Member Reviews
Thanks to Netgalley for providing the ARC.
Ryland Grace is a biologist turned junior high teacher who wrote a controversial paper stating that life does not need water to develop, offending high-profile scientists throughout the world. When new life is found bouncing between the Sun and Venus, Grace is called in to help study the astrophage, which threatens the survival of humanity because it is draining the energy of the Sun. The astophage provides the method to travel solar systems away to study a star that also has an astrophage invasion, but it's continues to maintain it's energy.
Grace survives the trip to the other sun and discovers a whole lot more than he ever imagined could really happy. Enjoyed the teamwork between Grace and Rocky. Not as much dull science as The Martian, and I didn't skip so much in Project Hail Mary as I did in Weir's first novel. Exciting to imagine the possibilities of our universe.
Overall I really enjoyed this work from Weir. It feels like a real return to his strength like with The Martian. I found the plot line to flow well and create some interesting points, such as the retrograde amnesia and Grace slowly uncovering his history to find how he ended up on the mission.
As well the science as ever was spot on and delivered in an easy flowing and understandable format that doesn't overly complicate what is being presented while also keeping the story moving.
I look forward to the next work by Weir as I find his realistic science fiction such as Project Hail Mary and The Martians to be works that I can pick and read time and again.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. I loved Weir’s previous two novels, The Martian and Artemis, so it’s no surprise that I also loved Project Hail Mary.
This story follows Ryland Grace. He’s just woken up with no memory of where he is or what the heck is going on. He quickly realizes that he’s in outer space but doesn’t know why. As he starts to explore the spaceship, he starts to regain his memories. He can’t even remember his own name at first, but somehow has all sort of scientific knowledge. I thought this was a really interesting way to tell the story. I enjoy a good flashback, but only if it’s done well and I think that it was in this story. We learn relevant information alongside Grace and there was a mood of suspense with the reader left wondering exactly how a middle school teacher ended up on a last ditch space mission. Both timelines were compelling. We learn small things about Grace at first. Things like his job, and eventually how he came to be on this space mission. But I think I was more interested in the present timeline. It’s not really a life or death mission. Those sent on the Hail Mary knew the risks.
The science of this story was really interesting. There was definitely a bit that went way over my head, but I liked that the most important bits were summarized in a way that the reader could understand. It was heavy on the science but that didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story. I managed to follow along even if I didn’t always actually understand it. It’s the problem solving that I think was the most interesting. There are tons of problems that pop up, but Grace (with help from someone I can’t say anything about) managed to figure out solutions.
Overall, I was completely sucked in my this story. I stayed up entirely too late because I just couldn’t stop reading. I needed to know how this story was going to end. As for the actual ending, I liked that it had a full circle kind of storyline, but I would have liked to get some more definitive answers about what happened on Earth. I think science fiction fans with absolutely devour this one, just like I did.
I don’t usually read science fiction, but Project Hail Mary reminded me how great science fiction can be. I loved reading Andy Weir’s earlier book, The Martian, and this had a similar feel—witty, clever, lone scientist in an impossible position supported by backstory and a team on earth. Earth’s sun is threatened by some space particles called Astrophage that are basically decreasing the sun’s output—bad for earth and in need of a no-holds-barred solution. Dr. Ryland Grace is a former hot-shot research scientist turned middle school teacher who gets recruited to help solve the problem. There’s a great mix of pre-mission backstory and worldwide crazy, next-level cooperation, plus post-launch spaceship problem solving. We see some ingenious solutions that Weir manages to make sound completely plausible, at least to my very un-scientific mind. The author also makes the solo space flight not so lonely and never boring, with the introduction of a new friend for Dr. Grace. I was sucked in to this crazy story in the best way.
(NO SPOILERS) THIS IS A FANTASTIC READ! If you loved The Martian you will love Hail Mary. If you haven’t read The Martian, shame on you, go read it right now. If you don’t rank The Martian in your all time top ten then don’t continue. Caveat emptor, there is a LOT of science, I had to really slow down and re-read parts to grasp the concepts. If you are looking for an easy summer beach read, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a fascinating unique story that will glue you to your chair, look no further. Im fortunate that I got to read an advanced copy because I had no preconception of the story line and the twists and turns that awaited me. Andy Weir is one author that I will read sight unseen. If you have read any of my past reviews, I usually judge a book by how late I stay up reading. I had to force myself to put it down, mainly because you can’t read this when tired, it requires brain cells and cognitive thought to understand the scientific situations presented which are germane to the story. Had these books been required reading in high school science class…..I may have paid attention :)
I had read this authors first book, and thought he showed and uncanny knack of a lack of a better way to say it making science and space interesting and fun! Made something that would normally bore me to tears interesting and humorous! His second book lived up to my expectations and the same regard. The first quarter of the book was a bit slow and some of the scientific explanations were a little redundant but the book picked up and I absolutely loved it! The end was excellent! Basically there was not a part of this book I didn't love!
A huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review....
I was excited for this book for so long that I eventually forgot why I was looking forward to it. Then, I read the first few sentences and instantly remembered.
Weir's signature first person, humorous, heavy-on-pretend-science style is back in full glory. This is definitely better than <i>Artemis</i>, if maybe not as fun as <i>The Martian</i>. This is also the first Weir book to feature aliens, and I loved the cross-cultural, language-learning aspect.
Grace occasionally bordered on annoying, which is normal for someone being as snarkily self-aware as a Weir protagonist, but overall I liked him. I liked finding out bits of his life and what spurred his mission gradually, as his amnesia wore off. I thoroughly enjoyed the outer space problem-solving, and the only bit that shook even a little was near the end. Everything just started going oddly smoothly.
Overall, though, this book was a lot of fun and made a six-hour plane ride seem like a breeze. If you liked <i>The Martian</i>, you'll like this too.
My thanks to Mr. Andy Weir, Ballantine Books, and of course NetGalley for the ARC! I am a big fan of Mr. Weir’s work starting with The Martian. I told everyone I knew, and some that I didn’t to please read the book before watching the movie. There is always a great adventure in his novels, but there is always plenty to learn along the way! This isn’t the technical way of learning, Andy makes it fun, Haha! Project Hail Mary continues that trend, if you enjoy science and astronomy you are REALLY going to enjoy the new book! My hope is that readers that are merely looking for adventure do not get to distracted with the science or the technical details. There ARE several scientific discussions and walkthroughs of experiments, but they play a part in the structure of the story and also build tension. Again, please do not let the science and chemistry talk dissuade you from reading this exciting space adventure! A lot of the heart and humor is within the scientific details of the story. I found myself highlighting areas that I wanted to look up later. Trust me, this is much more fun than your High School chemistry class! Mr. Grace is definitely the COOL teacher! Like The Martian, I can see this optioned as a film in the future. Would love to see Ryland on the big screen, possibly played by Matt Ryan again?! But of course, read the book first! We all know the book is always better, and Hail Mary is no exception! Happy Reading! #NetGalley #ProjectHailMary
Andy Weir is back with some problem solving hard sci fi!
As an Aerospace Engineer, The Martian was one of the books that got me back into reading after a long break, so I was thrilled to get my hands on Weir's next book. At first glance this one appeared to be a bit more speculative, and I was very interested to see how that would be handled.
This story has so much heart. The MC is a flawed and relatable character who makes strong connections with those around him. Even though he starts the book without his memories, the author masterfully includes details that give you a sense of his personality.
At first, the memory loss was a bit of a turn-off to me. The memories started coming back sequentially, which bothered me from a scientific standpoint, since that's not really how it works even if it is convenient for storytelling. However, I felt the author did a great job explaining why this happened the way it did. This is just one example, but if you're reading this and finds something that feels "wrong," I'd highly recommend sticking with it and waiting for the explanation! Another example of this is the reason the MC was selected for the mission.
The swearing in this book is more PG or PG-13 level, and I appreciated the reason given for that. I figured I would mention it since apparently some people had an issue with this in Weir's past books.
There are a lot of twists and turns in this book and it will always keep you guessing. This book had a little less urgency than The Martian, since the stakes aren't identified right at the beginning. However, like The Martian, the tension builds throughout the story and the resolution is incredibly satisfying.
I'd recommend this book for fans of The Martian, Goldilocks by Laura Lam, or In The Company of Others by Julie Czerneda.
What a welcome return to form for Andy Weir after the less-than-satisfying (at least to me) Artemis. Project Hail Mary is a neat inversion of The Martian. Where The Martian was partly the story of humanity trying to save one single human, Project Hail Mary is (partly) the story of one single human trying to save humanity.
How much you like Project Hail Mary will be a function of how much you enjoy the process of giddy science problem solving. The book is essentially a series of problems to solve, and that made it fascinating to me. Luckily, Weir is a lucid enough writer that (virtually) all of the scientific concepts were completely understandable even to me.
Along the way there are some very big surprises, and a lot of thought given to how Earth would (will?) respond to a ecological crisis, and that's well=thought-through and fascinating in its own right.
You don't get a lot of background on our protagonist, Ryland Grace. A few literary paint strokes try to fill in a lot of blank spaces, but he's an entertaining host and narrator, even if we don't really know what makes him tick.
It's a long read but a quick one - it's super-simplistic to say, but if you enjoyed The Martian, I can't see how you won't love Projectd Hail Mary.
Project Hail Mary
by Andy Weir
Random House Publishing - Ballantine
This is an awesome book I requested from NetGalley and I am so thankful to them and the publisher for letting me read this incredible story. The review is my own opinion.
This is one of the most amazing, thought-provoking, intellectually stimulating, imaginative, high tension, emotionally draining books, but at the same time it's heart warming, filled with humor, hope, and love. I thought about it constantly when I wasn't reading it. It moved me like no other book has touched me in a very long time.
The book starts with Dr Grace. He is a Jr High School Science teacher after giving up on the big league science groups because they didn't like a paper he wrote. He is single and doesn't date much because he hates rejection. But his classroom kids adore him! He makes science fun!
His quiet world is shattered when he is visited by a very bossy, no-nonsense woman that zips him away to a secret lab. There he finds something extraordinary! Something that can change the world! But not the way the world was hoping for.
This is the start of a journey that leads him around this world and away to another. He wakes on a ship and he is paralyzed. He doesn't know anything. From there, he slowly comes around. The book shows us what happened before waking up as his memories return so the book bounces back and forth. Normally I would hate that but it works so well here. It builds up tension and suspense. The mystery of how and why he is on the ship is slowly and carefully unwrapped.
What happens when he gets to the orbit he needs to be at is surprising. From then on the book takes on a new level! The surprises just keep coming. The predicament he is in gets worse and the problems just keep coming. Help comes from unexpected sources. I can't say anymore. I want everyone to experience the joy and unraveling of the story without any spoilers.
If you read nothing else this year, do yourself a favor and read this! It will blow your mind! There is never a dull moment. Every emotion you have will be used, stretched, exposed, and laid bare. Over and over again. And you will love it every time!
This book is smart, funny, and brilliant! Read it!
My wish on NetGalley was granted by Ballantine Books, and I was randomly selected to receive an e-book ARC of Project Hail Mary in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Ballantine Books!
First of all, I am a huge fan of The Martian by Andy Weir (both the book and the movie adaptation). So, when I found out he was writing a new book about an astronaut, I was already on board! Project Hail Mary definitely filled my expectations while presenting a main character who was more human than Mark Watney while experiencing events no one could have anticipated.
The main premise of Project Hail Mary is that something is causing our sun to become exponentially dimmer, and after discovering a relatively nearby star, Tau Ceti, suffers from the same apparent affliction without becoming dimmer itself, humanity comes together to find a solution. That solution ends up being the creation of interstellar space travel. Thus, Project Hail Mary is born. Three astronauts are placed in medically induced comas for the duration of the journey to Tau Ceti. Only one of them wakes up, and he can't even remember his own name. The course of the book roughly follows two timelines:
1. The sole surviving astronaut slowly remembering who he is and what he has to do on this mission.
2. The obstacles and events he must overcome to complete his mission and save Earth.
So, the primary setting of the book takes place on the spaceship itself. Once Ryland Grace remembers who he is and enough about what he has to do, he quickly gets to work trying to solve the problem of Sol's demise. He only has a limited amount of time before the Sun becomes so dim there will be no saving Earth at all. Just like with The Martian, this book's main approach to story telling is through solving lots of little problems to come up with a solution to the overarching problem. I personally enjoyed both books for their approach to problem solving. Weir sets up the problem and uses Grace's knowledge of science to lay out a solution.
I will admit that for readers who didn't enjoy The Martian because of some of the technical details and problem-solving monologues probably won't enjoy Project Hail Mary either. Being in space is dangerous, and all kinds of problems come up just from that setting. Not to mention the entire premise of the story is based on saving the earth. Occasionally, the science-heavy portions of the book could get a little tedious to read. They were still very interesting, but about the middle 10% of the book got a little slow - in spite of the fact that Weir throws the reader a curveball I never would have anticipated. So, if reading a lot of problem solving with some snarky dialogue thrown in doesn't appeal to you, then don't pick up this book.
However, one of the things I enjoyed most about this book were the characters themselves. The reader gets a pretty good idea of the type of person Ryland Grace is in the opening chapters. He doesn't swear (he'll say things like, "Gosh darnit."), he has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of a broad scientific facts and topics, and he is able to use critical thinking skills to apply that knowledge to problem solving. Also, and this is just my opinion, I feel like Grace not cursing is kind of a back-handed way of Andy Weir getting back at the critics of all the cursing in The Martian (even though there does turn out to be a realistic reason for it).
Throughout the book Grace is made to feel much more human than characters in Weir's other books. He gets scared, oftentimes terrified to the point of paralysation. He also has trouble dealing with his emotions regarding the demise of his fellow crewmates. He cries over their loss. He feels loneliness and despair at times, even if he tries to hide it from himself. This makes one of the twists in the book really come out of nowhere, but it also made me really happy. Let's just say that Ryland Grace isn't always alone in his journey.
On that note, there are a number of places this books takes the reader that I did not expect. "Did not expect that!" was my motto while reading. Weir threw in twists regarding the story, but also regarding Grace's background, personality, and motivations for joining the mission in the first place. Finally, there is no way anyone could have predicted the ending to the book! The ending made me both happy and sad, but mostly happy. It's not anything like what I would have expected.
To anyone who is a little hesitant about picking up this book, go ahead and give it a shot anyway. The creativity and humanity of the story really push through all the problem solving and science. Sometimes the science got in the way of the momentum of the story, but by then I cared about the characters so much I kept pushing through. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a science fiction story with a heart.
This fast-paced very technical story had me at the edge of my seat. This journey was a worthy successor to The martian. I read it in one sitting and the story just sticks with you after you put down the book. I really liked how the author used amnesia to disorient the reader and set the mood for the book.
Andy Weir, author of The Martian, delivers a spectacle of a science fiction novel in Project Hail Mary.
Pulse-pounding and page-turning, the latest from Weir follows a Junior high science teacher turned recalcitrant space explorer on a mission to save Earth and humanity from a life extinguishing event.
Ryland Grace was once a promising molecular biologist. His papers on life forms without the need for water were considered a joke by the science community. Giving up on the life of a career scientist, he became a junior high science teacher, and it appears as if he has found a true calling there.
However, his theories prove practical for the sudden concerns facing humanity. A multinational team needs him to take a look at the microorganisms causing the sun to dim. The threat of an ice age would mean the end of humanity. Every nation gives their best to create a ship that would carry a selection of scientists and astronauts to a solar system and a planet that has survived the microorganisms assault.
Ryland wakes up from an induced coma with two dead crewmates, a foggy memory, and the fate of humanity on his shoulders. Coming into orbit near Tau-Ceti, Ryland finds his memories and a surprise of a lifetime. Another ship makes contact, and Ryland discovers he is not the only species looking to save themselves.
Although plenty of complex scientific speculation moves the storyline, expertly paced tension and jaw-dropping plot twists liven up the formulaic fractions and science jargon. The heart of this magnificent sci-fi novel lies with the miraculous friendship of Ryland and his alien companion, whom he nicknames Rocky.
A story of friendship, connection, and true sacrifice, Project Hail Mary is the kind of book that will make readers want to digest it in one sitting. Stunning and heartfelt, Weir's latest is a well-balanced masterpiece.
This book was friggin awesome. It had all the classic characteristics of an Andy Weir book; the kickass, fun-to-read science, the hilarious main character, and an intense, holding-onto-the-edge-of-your-seat plot. Imagine the Martian, but with an amnesia-afflicted, eccentric science teacher who doesn't swear (unlike Mark Watney) and is best friends with an alien - ta-da, you've got this book. Per usual, Weir killed it and this is one of my new faves. Check it out!
Both thought-provoking and exciting, this novel describes a future when earth's sun is being gradually eaten by an alien substance. The main character is Ryland Grace, a PhD middle school science teacher who happens to be a brilliant thinker and problem-solver. He awakes from a coma with no recollection of who or where he is, but eventually deduces that he is alone on a spaceship traveling in a different solar system. There is a great deal of description of science and technology, but it is well balanced with complex character development of Ryland and the alien he becomes friends with, and their relationship. Even for this non-techie reader, the characters and suspense made this an engrossing page-turner until the end.
I love Andy Weir. Getting this book to review was really exciting because while he has flaws, I love the things he does well SO MUCH I'm willing to overlook the rest.
The Martian felt extremely real, and I could see everything he talked about in Artemis. In Project Hail Mary, I was with our protagonist, like I was next to him. What happened to him happened to me. His inner world is his own, and it was lovely to participate in it. I can't speak too much about the plot, but suffice to say that the stakes for our protagonist are high, and he's going to have to use science. It's Weir doing what he does VERY WELL.
Andy Weir makes an explosive return to form with Project Hail Mary, a save-the-Earth science fiction story that doesn't skimp on the science or the twisty, page-turning story. This is one of the most exciting and fun science fiction books I've read in recent memory, with elements that will appeal to lovers of hard science fiction and more casual sci-fi romps as well, striking a very careful balancing act that kept impressing me as I found myself more engrossed in the story with every passing page. There are mysteries, dangers, incredible unexpected encounters, and high-stress scientific developments that come together in a way that really sold this book for me. This is a book that is sure to be a crowd pleaser, and something I'd eagerly recommend to readers who loved The Martian but might have been turned off by Artemis.
I'm one to take the author at their word when it comes to scientific formulae and mathematical equations in sci-fi novels, so if there were any glaring issues or too-convenient workarounds when it comes to the research and experiments that occur in this book that stand out for the more scientifically literate readers I will freely admit to have missed them. That being said, while I was a little overwhelmed by some of the science (and there is a lot of it, some very integral to the action) I was never put off by it.
A Russian scientist named Irina Petrova discovers that an arc of infrared radiation extends from the sun's North Pole to Venus, where it spreads out to the width of the planet. Researchers learn that the arc, named the Petrova line, is getting brighter as the sun is getting dimmer, and if the phenomenon continues, it will soon result in a catastrophic ice age on Earth. Moreover, other nearby stars are getting dimmer as well, and the phenomenon is spreading. There's one exception though. The star Tau Ceti, which is twelve lights years from Earth, is maintaining it's luminosity.
The United Nations forms the Petrova Taskforce to discover why Tau Ceti is immune from the astrophysical scourge. The program director is Eva Stratt, a brilliant, multilingual, Dutch scientist who's given total authority over the project. Under Stratt's oversight, the world builds a spacecraft, named the Hail Mary, to go to Tau Ceti.
The starship will carry three scientist-astronauts: one from Russia, one from China, and one from the United States. The passengers will be in hibernation for the trip, so only people with coma-resistant genes can make the journey. This limits the astronaut pool, since only one person in seven thousand has the appropriate DNA.
Carrying the sleeping astronauts, the Hail Mary - traveling close to the speed of light - will reach Tau Ceti in 13 years. If the crew is successful, a probe containing the 'dimming cure' will reach Earth 13 years after that.....so at least 26 years. By then many Earth species will be extinct and the human population will be decimated, but there will still be a chance to save humanity. (The author has a spot of fun here. For redundancy, the Hail Mary has four probes called beetles, which are whimsically named John, Paul, George, and Ringo.)
The American astronaut aboard the Hail Mary is Ryland Grace, who tells the story from his point of view. Grace is a molecular biologist who became a junior high school science teacher. The dual careers - and his natural curiosity - give Grace a wide breadth of knowledge about biology, chemistry, physics, and astronomy. The chapters alternate back and forth between preparations for the expedition and what happens when the Hail Mary reaches Tau Ceti.
Prior to blastoff, Grace is instrumental in mission preparation, and after the spacecraft arrives at Tau Ceti, he searches for a solution to the sun-dimming problem. Grace's work is complex and difficult, and his explanations are heavy with math and science.
As always with a huge project like Hail Mary, things go wrong, resulting in death, destruction, and unexpected consequences. Luckily, Grace has a sense of humor and a gift for quips, which provide a welcome light touch to the narrative.
To reveal more would be a spoiler, except to say this is a sci-fi thriller with big surprises. The novel has a fascinating premise and is a wonderful accolade to the cleverness, ingenuity, and better nature of the characters.
Thanks to Netgalley, Andy Weir, and Ballantine Books for a copy of the book.
(4.5 stars rounded up).
When a sun-eating space bacteria threatens the fate of Earth, a junior high science teacher is enlisted as our number one hope to save the planet.
I read <u>The Martian</u> years ago when it first came out. I enjoyed it; it had plenty of little humorous moments sprinkled in to the daily tedium of being the only living person on Mars. But I felt </u>The Martian</u> lacked a lot of substance for me. It was kind of repetitive after a while and I felt like it was missing some action. Well, buckle up, because <u>Hail Project Mary</u> has plenty of action, drama, and heart. While Ryland Grace wasn't one of the most lovable characters right out of the gate, I really enjoyed his journey and his growth. I don't want to give too much away, but let's just say this book had me emotionally attached to a spider. I loved the relationship between Ryland and Rocky and was never bored reading about their antics for a minute. At times, some of the descriptions of the other scientists and astronauts irked me as they were very stereotypical (the sullen and serious Chinese astronaut, the crazy vodka-loving Russian astronaut, the cold judgmental you-know-what Norwegian scientist etc.) But overall, the entire plot and the character developments played out perfectly. Heck, this book even had me enjoying MATH AND SCIENCE! I am by no means a math or science brained person, but the way Weir explained some of the situations and scenarios made so much sense to me. If only my high school math teachers had done the same!
At the end of the day, I'm labeling this book my first "must read" of 2021. Be sure to pick up your copy on May 4th!