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!!

First, thank you Random House Publishing for the amazing opportunity to read this ARC!

Andy Weir is a MASTER of his craft. The guy is a genius. His books are heavy on the science lingo, and somehow manages to not make me feel like a complete idiot. I've been a hug fan of his books thus far. The Martian is easily one of my favorites. Project Hail Mary is right up there with it now.

I was originally worried about getting lost in the flashbacks, but it was done seamlessly and just so well. I enjoyed learning about the main character, Ryland, basically at the same time he was learning about himself.

It's so hard to talk about different plot points because it would spoil everything. You're just going to have to trust me (yes an absolute stranger) that this book is amazing. It you like science fiction, or just Andy Weir more specifically, you are going to like this.

Andy Weir has done it again, creating a heart-pounding space thriller I couldn't put down. Fans of The Martian and Artemis rejoice.

The only book by Mr Weir that I am familiar with is The Martian. Which as you all know was recently made into a pretty good movie starring Matt Damon. I liked the movie so when I saw this book come up on Netgalley I was excited to try it.

This book did not disappoint. It was fascinating and hard to put down. It is a little more “hard sci-fi” than I am used to, which means there are a lot of descriptions of calculations and scientific facts that made me go a little cross-eyed at times, but not so much that it detracted from the story or from my excitement in reading it. I really enjoyed the characters … especially a surprise character who shows up halfway through the story. It was really enjoyable and delved into a lot of interesting themes, loneliness, self sacrifice, how to relate to those considered alien to us. It was also very easy to picture this book as becoming a movie in the future. I can totally see Holly Hunter as one of the main characters. 🙂 I had a good time reading this book and I hope that you do too.

I loved The Martian but didn't really enjoy Artemis, but was glad to hear that this book was a souped-up version of the former. And it is.

Whereas Mark Watney faced 1-2 scientific challenges per chapter, our protagonist here, Ryland Grace, seems to be facing a never-ending battle of science and engineering challenges that he has very little time to solve.

Not that that's a bad thing. In fact, I enjoyed the different nature of the problems that Grace had to overcome, and unlike The Martian, he has someone on hand to help.

The dynamic and relationship between Grace and [spoiler] is one of the highlights of the book. Whereas the interpersonal relationships in the previous two books were more of a means to advance the plot, here Weir has pulled off something special.

Interspersed between Grace's frantic attempts to fulfill his mission despite his amnesia, we have scenes from his former life back on Earth. These break up the (at sometimes monotonous) problem set solving sessions happening in the main storyline and show a desperate Earth trying to come together to save the planet.

All in all, if you loved The Martian but wished the stakes were higher, then you'll love Project Hail Mary.

Yay, a book by Andy Weir! Boo! What an off-putting title. Oh well. So I am at a loss how to process this religious imagery of the title. I grew up in a sect that considered praying to Mary as blasphemy and that grace (the name of the protagonist) without works is hypocrisy, but I can agree that Hail Mary (the spaceship) is full of Grace (the astronaut). Groan. I’m sure I’m not the first to notice this, but I’m probably one of the few to note it. Sorreeeey!

But seriously, this story does have as not-funny-at-all a setting as I could hope to imagine. Grace awakens with profound amnesia, alone, unable to speak, strapped to bed, and being monitored by mechanical devices attached to the ceiling. That alone is horrifying. Eventually he realizes he is in the Alpha Centauri system, which means he’s likely to die here alone, never to return home in his lifetime, and ….. he’s here to find out how to save the earth? And time is of the essence! Yikes, it just keeps getting better and better.

The time story takes place close to today, 2021, complete with today’s global warming threat, which there, like here, is taken seriously by too few. On top of that, Earth’s sun has started to dim. It’s being drained of its energy by a swarm of a teeny tiny alien life force. Things just keep getting better! These beings are tiny, round, and inscrutable, and Dr Grace has been recruited, ahem, drafted, to scrutinize them. This is because he has a unique theory about non-water-based creatures. I expect that if these tiny monsters could communicate, they would be calling us “ugly bags of mostly water.” And yes, there will be some attempts at speech recognition going on in this first-contact-with-aliens story.

Amazingly, this grim first-contact setting hardly perturbs Grace, for has the hope, optimism, and ingenuity characteristic of Andy Weir’s heroes. He’s American, has pluck, and he’s as gosh-darn likable as Mr Rogers, and he never swears. He’s smart and loved by his eighth-grade students. And he just wants to get by with a little help from his friends. Sorry, another ham-handed obvious line. Sigh. But the Beetles do save the day! ;)

This review comes in with a pun and a groan and goes out with a sigh for the same reason. I should have finished this review back when April came in like a lamb and went out like a lion. I had listened to it back then on audiobook when libraries briefly had access to that format. I had heard a quote that struck me as profound that I wanted to center my review on, but I couldn’t find it again—audio or ePub version. So my review ended up taking on a different shape, getting gosh-darn silly and marveling at Andy Weir’s (and Dr Grace’s) ability to make lemonade out of hydrogen, oxygen, glucose, and some powdered ascorbic acid.

Having sat through both formats, I’d say either is enjoyable. I was nervous about an unknown-to-me voice actor, but I give him full kudos for injecting the correct warmth of character.

As a huge fan of The Martian, I looked forward to Andy Weir’s new book, which I read thanks to Netgalley. While Project Hail Mary certainly is filled with Weir’s trademark scientific and technological gimmickry, it takes us into some strange and sometimes unbelievable territory. The book opens with a narrator who knows nothing about who he is, where, or why, and the resolution of that is surprising but also a bit frustrating. The alien friendship that develops is fun and engaging. But I found the protagonist’s voice to be wearying after a while, and the constant problems and solutions a bit tedious. Still, a fun read and I look forward to the movie.

This book was so amazing! I loved the entire plot, and I couldn't wait to read the next page. I love Rocky, and all the reveals that happened throughout the book. It also had all of my favorite sci-fi tropes. First contact with aliens? Check! End of the world? Check! Space exploration and travel? Check! Dire circumstances? Quadruple check! This book had it all. Andy Weir does amazing things with so few characters, and I loved all of them.

Andy Weir’s The Martian was one of my favorite books of the past decade. The focus on smart scientists solving hard science problems was both a welcome throwback to the Golden Age of science fiction and a clever new take on the space-disaster genre. I thought Artemis was a bit of a misfire, largely because Weir seemed to struggle writing a female protagonist. Project Hail Mary retains Weir’s trademark glorification of science and scientists, but also differs from his previous two books. It’s a more emotional story and takes some very unexpected turns.

As the blurb for the book states, Project Hail Mary starts off with astronaut Ryland Grace waking up on a spaceship, only to discover that he has amnesia. The amnesic protagonist is a common trope in video games to allow the player to identify with the character without the baggage of too much backstory. It can also be a cheap way to give a character an arc of self-discovery. Fortunately, Project Hail Mary moves beyond the amnesia as Grace starts to recover his memories quickly. The amnesia does allow Weir to include flashback scenes showing what happened back on Earth as Grace remembers those events. There’s a twist near the end of the book that leverages the amnesia for some moving character development.

It turns out that Ryland Grace was part of a mission tasked with saving Earth’s sun from the Astrophage, essentially interstellar algae (it doesn’t sound as silly once Weir explains the science). If the Astrophage absorb too much of the sun’s heat, the Earth could face apocalyptic global cooling. This gives Weir the opportunity to geek out over microbiology and delve into some convincing – if highly speculative – astrobiology. As an educated non-expert, I almost never had trouble suspending my disbelief – at least about the science.

On the other hand, the depiction of politics back on Earth comes across as a bit naive. In Project Hail Mary, the governments of the world appoint a global dictator to solve the Astrophage crisis. Given how little we’ve accomplished reducing greenhouse gases in the face of global warming, I found the prospect of governments cooperating frictionlessly to be less realistic than any of the speculative science. I understand that Weir’s fans read his books to see smart scientists solve science problems, but in his next book I hope he takes the same care with the politics that he does with the science.

Unlike Weir’s previous protagonists, Grace isn’t a just an idealized, self-insert scientist hero. To be sure, he is extraordinarily – probably unrealistically – smart, and generally a “good guy.” However, he has flaws, which become more apparent later in the book. He’s a bit more vulnerable than the typical Weir protagonist, which makes him more interesting.

Overall, if you enjoyed The Martian or Artemis, you’ll almost certainly enjoy Project Hail Mary. It’s got the smart scientist hero solving big problems, but with a bit more character. I didn’t find myself laughing aloud as much as I did while reading The Martian, but found myself identifying with Ryland Grace more than I did Mark Watney.

I have read the three books that Andy Weir has written to date, and I can say that Project Hail Mary is the best of all. As always, Mr. Weir brings science to all people, but this book has a certain touch of "sarcastic, scientific humor" that is not found in the other two.
It is true that, like The Martian or Artemis, it has life and death situations that make certain chapters very dramatic, but something that Project Hail Mary has that makes it better than its two predecessors is Rocky, a small alien who competes. with ET for the position of the best alien friend and, for me, without a doubt Rocky wins that competition!