I reviewed this book for book and film globe. https://bookandfilmglobe.com/fiction/book-review-project-hail-mary/

An excellent new offering from the author of The Martian - another resourceful hero solving unsolveable problems. I enjoyed every bit of this, and look forward to more from him!

I absolutely LOVED this book! I was immediately fascinated by the premise from the very first page. When some of the twists started rolling around, I literally couldn’t stop reading. I kept telling my husband, “This part is so funny but I can’t tell you about it because it’ll ruin the book” and HE IS GOING TO READ THIS BOOK. He has to. If you’re a fan of sci-do, YOU have to! I’m not too familiar with space travel as you might guess but from what I can tell Weir really did his homework on getting the science right or at least is fantastic at weaving a believable narrative with it. By the time I swiped through the last page, my eyes were full of tears and my heart was heavy that I could not read this book again for the first time. **4.5/5 Stars

At first impression, PROJECT HAIL MARY is the kind of book I'm always looking for - sci-fi in a space setting, character-focused, plenty of intrigue and thrill with a fascinating plot. For the most part, I enjoyed this read - all of the above qualities exist, which enabled me to stick with it all the way through. However, I had a few issues with it that prevented me from rating it very high. First of all, the main character.... is insufferably annoying. I've seen other people mention this in reviews, and while I didn't find him wholly unbearable, I do agree - the character's unaddressed commitment to never using "real" swear words in either his inner or outer voice (replacing them with "gosh", "darn", "heck", etc.) in an otherwise very adult, complex, gritty book is confusing at best and farcical at worst. This combined with his somewhat awkward narrative voice and overall bland/too shallow characterization made him difficult to connect/empathize with. I ended up feeling closer to the alien character! The other, more significant issue I found was the author's rampant racial and cultural stereotyping in the flashbacks (the only notable quality of the Russian character, for example, being her exaggerated love of vodka). All in all, this book disappointed me because the plot hooked me, but the characters and the writing were mediocre at best.

If you enjoyed The Martian and wouldn't mind more science fiction in your Andy Weir books, then I would pick this one up. I think it's great to go into this one blind because the main character wakes up in a situation where they don't know where they are, so you can literally find out everything along with them. It just adds to the thrill of the story.

The book is told like The Martian in that you're getting the inner monologue of the main character. It is very similar to Mark Watney's. The monologue has in-depth scientific breakdowns of the problem or situation with some occasional humor; you'll think think it's Mark Watney 2.0. I didn't mind this as I enjoyed The Martian and Mark's point-of-view a lot, but don't go into this expecting a completely brand new character here.

There are some points where I just had to suspend my disbelief. Again, it is like The Martian with a space survival scenario. The Martian works well because it does feel like a feasible mission that would happen in the real world. The science behind it all then feels really important and like something that will actually work.. This one is much less likely to happen in the real world, so some situations don't feel like they would actually play out in such a convenient way. Again, as long as you don't mind some more fiction in your science fiction, and you like Mr. Weir's first book, you will likely enjoy this one.

Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Following "The Martian" and "The Martian, but on the moon" (real title "Artemis"), Andy Weir is back with "The Martian, but in deep space!" If you were a fan of the previous two, the latest installment in this not-a-series will not disappoint. Weir knows how to write detailed, believable science and how to keep the reader on the edge of their seat as one space hazard after another reminds the protagonist of the ever-present dangers waiting outside Earth's atmosphere. After expanding his cast somewhat for "Artemis," "Project Hail Mary" largely returns to the man-versus-nature style of "The Martian," at least for the first half of the book--to say more would be to invite spoilers. Setting this book a little further from the present, and taking advantage of the unique circumstances that propel the plot, allow Weir to stretch the imagination more than he has in previous work, but he still manages to make the process of discovery and scientific advancement plausible and fun to follow. The non-linear plot also leaves room for a little mystery, which was interesting and gave a little more depth to the book without detracting from the wonderful science at its core. If you're in the mood for a tightly-plotted, always-moving space thriller full of details that will have you googling to see how much is real and how much is fiction, this is the book for you. Any fans of Randall Munroe's xkcd will surely enjoy.

Four and a half out of five stars, a great weekend read.

Spoilers for the entire book follow, so if you want to enjoy the tension, read no further! There are three big twists in this book, which is a good amount more than in either of Weir's two previous books. Two of them are central to the book--the arrival of Rocky, and Ryland's decision not to go back to Earth. The third--that Ryland did not volunteer for his suicide mission--adds depth to his final choice, but didn't quite land with the same weight. Weir is at his best when he sets his characters against the immovable obstacles of life in space, not against their past selves. Revealing that Ryland did not choose to join Project Hail Mary does not substantially change our understanding of him--in fact, even after the accident that left him as the sole remaining candidate, it seems reasonable for him to be a "volunteer" forced into his role by circumstance. Having seen Ryland make the best of his situation for two-thirds of the novel and even appear to make peace with it, to have it revealed that he did not join the mission by choice fails to erase all the good he has already done or undermine the reader's confidence that he will ultimately make the right choice. This being a Weir novel, the "good" outcome is not in doubt; it's telling that he shies away from showing the consequences of nearly three decades of unprecedented turmoil on Earth in favor of giving us closure with Ryland's arrival on Eridani. However, that underlying positivity is a core part of the appeal. There are more than enough dark and unhappy space dramas out there. It is good to have a sterling example where the possibilities of science and the goodwill of humanity are enough to save one man, and ultimately the world.

The biggest twist, though, and I think the most interesting part of the book (especially in comparison to Weir's previous two space adventures), is the arrival of Rocky. By including a genuine alien, Weir gets the chance to do two things. The first is to further push the bounds of technological possibility. Using Astrophage as a source of essentially limitless power gives us a novel propulsion system and all the interesting consequences that come with it, but Rocky's xenonite and sound-based senses open up a whole new range of possibilities. It's impressive that Weir is able to maintain realism and emphasize scientific techniques that we can recognize given the lack of real-world grounding for these new technologies, especially in contrast to his earlier near-future work. Rocky's surprising mode of perception gives rise to the second opportunity for Weir--the chance to write first contact. Having recently read Arkady Martine's take in "A Desolation Called Peace," also featuring aliens that communicate mainly through unintelligible sound, the contrast is particularly striking. "Project"'s human-alien interactions are about universal principles, but in a very different way than "Desolation." Where Martine focuses on language and culture, Weir follows the Voyager space probe's lead and has Ryland establish a communication protocol by referencing key scientific and mathematical concepts. It fits his world, and provides a unique angle on what the universal connections between spacefaring species might be. Weir's willingness to interrogate his preferred communication method--allowing the choice of transparent xenonite to arise by chance, having Rocky not understand "basic" concepts like radiation--is surprising and positive, showing a careful attention to both the real possibilities of communication-through-science and its flaws. It's amazing and entertaining to watch Ryland and Rocky come to understand each other and work together, an unlikely partnership forged by truly exigent circumstances. Rather than the knowledge and comfort of Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass in "Desolation," we are given two protagonists that we get to know at the same time as they get to know each other. Both the buddy-cop dynamic and first contact are classic stories that have their own rich mythologies, yet Weir pulls it off to perfection while never losing sight of his own trademark style and ideas.

Absolutely Brilliant. This was the most intriguing story I've ever read. I was captivated the whole way through. If you loved The Martian, you'll love Project Hail Mary.

Stunning, funny, awe-inspriring, well written and just overall, a fantastic story. This is my favorite Andy Weir novel.

I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion and this is 100% my honest opinion. This story is amazing!

Can Andy Weir capture what we loved about The Martian and recreate it for Project Hail Mary? Having read the novel, I think I can safely answer that question. Yes! This novel wrapped up all of my favorite parts of that narrative and bundled it into something new.

Ryland Grace has found himself all alone in the emptiness of space. He wasn't supposed to be alone, and now the fate of humanity rests on his lonely shoulders. He and his crew had a mission, and it must be completed, regardless of the cost or risks.

If Grace can't figure out how to work his ship solo and conduct the research necessary, it is all of humanity who will be paying the price. He's officially their last hope, so no pressure, right? Thankfully, a sudden twist is about to even out Grace's odds.

“I penetrated the outer cell membrane with a nanosyringe."
"You poked it with a stick?"
"No!" I said. "Well. Yes. But it was a scientific poke with a very scientific stick.”

If you're looking for a book that is full of science and humor, then you're about to hit the jackpot. Project Hail Mary is thrilling, hilarious, and literally bursting from all of the scientific information Weir managed to cram inside.

To be clear, all of those scientific elements were thematically appropriate. Much like the botany experiments, Mart Watney was forced to conduct. It all played a role in Ryland Grace's adventure, fleshing out the story and making it feel real. Horrifying real at times, if I'm being honest.

Ryland's story in Project Hail Mary unfolds over the course of the novel, with two different points in time taking the lead. There's the time before his mission, and then (naturally) his time aboard Project Hail Mary. I was actually surprised by how much intrigue the 'before' time brought with it. You'd think all of the suspense would come from his time spent exploring space. You'd be wrong.

“When I’m stressed out, I revert to imperial units. It’s hard to be an American, okay?”

Readers will probably notice that Grace and Watney have quite a lot in common. They're brilliant, clever, funny, and oh right – totally isolated for long periods in their novel. They face isolation and death in the middle of space, thousands of miles from the nearest human.

Naturally, you might think all of these similarities make Project Hail Mary feel a little dry. But that's not the case; I'm thankful to report. The premise of the novel is vastly different, for starters. Secondly, it felt like there's a lot more going on in this novel: more characters, different threats, the works.

One thing I will note: The Martian had some odd pacing, thanks to the way it was originally released (in serial format online). It had something dramatic happening at regular intervals to keep the readers invested. I feel like Project Hail Mary also had this effect, where there is SO MUCH happening. The guy never gets a break! Perhaps the novel could have ended sooner without some of those events. Though I'm not sure it would have led us to the same ending without those moments, so I'll happily take this novel as is.

Overall I really enjoyed Project Hail Mary. I'm already dreaming of how it would look on the big screen, and I hope it follows its older brother on that path. Fingers crossed! Until then, I'm just going to sit here and hope we'll get another book announced within the next year or two.

SPACE PUNS. SCIENCE PUNS. THE BEETLES IN SPACE! yes you read that right. That’s just a little taste of what is included in this wonderful space opera.

I don’t have a lot of irrational fears but this book discusses one of my biggest irrational fears! I’m not going to say what it is because it’s kind of a spoiler. But, if you have strange space related fears like I do proceed with caution when reading 🤣

However, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was learning about space, IR wavelengths, the solar system, gravity, and relativity while reading a completely entertaining and funny book.

I hope this Andy Weir book also gets turned into a movie! It would be fantastic!

This latest book from Andy Weir, author of The Martian, tells another story about a stranded, solitary, but resourceful man, far away from Earth.

We meet our protagonist as he awakens to find himself on a spaceship, and suffering from amnesia. The rest of the crew is dead, and he doesn't remember his name or anything about the mission he is on, let alone what to do next. Right away we learn that he knows his science and math though, as he devises some clever ways to learn about his surroundings. Memories trickle in, and we flashback to different moments in time, leaving the reader to feel almost as confused as the protagonist. As he slowly regains his memory, he learns about his situation, and the supremely important mission he is on.

This book has quite a bit of scientific information, and I would imagine that some readers might not be familiar with all of the terminology and concepts used in the story. I don't think that this will detract from the enjoyment of the book though, as familiarity with the science isn't really crucial to understanding the general plot elements. If you ARE interested in the science, it only makes the story more interesting in my opinion, because many of the ideas discussed seem to have at least some basis in real theoretical astrophysics. There are a bunch of cool science tricks, that show that author really did his research.

Even though the book is fairly long, at about 500 pages in 30 Chapters; I ended up reading it pretty quickly because I was anxious to find out what would happen next. I was really absorbed in the struggle, and I found it so entertaining when the protagonist had to rely on someone else for help.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. There was plenty of suspense, some cool science-fiction technology, and even a few plot twists thrown in. If you liked The Martian, I think you will also be a fan of this story. It has some similarities, but I liked it even more because the protagonist had more depth, and the stakes were even higher.

I would first like to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for granting me my wish to receive this book to review and NetGalley for providing me with a place to provide a fair and honest review.

What happens when a school science teacher is informed he has to help stop the newly-discovered microbe from taking the heat sources from the sun or else the earth's temperature will drop and kill millions of people? This story will tell you. Ryland Grace finds himself on a strange bed, in space, with little recognition of how he got there. The storyline is told through present times and flashbacks, which help explain Project Hail Mary's mission and Grace's role in it. When a 3-person one-way trip to space turns into a single man's job, Grace begins to become overwhelmed. However, he may not have to take down these microbes alone...

Andy Weir never disappoints. This book was face-paced and although the scientific explanations are a bit above me, the humor involved made it hard to put down. While it is comparable to The Martian, I enjoyed this one a lot more. There was wit, emotion, triumphs, and excitement. I don't want to spoil this book for anybody, but I encourage everyone to pick it up and read it ASAP! It will be in my top 10 books of the year, without a doubt.

"I remembered a lot over the past couple of days. Looks like Project Hail Mary was a success, because here I am, in another star system. Tau Ceti, I assume. It makes sense that I'd mistake it for the sun. Tau Ceti is very similar to the sun as stars go. Same spectral type, color, and so on.
And I know why I'm here! Not just in vague terms like "Oh hey, the world's ending. Make that not happen." But very specifically: Find out why Tau Ceti wasn't affected by Astrophage."

Life on Earth is in big trouble. Scientists at an observatory in St. Petersburg discovered a line emitting infrared light at a specific wavelength, leading from the sun towards Venus. Why these particles were moving to Venus, and why they were glowing, seemed a curiosity at first. But then it was discovered that the sun's output is decreasing - slowly now, but the rate is increasing. The energy produced by the sun will be down 5% in 20 years. That's devastating. Ice age. Crop failures. The end of the world. The nature of that line, known as the Petrova line, is now of vital importance. A probe sent to Venus recovers samples and humans discover - life. Microscopic, extraterrestrial life. We need to know more about it and how to stop it.

Which is where Ryland Grace comes in. Now a junior high school science teacher, he has a doctorate in molecular biology. Before leaving academia, he wrote a paper combatting the assumption that all life requires liquid water. It didn't win him many fans among his fellow scientists. But it did stick his name in enough people's minds that Eva Stratt from the Petrova Taskforce came calling, recruiting Grace to study the sample from Mars. He doesn't think he's the right person for the job. But when Stratt wants something, it's not optional. So Ryland Grace studies the lifeform. They received the name Astrophage, as they're consuming the sun's energy. They emit IR light when they move; they can convert heat energy to mass and emit that light to propel themselves. This propulsion contains enough energy that quantities of Astrophage can be used for interstellar travel. And that means there may be a chance for humanity. Data shows that the same thing is occurring with other stars, Petrova line and all, showing that Astrophage can spread from one solar system to another. Tau Ceti, a star about 12 light years away, isn't experiencing the same dimming, even though it's close enough to other star systems that it seems that it should be infected. That's how Project Hail Mary came about - a spaceship powered by Astrophage, on a one-way interstellar flight to Tau Ceti to discover how it is resilient to Astrophage. Data will be sent back to Earth, but the crew won't.

Ryland Grace, however, currently knows none of this. He awoke in a hospital like setting with no memory - not his name, profession, how he wound up here. There are two other people in the room with him, but they're no help on the memory front, seeing as they've clearly been dead for quite a while. Grace's observations of his environment are enough to tell him he's not on Earth. Memories return bit by bit. At least by the time he arrives at the Tau Ceti system, Grace remembers enough to start the necessary research to hopefully save Earth. Oh, and it looks like another ship got there first.

Y'all. I loved this. The storyline switches between Ryland Grace's present aboard the Hail Mary, and his past, as his memories return, starting with the day he first heard about the Petrova line from an astronomy listserv. This allows us to learn more about Astrophage as he did. The enthusiasm for science and discovery is strong throughout. There's acknowledgment that a lot of the actions taken to deal with the Astrophage issue will definitely have bad long-term effects, but if they don't take those actions, there won't be a long-term. I love the friendship that Grace forms. And what a great ending. It's been a while since I've read The Martian, but I think Project Hail Mary is my favorite book from Andy Weir thus far. I laughed, I cried.

Along with those who've enjoyed Weir's other works, I could see this being a good read for those who enjoyed Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang (one of the stories in this collection was adapted into the movie Arrival).

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the eARC. Project Hail Mary will be published tomorrow, May 4th.

Sometimes endings are illusory, meaning they only are endings at that given time. But sometimes passion and raw ambition found at our core could make us decide otherwise, or work to resurrect what was once thought dead or defunct. It is fitting to resurrect this blog space with the first review being a science-fiction thriller entitled Project Hail Mary, written by Andy Weir, known for the book The Martian that was adapted into a film several years ago. This is my very first exposure to any of Andy Weir’s works, having only heard of the general premise of The Martian right around the time the film was released. Aside from that hype, the book existed on the periphery because the book never interested me in the least bit.

Coming into Project Hail Mary, I had a number of preconceived ideas as to the style of science fiction this book will be: one heavy on the stereotypically hollow machismo of the main male character, lack of any real thoughtful/sensitive exploration of ethical themes, etc, and worst of all, overindulgent hard science descriptions enough to leave me feeling completely apathetic about whatever is going on in the book. All these things were ultimately proven wrong (except for some of the hard science stuff, which you can read more about below), this book was very nearly the antithesis of all my expectations.

Instead I discovered a thoughtful, sometimes deeply engaging thriller that has a nice balance of quiet/somber moments fused with thrilling/fear-inducing life-and-death sequences. There is also the aura of mystery surrounding so much of the book’s story, to the extent that I am refraining from including plot-specific stuff, in an effort to leave the book’s mysteries undisturbed for the reader interested in this book. At the book’s center is a deep, almost reverent appreciation for the universe, an acceptance of the paradoxes and scientific mysteries beyond the scope of our current knowledge, but also a very logical, well-conceived scientific hypothesis a storyline that still explores issues that is squarely in the territory of science fiction. Andy Weir dabbles in reasonable creativity, lending to even more suspension of disbelief from the reader.

Only one thing detracts from this story, and it is the excesses/occasional verbosity of the longwinded passages of hard science. In my perspective, as someone who prefers my sci-fi focused more on the sociological exploration of different forms of hypothetical extraterrestrial life (including one of my favorites, the Xenogenesis Trilogy by Octavia Butler), these techy-laden scenes could get very tedious very fast. There is only so much I can read when it comes to worth technical descriptions. These descriptions feel like indulgent accessories to the main story; some authors wax eloquent with architectural/environmental details, whereas Weir loves doing the same with hard science. And perhaps the type of reader preferring that expects this from his novels, so this is only a purely subjective take of mine, someone who rarely reads science fiction heavy on the technical stuff, fearing the inevitable feeling of becoming mentally unglued from the story.

To be fair to Weir, Weir certainly has a Michio Kaku skill in translating the otherwise inscrutable into a more palatable language for the reader without as much science background, so I definitely felt I could lean more into the novel, gleaning the essentials without feeling the need to agonizingly parse every sentence, in fear that it may rob me of deeper enjoyment of the book down-the-road. So my slight criticism can really be construed as a strength- depending on how you look at it. Perhaps Weir knowingly writes in such a way, respecting the reader who may not want to wade too deeply in the technical stuff, it shows Weir is extremely self-aware as a writer, and this is perhaps the reason why he holds such a wide readership because he writes nebulous scientific content in a way that can be understood by any reader regardless of their science background.

The prevailing theme of an otherwise excellent sci-fi book- hard science garnish aside- is the unapologetic championing of a moral hero who is not a warrior by default, but rather a very intelligent, very ethically-minded character, hugely refreshing, and really, the only type of character that makes sense with the right psyche needed to handle rigorous scientific predicaments. There are no action sequences, in the sense of hand-to-hand combat, found anywhere in this book. Instead there are sequences of suspenseful sojourns into the exciting world of experimentation. The entire book can read like a large scientific hypothesis, and it can also be a cautionary tale for today’s politicians who misuse science for unethical gains and pure greed, neglecting science’s noble equanimity, a calmness of mind that accepts our precarious, sometimes inane place in an ever-expanding universe riddled with paradox and all. Science is meant to be agnostic in the sense of being adaptable in mind to rapid change, the intellectual humility to accept that your prized theory may be a cognitive dissonance preventing you from mentally accepting a new revelation about reality. These things are essential to the character’s survival, and it is a propensity towards humility tempered with the urgency of his task that drives a majority of the novel. Also an increasingly relevant commentary as well about how we as a world need to view the impending crisis of climate change as a very real existential threat that demands us a species to look past our xenophobia, our ignorance, our tribalism in order to productively avert disaster. There are so many other ample scenes of other fascinating developments/thought-provoking concepts in this novel sorely needed in our public discourse. But I swore not to to delve into those things to spare you spoilers. All these things-and so much more- lie in store for the reader of this excellent sci-fi book that somehow transcends the own rigid orthodox qualities of its genre.

I was given this book by Netgalley for a fair and honest review.

First things first, I liked the martian. Second thing, this is not the martian, but it's martian'esque. I liked the book, it was well paced, some interesting themes and fun. It was a bit silly, but in a good way. I don't want to spoil the surprises, but the plot and end game was a little out there and a somewhat whacky.

Man battling against time and against the odds, check. Lots of scientific details check. yes, sounds familiar, but if you did read the martian, you'll enjoy this and if you didn't I think you might enjoy it anyway.

Earth faces an extinction level event: a newly discovered microbe is “eating” the sun, and the resulting temperature change on earth will be catastrophic. Our only chance of survival rests on the success of Project Hail Mary, which culminates in a three-person crew trip to Tau Ceti, the only known sun infected with the microbe that isn’t losing energy.

Unfortunately, Ryland Grace is the only survivor of the lengthy trip, and he is experiencing memory loss, unaware of his location, his mission, or the urgency of finding a solution. His skills and knowledge base, however, are intact, and as he observes his surroundings, he deduces the criticality of his assignment as his memories slowly return. Flashbacks not only explain the development of Project Hail Mary but contextualize Grace’s role and reveal his background.

Solving earth’s crisis seems insurmountable alone, but Grace may find help in the most unexpected of places.

Knowing only a little about Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary will make for a better reading experience in my opinion, and what an experience it is! I flew through the nearly 500-page book in a day as Grace McGuyvered through crisis after crisis. While Project Hail Mary has the same wit and same rigorous attention to scientific detail as The Martian, I liked it even more. To me, it has more heart, partly because I had an easier time empathizing with Grace and partly for reasons you will need to read to discover. It’s an exhilarating and exciting adventure story with gleeful triumphs, but also an emotional saga of self-discovery that made me cry more than once.

I do admit that some of the science went a little over my head, and I might have skimmed some of the paragraphs that explained certain principles. But please don’t let that put you off this book. It is such a good story, I hope you will think of reading it. I loved it so much, I want to put in on everyone’s shelf!

What to say about this book? First off, I am not a scientific expert nor do I want to be. I simply want to read a good story. So I have no idea of the accuracy or plausibility of this story and I don't care! This book blew me away. I can't stop talking about it and no one I know has read it yet! It deals with a very, very, dark topic and yet manages to retain a really personal sense of humanity and delightful sharp humor that Weir is known for. I wasn't sure what to expect coming into this and I definitely didn't get what I thought I would but I was unbelievably and delightedly surprised. There's not a lot to be said without spoilers but read this book!

What an amazing read. Weir truly has such an amazing way of making sci-fi both assessable and wholly entertaining and consuming. I loved this from the very beginning as we slowly get details on Dr. Grace's life and trajectory into space. The opening immediately hooked me and shows that uncanny ability Weir has to deliver both comedy and gravity.

While certain parts were definitely very science and math-heavy, I was enthralled by the plot - all the twists that seemed to make sense and flow effortlessly. The middle did drag a bit once more about the mission and Dr. Hart's past is revealed, but I didn't feel there was any fluff or additional detail just for the sake of showing off.

The ending really had me on the edge of my seat and there were so many moments where my anxiety was through the roof for Dr. Hart. His emotional rollercoaster made light with sharp wit and humor made him feel like a friend, a well-fleshed-out character with depth that I couldn't help but root for. His circumstances were incredibly bleak but also groundbreaking for history and humankind, Weir's ability to give us both and make it feel awe-inspiring and authentic is truly a testament to is skill.

This will 100% be one of my top 10 books for the year and is an absolute 5 star read!

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this one!

Imagine waking up on a spaceship in a strange galaxy with no memory of how you got there. Your fellow astronauts are dead. Luckily, you are a scientist and love math. Unfortunately, you soon remember the objective of Project Hail Mary. Save Earth from certain destruction from microbes eating Earth’s sun. Regrettably, you also realize that your ship doesn’t have enough fuel to make it back to Earth. You signed up for a suicide mission and don’t remember why...but you might as well save Earth while you’re here!

Once again, the author of The Martian has created a beautiful and human story that tugs on the heartstrings while also teaching why science and math are important. Did I understand all of the science here? Surprisingly, with only a semester of college inorganic chemistry, mostly I did. The book explains complex ideas for lay readers well. I’m sure some scientists will talk about inaccuracies eventually. But this is speculative fiction that seems very believable to me.

I have one suggestion. I’m grateful that you stopped to read my review. However, avoid reading other reviews that may contain spoilers that will ruin some of the stunning surprises in the book. If you read it “blind”, you are in for a treat that rivals thrillers in plotting and twists! I can’t recommend Project Hail Mary highly enough. Even if you hate science, just skim those explanations to get to the heartwarmingly human story beneath. 5 stars and my favorite book so far this year!

Thanks to Ballantine Books, Random House and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I would like to start off by thanking NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book before it came out!

Definitely more of a three-point-five out of five-star book for me as opposed to just a three.

To be completely honest, there were many times in the first twenty percent or so of this book that I contemplated not finishing and just giving it up. I think that if you are someone who doesn't particularly enjoy science, space, or math, then this may also be a bit of a struggle for you since it is super heavy on the space and science side of things. I mean, not that I can say how accurate any of the information is, because I have absolutely NO idea, but it is definitely pretty dense. Which, again, is not my normal cup of tea, but if you can stick it out, it really does get better! I found myself able to enjoy it a lot more as the book progressed.

I do also think that the beginning of this book was SUPER slow. It took about until the thirty to forty percent mark for me to really begin enjoying it. After that, I finished it in one sitting. I LOVED Grace's adventures and problem-solving on the go, the background story that brought him into space in the first place, and the relationship that he built with Rocky. I thought all of it was super well done and very intriguing. The ending was NOT ideal nor was it what I would have preferred, but I can respect it. I guess I was just hoping for a look back at our planet. But the book is already pushing five hundred pages, so even though it felt rushed in closing, I don't entirely hate it.

I went into this book completely blind and never having read anything by Andy Weir, but I will definitely be picking up more of his books now.

Andy has done it again with an especially hilarious tale of our lone astronaut who doesn't realize he is in space.

We follow him as he traverses the solar system and his memories to find out how and why he got there in the first place. I enjoyed this story so much it was a great blend of the science without feeling too bogged down with all the mechanics. My only suggestion would be to include a graphic of the solar system or map of the journey because it would help me picture some of the routes our astronaut had to take.

Overall I really loved this book and would definitely recommend it to everyone, those new to the sci-fi genre, and veterans alike.

-Monique