than his previous works but did a great job balancing the humor with some really serious points and I really empathized with what people had to go through. Overall, I really enjoyed my experience reading Project Hail Mary and I would highly recommend this to people who enjoyed The Martian.

What would you do to survive?

Being a fan of The Martian and Artemis, when I saw this book and read the description, I knew I had to read it. This story starts kind of in the middle of things, and you only learn about who Ryland is and how he got in this crazy situation through flashbacks as the story progresses.

Though I love Ryland, his humor and wit, for me it was Rocky who stole the show. Their budding friendship and fight for survival was fabulous, the story filled with great character interaction and suspense.

In the end, I would most definitely recommend this book (or an any of Mr. Weir's books) to anyone.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! If you were lucky enough to read The Martian, by the same author, then I can tell you this is also a book about a space trip. It is written in the same style, which means that yes, there is a lot of math involved in the story telling. If you are anything like me, math is not your favorite subject, but don't let this stop you from reading this great book! You can skim over it, or you can read his explanation for it all. Either way, it shouldn't bother you. The story is told with flash backs and actual time. The flashbacks help you understand how Ryland Grace, a junior high science teacher ends up the only one left alive on a spaceship that was sent into space to look for answers to a question threatening Earth's survival. His story of survival and of his meeting and friendship with an alien being and how they work together is very interesting. They overcome a lot of problems and become fast friends. And while I won't spoil anything, no, he isn't a "little green man." Ryland has several choices to make, especially towards the end of the book. I think he made the right one. I cried.

I understand fully that I am in the minority on this one.
I barely finished it. And I did not love it.
I enjoyed the Martian, I did not enjoy Artemis and was really looking forward to this book. The science was just too heavy for me to absorb and it took away from the overall story for me.
That said, I completely appreciate the research and diligence that Andy Weir does when he writes. This time, it just didn't work for me.
It actually upsets me that I did not like this book much, I really wanted to. I am thankful for the ARC to give it a chance.

Andy Weir has such a great way of writing science fiction! I loved the premise and the protagonist. It was a intense and engrossing read. There were times during the first half of the book that was tedious with the astrophysics details but the plot quickly came together. It left me pondering many issues!

Thank you for the advanced copy!

Very entertaining read! A near-term pre-apocalyptic space adventure about Earth’s changing climate and the global effort to save the world. A timely and fun sci-fi read with lots of solid science and problem solving. The story evolves into an unlikely pairing of heroic astronauts fighting formidable, non-sentient lifeforms. I really enjoyed the hopeful concept of uniting people with diametrically opposed beliefs in the act of solving an overwhelming global problem. If you like sci-fi with science/physics presented in a light-hearted and easily digestible way, this book is for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

A little warning before I start with my review: I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! It was one of the best books I read this year and is already in my all-time favorites. I loved it so much that after reading it I bought the audible-version and reread it instantly. Both versions, the audiobook and the ebook are amazing and both absolutely worth your time. And if that doesn’t show how much I enjoyed this book let me tell you, I bought the hardcover for my shelf as well! I rarely do that anymore and only my favorites will get a place on there.

Just like our hero I went into the story blind and didn’t know anything. Well, I knew it would be in space and the setting was just what I needed at that time.

Ryland is a loveable character; we see the world through his eyes, and I enjoyed that immensely. In flashbacks we get to see what happened in the past and why Ryland is where he is now. Ryland is such a good character because he is flawed like everyone and that makes him seem real.

The writing was great. It was such a joy to read and to listen to. It was funny at times and made me laugh, at other times it was sad and made me cry. I felt all the Emotions.

I don’t want to spoil anything in case you want to go into the story as blind as me, so I won’t say anything about the ending or my favorite part of the book. The only thing I want to say is that everything was just perfect.

When Ryland Grace awakens from a coma, he discovers he is on a spaceship. He doesn't know why, or how, in fact, he can't even remember his own name. Checking his surroundings, Ryland quickly determines he is alone; the other two crew members evidently not making it out of their comas. Well, shoot, not good.

Figuring he has nothing but time, Ryland sets about investigating his surroundings in the hopes he can determine his purpose for being where he is. As his memories slowly return, he understands the importance, and improbability of his task. He's on a solo mission to save Earth from an extinction-level event. So, no pressure.

I absolutely adored this story. I am one of the few people left on the planet who hasn't read, The Martian yet and after reading this, I'm disappointed in myself. This was incredibly well-written; fast-paced, clever and hilarious. I loved Ryland's character so much. His analytical, yet humorous nature, truly made this story shine.

As a longtime Sci-Fi fan, I can honestly say, this is one of the best books I have read in the genre. Everything about it was gripping from start to finish. The way Weir constructed the mystery of it all and then plotted the reveals, chef's kiss!!!

I highly recommend this, even if you don't tend to read Science-Fiction, I believe this story can be enjoyed by Readers of all genres.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. It was a remarkable reading experience, one I will remember for a long time!!