Absolutely loved Project Hail Mary. If you read and enjoyed The Martian, then you definitely want to add PHM to your TBR list. Weir has an amazing ability to take complex topics like space travel and the fate of the universe and make it something that someone who struggled to get a B in science can understand. Sure, some went over my head, but I was still very much able to follow along and enjoy the story.

Another impressive feat that was also present in The Martian is the ability to have stretches where there is one solitary character with no one to interact with, and yet the story progresses well and does not become boring. Unlike The Martian, an alien buddy appears in PHM, and I'm going to need someone to make this book into a film as well so I can see Rocky on the big screen (I just love that little guy).

It’s hard to review this book without making comparisons to The Martian, because it’s similar in a lot of ways. While this book didn’t have the emotional draw for me that The Martian had, it’s a fun romp through space. It’s certainly not without flaws: the secondary characters are all one-dimensional stereotypes, the humor can be a bit too smug in places, and, as I said, the emotions fall a bit flat. The jokes/one liners weren’t as clever as those in The Martian, either, and Grace isn’t as compelling a character as Watney. But it’s charming and it makes science fun and interesting for those of us who aren’t scientists, and it has one of my favorite characters I’ve read this year (not Ryland Grace; those who’ve read it will know who I’m talking about). This is why I hate star ratings. I liked this book a lot more than three stars, and a lot less than five stars, so it falls in the four star range even though that doesn’t feel like it fits either.

Thank you to Ballantine books and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I enjoyed this book and it kept me wanting to find out what was going to happen to Mr. Grace. This sci-fi book was written for the masses. It was very easy to understand and not overly confusing for a non science person. The writing was very similar to the Martian. He writes likable characters and the science in the book doesn't bog it down. I found myself reaching for this every extra moment I could!

Holy cow!!! This is by far my favorite book of the year. Andy Weir is so good at using real science in his science fiction stories. When I was first approved for the ARC for this book I cried for about 20 minutes because I was so excited. I went into this knowing absolutely nothing about this and it made my experience better than it would have been if I had known what was going to happen. This story had one of my favorite tropes where you learn about the world alongside the character, and the ending made me ugly cry. I loved everything about this!

After Artemis, I'm so glad that Andy Weir has returned to the intriguing science and suspenseful plot that I loved in The Martian. Project Hail Mary has all of this and more. Ryland Grace is a more complex main character than Mark Watney, and even though this book started out a little bit slow for me, Weir tells a very creative and compelling story. The author has included a lot of science, and I can't pretend to understand much of it, but if that's not your strong point, Project Hail Mary has the addition of an alien. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but you can think of this as an intergalactic buddy story with a lot of supporting science. I enjoyed the book and look forward to the movie.

Thanks to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

I was a bit hesitant to read this because I loved his first two books. How could he top The Martian and Artemis?? But apparently Andy Weir is like a fine wine and just gets better with age. I love that you learn what’s happening as the main character remembers it. It is such a good story. As far as how legit the science is I have no idea but it all sounded good to me. We learn that Grace is a flawed human as we all are and that makes him so relatable. Rocky…I can’t say anything w/o spoilers but he will live in my heart forever. This book is deep, layered, smart, hilarious, quirky, fun, exciting, and full of love. This is definitely the best one yet from this author and I can’t wait to read more.

This book. THIS BOOK! Seriously. Andy Weir is an effing GENIUS. This is by FAR my most favorite book of the year. The writing was mind-blowing. I can't imagine wring an extremely scientific book while still making it easily digestible for the lay reader, yet that's exactly what Weir did. His writing was clever, witty, and kept me turning the page faster than I thought possible. The story. I just. I think I am still in shock by how good it was. My heart broke into a million tiny pieces for Rylan and Rocky. The ending was extremely satisfying. Overall, I will be thinking about this book for YEARS to come.

Did you love The Martian? This book is even better! There is a ton of science in it and I loved that. This review is short because almost anything I say will be spoilery. There was not one wasted word. It's spectacular!

Oh, the places you'll go.... If you think Matt Damon on Mars was fun you ain't seen nothing till you've been to Tau Ceti! Andy Weir has spun a fine fantastical space yarn that has E.T. fighting Gravity in 2001: A Space Odyssey with a whole lot of relativity and gonzo biology thrown in. And after you read this, you'll want to treat yourself to a nice case off sunburn. Hail Mary? Hell yes!

A superb narrative from the writer that brought us The Martian. Fast paced, claustrophobic at times, and more twists than you'd ever want, plus a few extra, it's the perfect edge-of-your-seat reading.

This is a gripping novel where even if the more science-y bits make you start to glaze over, you're sucked right back into the story because you're invested in the relationship between the two main characters. My heart-strings were pulled and by the end of it all I didn't mind one bit. I highly recommend, especially if you enjoyed The Martian by this author.

In Project Hail Mary, you get a lot of science and math talk. A lot. It's going to make your brain hurt a bit if that's not your thing. But he can write one hell of a story that keeps you turning the pages.

He also does a good job of writing it in a way that even if you don't fully understand it, you can visualize it which was very helpful for me.

While I found it to be too sciencey for my liking, true sci-fi fans will absolutely love this one. I know my husband is going to love it and I hope he reads it soon so we can talk about it!

Andy Weir is an incredible sci fi author. This book was amazing from start to finish. I read the last third of the book in one sitting. What I love most about it though is not just the nerdy science stuff, it is the friendship, character development, and softer aspects of the plot as well.

Wow.... what a book. Having been a huge fan of The Martian, I was excited to see this book was coming out and that it was being compared to Weir's earlier work.

I don't want to give too much away to avoid spoiling the novel for readers. In fact, avoid any type of synopsis of this book if you can- the less you know the better. The simple summary is: Ryland Grace, a scientist and middle school teacher, wakens to find himself on board of the Hail Mary, a spaceship lightyears from home. His mission: discover why the sun is losing power and save the Earth from total destruction.

This book is stunning, but it is not without its problems. I was very intrigued by the first 50-75 pages of the book, then I began to lose interest. It took about 75-100 pages to regain my interest; during this period, I could read a few pages but the story did not really keep me invested long. However, once I pushed through this part of the story, I was totally hooked and could not stop reading, especially the last 75 pages. The twists, turns and adrenaline pumping storyline will keep you invested in Ryland's story and remind you why you fell in love with Weir's previous work. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fans of The Martian should also love Project Hail Mary; I know I do. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and have recommended it to lots of friends already.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Andy Weir never disappoints with science fiction that, in lesser hands, could become dry, “hard” prose. Other authors could get bogged down in details, but not Weir. Instead, the clear and specific knowledge continues to engage reader investment in Weir’s page-turning carnival rides. Project Hail Mary does not deviate from these tried and true methods, nor does it feel as if the same story is being told once again. I’m not sure how long Weir can hold to this formula, but for now, remains wonderfully perfected.

“Project Hail Mary”, by Andy Weir, is a science fiction novel, about a man who wakes up on a spaceship with no recollection of why or how he got there. As he starts becoming aware of his surroundings, his memory slowly returns to him. The chapters alternate between the present timeline on the spaceship, and the past events that led to the present events. As more and more events unfold in both timelines, the scientific mystery of the dangers that await humanity becomes more clear, and it may actually be more than just humanity that is at stake.

Before I get into how I felt about the book, it needs to be said that this was my first encounter with Andy Weir’s writing and that I am not a big science fiction reader. I went into “Project Hail Mary” with as few expectations as possible, and I had a very good experience. I loved Weir’s humor, and how he made scientific concepts more easily accessible to the lay reader, like myself. I’m not going to try to kid myself and say that all the science made sense to me, but whatever didn’t did not keep me from enjoying the overall story. I think both fans of science fiction, and readers who only dip their toes in the genre would enjoy “Project Hail Mary”. I definitely did, and I am curious to check out Andy Weir’s other novels. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I am not a huge fan of science fiction but I am a fan of Andy Weir. Another great book!!! Few characters but I found it compelling and hear warming at the same time.. Even if not a science fiction fan give this book a chance.

Andy Weir returns with another engrossing space opera.
Imagine, if you will, waking up to a mechanized voice incessantly asking, "What is two plus two?" As it intrudes on your consciousness you realize you're naked, lying on some sort of wall-mounted bed, you have tubes coming out of every orifice, and you share the sterile space with two people who are obviously long dead. To top it off, you can't remember who you are, what this facility is, or why you're there. So begins Andy Weir's science fiction adventure, Project Hail Mary.

Our narrator for this entertaining romp is Ryland Grace, and once he can articulate the answer to the simple math problem, he's able to determine he's on a spacecraft. As he familiarizes himself with his surroundings, he has flashbacks that remind him who he was before he left Earth — and what exactly a junior high science teacher is doing alone on a rocket ship light-years from his home planet. His bursts of insight continue throughout the novel, helping him problem solve and eventually revealing shocking information about his presence aboard the craft.

Weir employs a tried-and-true formula to weave his tale that is much like the structure he used in his debut novel, The Martian (and appearing as well in countless space operas like the Flash Gordon or Doctor Who series). A life-threatening crisis presents itself, the hero comes up with some sort of ingenious solution, and then they do their best to survive in spite of the odds; rinse and repeat. There are a number of factors that keep this novel from feeling trite, however. First and foremost is the central character, Ryland Grace, whose narration is captivating, funny and informative. He comes across as the cool teacher you wish you'd had growing up, able to explain complicated concepts while retaining a sense of humor:

Light is a funny thing. Its wavelength defines what it can and can't interact with… That's why there's mesh over the window of a microwave. The holes in the mesh are too small for microwaves to pass through. But visible light, with a much shorter wavelength, can go through freely. So you get to watch your food cook without melting your face off.

As always with Weir's writing, I'm impressed with his reliance on credible technologies and his ability to explain these complex notions to even scientifically illiterate readers such as myself. With the exception of one major plot point that occurs about a quarter of the way through the novel, I never found myself thinking, "Well, that seems unlikely." Sometimes these scientific expositions go on a little too long for my taste, but generally I appreciated feeling like the problems Grace encountered and the solutions he came up with were plausible.

One criticism often lobbed at Weir's previous novels is that his main characters are quite foul-mouthed. He seems to have taken this critique to heart in Project Hail Mary, as Grace truly curses just once (and it fits, given the circumstances). It's not that he doesn't use expletives at all, but as someone who spends most of his time with kids he defaults to G-rated invectives like "pain in the patoot" and "the poop hit the fan." Although at times the language feels a little forced, it's probably a wise move, as it may allow parents and teachers to feel more comfortable recommending the book to younger audiences. And as written, it's certainly appropriate for teen readers.

I've had serious love for Weir's writing since The Martian, and Project Hail Mary has only added to my high opinion of his work. Those who count themselves among his fans will undoubtedly be delighted with the book, and I unhesitatingly recommend it to anyone who enjoys well-written, creative science fiction. It's sure to be another huge hit for this author, and I can't wait to read whatever he comes up with next.

It’s hard to imagine someone who hasn’t wanted—at some point in their lives—to be an astronaut.

Scratch that. Assuming most people are more like me—the non-science-y sort—and less like actual astronauts—aaaaall about the science stuff—then it’s probably more accurate to say that by and large, most of us have probably dreamed of going out into space. (As a passenger. A salesperson. The ship’s cook. Whatever.)

The thing is, we know it’s just a fantasy; in our lifetimes, the tiniest fraction of humanity will venture out into space (whether on a vessel created by NASA and/or its worldwide counterparts, or on something kooky and cool that Elon Musk’s SpaceX team is frantically working on).

But what if—by the strangest sequence of events—you (science-y or not) were to find yourself on a mission to a distant, essentially-uncharted corner of the universe… one member of a tiny three-person team on a cramped little spaceship, and when you wake up, from an induced travel sleep? You discover that not only are you the only surviving member(!!!) of this unexpected—and frankly, unbelievable—situation… but that you have no idea who you are, or how you got into this predicament, in the first place.

Such is the stage for Andy Weir’s latest space thriller, Project Hail Mary.
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Although I actually read Project Hail Mary prior to its release, “life” happened around that, and the result is that I’ve fallen behind in both my reading and my reviewing. I’m penning this, therefore, knowing full well that most people who were eagerly awaiting Weir’s next novel have probably already done so.

Still… I can’t let this one go without my own little shout-out, because I. Frakking. Loved. It.

Without spoiling it—because I’m not about to start doing that, now—I have to urge anyone who hasn’t read this one to check it out, posthaste. Really, it’s that good.

I laughed. (Weir is a master of “regular people” internal—and external [solo, talking to oneself]—monologues, and, just as he did so brilliantly in his debut, The Martian, he uses that skill to fabulous effect again, here.) I cried. (More than once, I was unashamedly misty-eyed.) I held my breath. (Like the very best that sci-fi has to offer, Weir has once again captured hope, uncertainty, and outright terror… and melded them into something completely accessible, even for those of us [me] who are decidedly unscience-y.)

To be fair, though, about that: science. There were passages where my eyes glazed over a bit, because—no matter how well Weir’s protagonist, Ryland Grace, was explaining something (and, as a junior high school teacher, Grace was doing as bang-up a job as would be possible), I’d invariably get a little lost (and a little bored—sorry! not a science person!!). Did that put me off the story even one iota, though? No, it didn’t. Not. One. Tiny. Bit.

In Project Hail Mary, Weir gave me everything I could want, and more; there's heart, intelligence, wonder, and chills-and-thrills, as well as some of the most beautiful images of friendship, compassion, and collaboration I could imagine… and I feel like a better human for having read (and loved) it.
~GlamKitty

[Fun little aside: I met and interviewed Mr. Weir at a convention back in the summer of 2014 (which was months after I’d blazed through The Martian, and recommended it to everyone I knew). He was funny, nice, and very ordinary… in the best way possible. :)]