I rarely review a book that I’m still reading, but Andy Weir has outdone himself. This is the beat book I’ve read all year. I received an advance copy and I can’t put it down. I don’t want to tell you what happens because the story unfolds so beautifully, you’ll want to experience it for yourself. It’s Andy Weir so you know Space is involved.
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54493401-project-hail-mary" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Project Hail Mary" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1597695864l/54493401._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54493401-project-hail-mary">Project Hail Mary</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6540057.Andy_Weir">Andy Weir</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4048248752">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I rarely review a book that I’m still reading, but Andy Weir has outdone himself. This is the beat book I’ve read all year. I received an advance copy and I can’t put it down. I don’t want to tell you what happens because the story unfolds so beautifully, you’ll want to experience it for yourself. It’s Andy Weir so you know Space is involved.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3494299-lisa">View all my reviews</a>

Ryland Grace wakes up from a deep sleep not remembering his name let alone who he is. All he knows is that he's the only one who's alive, and he's somewhere far away from home.

This was somewhat similar to The Martian, because we saw a man that was all alone trying to survive in space plus there was that dash of humor. I didn't mind at all that there were some similarities because I loved the Martian! I will say that the science was more hardcore in this one and a lot of it went over my head. I was still able to have a fun time reading this one though! If you liked the Martian especially all the science behind it, you'll want to read this book too!

I can also see this book becoming a movie, and I really hope we get an adaptation in the future! Even a sequel to this book would be fun, because the ending left us with so much to think about.

If you're looking for a survival story, a sci-fi read or a story that takes place in outer space, you'll love this one!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this title. I loved The Martian & even though sci-fi isn't my preferred genre, I love his writing style. It's funny and full of nerdiness, but also speaks to much larger issues about how we exist as humans on our lonely little planet. I couldn't stop reading or talking about this book & it will stick with me.

Wow, what an interesting book! I, like a lot of people, loved The Martian and wondered how another book so similar could be different enough to be interesting. Well, it was! I enjoyed the characters so much! I loved the second main character and how creative it was. I also like how the story unfolded between the two timelines. I did not predict how they were going to intersect. The ending was also excellent! I couldn't imagine how it was going to end, but I loved it. The only (picky) thing that kept it from 5 stars for me was the heavy science. There were a few science things that I had to skim over because it was above me. Overall a great book that I think anyone would enjoy!

I loved this book and give it 5 stars. I was excited to read this new book by Andy Weir because I loved The Martian. Project Hail Mary did not disappoint, it is even better than The Martian. Hard science fiction is one of my favorite genres. Project Hail Mary contained a lot of actual math and science. Even though I didn't always understand the science and math, I believed it, which is a hallmark of a good book. Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship with no memory of who he is or how he got there. I liked the plot device of gradual returning memories to tell the story or how and why he came to be on the spaceship. Like all science fiction you have to suspend belief at times and just go with the story. Read this book, you won't be disappointed. Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

This is my first Andy Weir book and it will definitely not be my last.
I'm not a huge science buff but this book had me turning the pages to see how the story pans out.

From the first chapter which just hooks you in you need to know what happens. Ryland Grace is the last survivor on earth and the book starts with him waking up in a strange white pod-like place from a deep sleep with big gaps in his memory. That was enough I needed to know what happened to Ryland Grace!
The quest to figure out who he is, to save humankind and get back home is done so well.
And the good thing is that the story doesn't let up despite the science bit and yes, there's a lot of it in there. The author has done such a fabulous job of researching everything.
The characterisations, the humour which is spot on and the whole plot was extremely well done.

I can't wait to read the next Andy Weir book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I included this book in "This Sunday marks 50 years since Mariner 9 set off for Mars. Explore space from your sofa with these 4 books" for The Seattle Times. Check it out at the link below:

https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/books/this-sunday-marks-50-years-since-mariner-9-set-off-for-mars-explore-space-from-your-sofa-with-these-4-books/

Hats off to Andy Weir for another fabulous book! His books are far from my normal genre but I will always read them because I enjoy his writing style and humor so much. I'm in awe of his knowledge of engineering, science and space and I always learn something as well. This was such a great space adventure story, maybe a little far fetched, but I loved it and hope that a movie is made from it. I've already recommended it several times and I can't wait to see what Mr. Weir brings us next!

If you are looking for a thrill ride of SF tale, you are in the right book! Andy Weir manages to bring another lonely hero into a very sticky situation. The tale opens with the hero waking up in an unknown location for an unknown purpose. As his memory slowly returns, the reader is sucked into a tale of desperation to save the earth from an upcoming ice age. Dr. Grace needs to make plenty of difficult choices to get himself out of the sticky wickets he finds himself in. And this time Andy Weir provides his hero with a buddy! Plenty of adventure, plenty of science, and an overall good read!

I had a blast reading this latest novel by Andy Weir, the author of my favorite book The Martian. This brought me right back to high school AP Chemistry with all the science jargon, sometimes hard to follow, but not super vital to remember the small details in order to keep up with the story. I could totally see this being made into a movie and I'm curious to see how they would bring Rocky to life! And what is this rumbling I hear that Ryan Gosling is already on board to help with this movie?? While I didn't agree with all the decisions the characters made, mainly the side characters, I really loved this new space expedition by Andy! The Martian still holds supreme as my favorite by him, but this was a million times better than his second book, Artemis.

Just as great as the Martian. You can't go wrong with Andy Weirs books. I highly recommend this book.

I’m a big fan of Andy Weir and was so excited when I received an ARC of Project Hail Mary. Weir is just one of those authors that you know their next book is gonna be good. I put off reading it for a bit because I didn’t want to finish it. I’m definitely sad it’s over and I’ll have to begin the wait for the next one! Andy Weir is so gifted at writing that even when he’s explaining complicated scientific problems and solutions, I can still follow along and be entertained without being bored. That’s definitely a feat in itself!

I found Project Hail Mary to be a bit different in tone than Weir’s previous novels. Somehow he takes the premise of Earth being on the brink of death and makes the novel somewhat hopeful with his dry humor. I really enjoyed that you’re following along and discovering all the problems and twists with the main character, Ryland Grace. I don’t want to say too much about the novel because I hate reading spoilers, but there’s plenty of things in this novel that I usually say a hard no to or find cheesy in other novels but it somehow works in Project Hail Mary. I might even say it’s exactly what makes it so lovable. All in all, I’ll say I highly recommend Project Hail Mary and probably anything Andy Weir writes!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for this ARC! It was fantastic!

Andy Weir is a really interesting author. He blends science with story, heavily detailed and with humanity.

Project Hail Mary is more similar to The Martian than Artemis but for me, still was not as great as The Martian. The premise is super interesting and scary- weird substance is starting to absorb the sun and creating a crisis that will result in human extinction. Definitely was hooked from the beginning with that scenario.

The story is told in flashbacks and current state as he gets his memory back after awaking from his coma. The twist comes from meeting an alien, the friendship they formed (which was truly a high point) and then finally the solution. My biggest complaint is the revelation of how he came to be on the ship and the complete lack of details about what is happening on Earth. I want a whole book about what is going on with earth at the time, how they managed to survive (if they did), and how they maybe honored him.

The book kept me hooked until the end, but I wanted more.

Ryland Grace wakes up in a spaceship, with no memory and two mummified bodies in the room with him. What could go wrong? Lots, obviously, but Weir takes the reader on another fascinating, surprising, and suspenseful ride through outer space. Grace is a witty, likable narrator, and once the action gets going, the book moves swiftly. Alternating between flashbacks as Grace regains his memory and the present time events, Weir creates a world that is fascinating and a little too close to the real world for comfort. Could this be our future? If it is, I hope we have a pair like Grace and his new friends on our side.

My only complaint about this novel is that there were times when the science became overly technical, and honestly a bit boring for this liberal arts major. But Weir seemed to correct himself quickly, making the jargon palatable and understandable for any reader. Highly recommend!

I received an ARC of this novel from Net Galley.

**I would give this book 10 stars if I could** I saw the movie ‘The Martian’ before I read the book. I loved the movie so much that I read the book. And the book was BETTER than the movie AFTER I SAW THE MOVIE FIRST, which, for me. never happens. And if it happens for you, please let me in on your secret! So when Project Hail Mary came out, I was so so so excited to read it. It was on the longer side and took me a bit to read, but it was worth every night that I lacked sleep (I had a hard time putting it down, I actually fell asleep reading it a few times). I have always been interested in space and the unknown, and even though this book was not based on actual events, it was so exciting to read. It follows Dr. Grace on his quest to save mankind in the outer depths of the universe. I can’t even begin to go into detail of this book because it is just one of the those books that you HAVE TO READ. Expect interstellar space travel and aliens and obviously things to go wrong (because what kind of book would it be if everything happened exactly as planned). But the end?! I can honestly say that I didn’t think I would want it to end that way, BUT I WAS SO HAPPY THAT IT DID. It completed the book more than I thought I wanted it to. The story ended and I didn’t want more, It was perfect. Thank you to the publisher and NetGally for a copy of this book in return for my honest review.

Writing in the first person frequently results in a succession of sentences with similar beginnings; “I this …”, “I that …”. However, in ‘Project Hail Mary’, Andy Weir shows a command of that writing style by not only beginning every sentence differently but by doing so in an interesting and easy reading manner.

The ‘Project Hail Mary’ story is about Doctor Ryland Grace who, as the story begins, works as a middle school science teacher after having been washed out of academia due to the ridicule he received for positing that planet life could begin without water. That theory, largely proved correct by current events, results in his recruitment to head up an international science team whose mission is to combat a microbial plague threatening Earth’s continued existence as a habitable planet. These microbes are feeding off of the sun’s energy thus diminishing radiant light reaching the earth.

Despite his innate aversion to taking personal risks, he is sent by force on a one-way suicide mission to Tau Ceti, one of several nearby plague-infested stars. The microbial cells making up the infestation are used for rocket fuel as their massive energy stores can be easily released in a controlled way for interstellar propulsion. At the end of the voyage, the ship’s computer awakens him from a medically induced coma. Initially, Grace cannot remember who he is or where he is but soon finds that he is on a spaceship and is the sole survivor. Memory flashes come to him over the ensuing days. Those memories coupled with his innate scientific curiosity led him to remember his name and his mission which is to find out why the Tau Ceti sun has not lost any of its luminosity as a result of the interstellar microbial plague. No sooner does he start his scientific observations than he comes across an alien ship searching for the same thing. Befriending the only surviving alien crew member of that ship, a highly talented engineer, the two set out together to find the reason for Tau Ceti’s survival.

Soon they discover the difference between Tau Ceti’s star system and the other infected star systems. Making that discovery necessitates the taking of risks that ultimately compromises their combined ability to survive. The gathered information is ultimately sent back to earth by loading microbial samples of a phage-eating predator along with Doctor Grace’s mission and research notes into an earth-bound robotic messenger rocket that was attached to his spaceship to be used for that purpose. Grace then migrates to his new alien friend’s planet delivering the predator microbes and the scientific knowledge needed to combat their own solar system’s infection.

While the storyline may seem straightforward, Weir handles the suspenseful plot turns with captivating character dialog. Project Hail Mary merits its place on the bestseller list.

Andy Weir is my go to science fiction author and if it wouldn’t be for him, I’d almost never read the genre. The author takes the interesting topic of space and turns it into a novel that anyone can read and enjoy. Highly recommend.

Project Hail Mary was everything that I expected from Andy Weir. This book is as science-y as The Martian, has likeable, smart, tenacious characters like Artemis but this one takes both aspects and wraps it up into one amazing story.

The book is pretty heavy on science and technology, and can be a bit overwhelming for those without a STEM background. Andy Weir did his best explaining everything carefully, but those that have a strong background in mathematics, physics, chemistry or astronomy will enjoy this book most. Admittedly, I did get lost in the STEM concepts but the story was so good that I just glossed over these parts.

Regardless of your background, you will enjoy the wild ride through space. The suspense, danger, and problem-solving were exciting and captivating. This is a true scientific thriller.

This story is about keeping a clear head in crisis situations, finding humor, hope and establishing connections in unexpected. It's about overcoming fear, adversity, and being resourceful. This book is about survival, challenges, and becoming all that you are capable of. It will make you laugh, cry, and ponder. I highly recommend this book!

My dad likes to call me, randomly, just to ask the usual how-are-you, what's-the-meaning-of-life, I-was-contemplating-my-existence-today-and... questions as if we have been in the middle of an active and lively philosophical debate the past gagillion hours. The other day, I answer his call, and the first thing he asks is, "so what are you reading now, kid?"

He could not sit through a breathy and hurried--I was desperately trying to get back to Dr. Grace and Rocky's current dilemma when I got the call--one minute explanation of what I was reading before blurting out his reductionist views on modern literature and his particular disdain for space adventures. He asked me, "what commentary on humanity and its struggles and virtues can that book possibly make that would be enlightening and enriching to your life?"

Though I'm not trying to make my dad sound like the reductionist one, his question (myopic as it is) stumped me in the moment. Grasping at straws, all I could think to reply with was some pseudo-intellectual mishmash of Wilde's notion that art for art's sake is and should be plenty of art for most of us plebes that make up the backbone of society and take up entirely too much air neck-breathing our annoying and contrived ideals onto each other. The book is just meant to be enjoyed, as some books and things in life are.

We settled on a variant of 'agree to disagree' and that was that.

I was left with the burning question of purpose and time and relative dimensions in space...nah, only joking.

But it did get me thinking, and the truth is: there's plenty about this book that caused me to reflect on the nature of humanity, what sets us apart from each other, what motivates us, etc. etc.

If you have any experience reading Andy Weir's work, you'll quickly find familiar ground in the character of Ryland Grace. Like The Martian's Mark Watney, Grace seems to be another facet of Weir's personality come to life in the story's pages. The off-kilter, sometimes self-deprecating sense of humor that Watney--understandably--relies on whilst being stranded on Mars is also apparent in Grace's character, though a little more cleaned up with respect to cussing and vulgarities given Grace's profession of defunct-scientist-made-middle-school-teacher.

Grace is stranded in space. He's lost and alone. He talks to himself and figures out complex science scenarios out loud when he's in a pinch. There's a macabre sense of impending doom mixed with light-hearted humor to curb the fear and terror of inescapable death. To Martian readers, all of this is very familiar, almost to the point of rehashing.

...but damnit it still works!

I was attached. That part wasn't hard. I care about Ryland, coward though he is. But he's funny, he's smart, he's stranded and he corrals his cojones in an attempt to be Earth's hero. Who, in his position, would be any less afraid or adverse to bouts of cowardice?

Ryland is sent out into the tenebrous depths of space to try to find a solution to Earth's problem: astrophage. This unicellular space organism eats up energy from the sun, leeching warmth from Earth and threatening to send all of Earth's life into a forced ice age. At the start of the novel, Ryland awakens from your typical spacey cryo-coma sleep, not knowing who he is, or why he is on this mission. Slowly, he starts piecing his memories together, forming a cohesive narrative that explains the why's and the how's of his mission. Still, the fact remains: he is alone on this mission.

Until he meets Rocky. And lemme just say: I. friggin. ADORE. Rocky.

I'm not used to writing excessively detailed or spoiled-riddled reviews, so I'll spare the superfluous generalities and simply state: the partnership that forms between Ryland and Rocky is enough to make this read a worthwhile one. Maybe Weir has tapped into the successful formula for writing quirky science dramas that rehashes different versions of being trapped in the vastness of space and we'll just keep seeing more and more of these pop up over the years, but I'll be damned if he doesn't write some great characters!

Sandwiched between the nefarious vacuum of space and some random mechanical malfunction in the belly of the ship, Ryland and Rocky work together to bridge their communication and find a solution to their problem. Along the way, they form a friendship and Weir generously sprinkles comedic interjections between the two in which seemingly simple things (to humans) when explained to complex life forms like Rocky end up sounding something like

"I can't imagine explaining "sleep" to someone who had never heard of it. Hey, I'm going to fall unconscious and hallucinate for a while. By the way, I spend a third of my time doing this. And if I can't do it for a while, I go insane and eventually die. No need for concern.


Really, the charm is all in how the two interact with each other. And I was very happy to see that Weir's sense of humor was masterfully translated to Rocky--an alien species whose communication is based on musical notes and tones.

He puts his claw against the divider. "Fist my bump."

"Fist bump. It's just 'fist-bump'."

"Understand."



Ultimately, plot fell secondary to the dynamic Weir developed between Ryland and Rocky. A very close second, though, cause space goop that eats sunlight is still pretty freaking interesting. But! In answer to what did this novel teach me about humanity?

Well Dad, this novel showed me the wonderful intricacies of forming long-lasting friendships with aliens from outer space. It provided a detailed anthropological and humanitarian perspective into developing intergalactic relationships in the face of overwhelming odds and probable death. It showed me that friendship can work long distance!

And also that I really really want a friend like Rocky.

Maybe it's not too late for me to become an astronaut.

***Many thanks and apologies to NetGalley for kindly offering me an ARC way before the book came out even though I did not get around to reading it until last week.***

Hail Mary was a slow burn for the first 30% or so for me, (I had to skim and trust a lot of the science/chemistry stuff-while truly appreciating the genius of it) but once the key relationship began to develop, I was hooked. I stayed up until 2:30 in the morning to finish it, is how much the last 40% or so picked up for me-I had to know what was going to happen.

If you read and enjoyed The Martian, I suspect you will love this. (I found the main character of The Martian a little bit more likable but once I heard that Ryan Gosling will be playing Ryland Grace I was fully on board with rooting for him as I mentally pictured this novel.)