"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

I have no qualm in saying that this book is AMAZING!! I am not a big science fiction reader. Don't get me wrong, I love science fiction, but I usually watch it, not read it. This book was so good, that I could see it playing out in my head. (seriously, this book needs to be a movie)

Ryalnd Grace wakes up to find himself not only way far from home, but he doesn't remember his name or why he is where he is. Eventually he starts to remember why is not on earth anymore and through flashbacks we learn what has happened on earth and who Ryland is.

I am not going to give away the plot, but I will say that Andy Weir has another hit on his hands! I finished this book and immediately wanted to pick it up and read it again!!

I loved the story, the characters, every single bit of dialogue and I loved Ryland as the narrator of this story!!

This book comes out tomorrow (May 4th, 2021), do yourself a favor and buy it... You won't be disappointed!

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing and Ballantine Books for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Project Hail Mary heartens back to the golden age of science fiction, a more innocent time when one could build a rocket ship in one’s backyard and teenagers could outfox alien hordes. In Hail Mary, a junior high school science teacher, Ryland Grace, stars in saving the earth when the sun begins to dim. (Get it? Hail Mary, full of grace...? Andy Weir does enjoy sprinkling a gentle self-conscious and frequently self-deprecating humor throughout his stories.)

Weir employs his signature hard science methodology to solve the nitty-gritty physical, chemical and ecological problems that confront his hero (e.g. does that screw tighten to the right or to the left?, how can I get food? ), but this time around those problems span star systems and cross the boundaries of at least four species. The result is suspenseful and exciting but also somehow comforting, illustrating that humans, with all their fears and animosities, can still prevail when the chips are down.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I never knew exactly how dumb I was until I started reading Andy Weir's books. He's really good at dialing down the dork-dom, too. I think regular people can probably understand the science-speak in an Andy Weir novel. I can't. Therefore, I have accepted my stupidity. I do, however, have a measure of emotional intelligence, and this book went a long way towards enriching it. In Project Hail Mary, Dr. Ryland Grace awakens aboard a spaceship, many light years from Earth, his only companions two nearly mummified corpses. Dr. Grace is the last hope for humanity, his mission literally a Hail Mary pass. It's rather unfortunate, then, that he has absolutely no idea who he is, or what he's doing on a spaceship in a distant solar system. The more he encounters, the more hazy memories he gains, until a sobering conclusion is reached: Ryland must battle his terror and amnesia to save all of humankind.

I want to stay vague on plot details, because there are some things coming that will absolutely sucker punch you, and I dare not give you any hints. Andy Weir has infused this book with his trademark humor and plucky heroism, cranked up to 100. Some of the science does indeed go over my head, but I'm completely unbothered. The incredible warmth and unfathomable depth of feeling Project Hail Mary evoked more than makes up for my ignorance. I could read Andy Weir's grocery list and be happy, but I know there are a faction of readers who were less than pleased with his last novel, Artemis. To them, I'm delighted to report that Project Hail Mary is not just a return to form, but an elevation. This is one of the best books I've read in 2021 so far. Thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for the chance to review this advance copy.

This is in the running for my favorite read of 2021, and I can easily say that even with more than half of the year still to go. 

The book alternates between past and present time. In the present, Ryland is alone on a ship millions of miles away from home and isn't exactly sure what's going on. In the past all hell has begun to break loose on Earth. The structure and methodical unravelling of the overall story made it all the more interesting and compelling. 

I was nervous beginning this one because science is not my forte at all, but Weir did a great job making the science accessible. Even for the non science-minded person, he makes it easy to comprehend. I feel smarter for having read this book. 

The overall premise of the story is great, and Weir's writing-style is exceptional! This was my first Weir novel, and I was pleasantly surprised by the humor and the several scenes that had me actually laughing out loud. The humor provided some comedic relief but didn't detract from the suspenseful or heart-wrenching moments. So much suspense!

But by far my favorite element of this book is the perfectly imagined, well-rounded characters. They are all complex and multi-faceted. Ryland is sarcastic and insanely intelligent with a penchant for good. Eva Stratt is a driven, hardworking woman with a world to save. And well, Rocky may be one of my favorite characters of all-time. 

I would confidently recommend this book to anyone and know that they would love it. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy!! Review will be posted on my Instagram @tasteoflit on publication day!

Earth is in peril, and the savior of humanity is....a middle school science teacher?

Ryland Grace is content with his job as the "cool" science teacher, and has left his life as a researcher behind him. But when something starts eating the energy from the sun, he's called upon to investigate. What he finds will be responsible for the next ice age, and the fall of humanity if it isn't stopped. This sets off a chain of events to stop the coming apocalypse, with Grace as a leading scientist. He also is chosen as an astronaut on the Hail Mary, the ship sent to find a solution, but he's not quite sure how he ended up there. All he knows is that when he woke from his induced coma in space, he was the only member of his 3 person crew still alive. Told in alternating timelines between the now (Grace in space), and the past (Grace on Earth), it is revealed how he became the 3rd crew member. Can Grace stop what seems to be an inevitable extinction event?

I really loved The Martian, and I was worried that this new book would be a disappointment. I honestly really enjoyed this one as well. Weir has this way of giving you all kinds of scientific information that is way over the average reader's head, but doesn't make you feel stupid or overwhelmed. I didn't have to understand physics or chemistry to enjoy this book, even though there were a lot of references to them. The writing and humor carried the story, and though I honestly didn't understand everything (hello, relativistic and Newtonian physics!) the plot was intriguing and I couldn't put it down. It's definitely not for everyone, but if you liked The Martian, you'll enjoy this one too.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir just wowed me on so many levels, and I cannot talk about very many of them without giving away spoilers. But here is what I can say:

I loved the theme of friendship and how it developed, grew, and ultimately played out in the novel. It gives the story heart and meaning outside of all the fantastic science and science fiction details. The power of the bond between friends is everything. It makes people a better version of themselves and leads to personal fulfillment in ways we never expect. This aspect of the story is surprisingly heartwarming and completely relatable.

The science is so incredibly detailed that I was unsure if I was getting smarter by the second or if my brain was going to explode with information overload. I loved this because even if the facts were not accurate (but they did seem to be spot on), they gave the story an authenticity it would not have had otherwise.

The story is interspersed with a dual timeline, all from the main character’s, Ryland Grace, point of view. For the most part, this worked seamlessly, though I occasionally got confused about whether I was in the past or the present. However, the confusion did not last long as the two periods are quite different. I could not decide whether I would consider the story character-driven or plot-driven as both aspects are powerful, but that says so much on its own.

If you want to be wowed over and over again, then this is a book you will not want to miss!

The nitty-gritty: Thrilling, emotional and very funny, Project Hail Mary is a winner!

*Spoiler free review

This is a tricky book to review, because as you might have heard, there is a spoilerific element to the story that should be kept under wraps at all costs. I have to admit I went into Project Hail Mary completely clueless (I don’t think I even read the blurb on Goodreads) and it made the experience all the more wonderful. So this review will be on the short side, as I don’t want to give anything away! I loved this book as much as I loved The Martian, and I really loved The Martian. Kudos to Weir for writing something new and not rehashing his bestseller, even though the basic concept—a man gets stuck in space by himself and has to figure out a way to survive—is similar.

The story opens with a mystery. A man wakes up in a strange hospital bed with no memories of why he’s there and who he is. He’s alone except for two dead bodies, and he doesn’t recognize them either. Little by little, his memories float to the surface, and he remembers that his name is Ryland Grace and he is on a spaceship. Ryland soon realizes that he understands all the technical equipment on board and that he’s very good at math and science, but he still doesn’t understand the why part of the equation: he eventually remembers that he is a junior high school science teacher, but what the heck is he doing on a spaceship, alone and—another startling realization—in another solar system? And why did he lose his memory?

In an alternating timeline, we learn the answers to all those questions as Ryland’s memories slowly return. It turns out that Earth is on the path to an extinction event and the crew and spaceship—the Hail Mary—have been launched into space in order to find a solution to the problem. Scientists predict that another ice age is imminent in the next twenty-six years or so, unless the Hail Mary and crew can save the day.

So that’s the set-up, and it’s up to you lucky readers to experience the rest of the story for yourselves. Weir does a great job of utilizing a dual timeline in Project Hail Mary, and it works perfectly for keeping us in suspense as he slowly doles out the answers to all of the story’s burning questions. Back on Earth, we meet the team of scientists who not only discovered the life altering event that’s about to happen, but those who can solve the problem and save the planet. I loved these sections as well, and it was fascinating to watch the process of all the top scientists in the world come together to help solve an insurmountable problem.

Weir is simply full of surprises, and I was delighted by the creative and unusual ideas in this story. It’s almost like The Martian was a warm-up for Project Hail Mary. We get a lot of the same elements, but Weir takes things up several notches, uses even more science, and comes up with some truly mind-blowing scenarios. And yes, there is a lot of technical information and info-dumping in places. But hey, building a spaceship and figuring out how to get a crew into deep space is technical stuff, and I wasn’t really bothered that most of it went over my head. As for tension and thrills, I was on the edge of my seat for a lot of the story, worried sick about Ryland and the Hail Mary. I’ll admit some of the situations were way over the top, and it’s hard to imagine that anything like this would ever happen, but you have to just go with it. I’m quite sure Weir did his homework, and even if parts of the story feel like speculation, it’s all based on science and physics, especially the scenes back on Earth and the extreme measures the team has to take to save the planet.

Ryland Grace is a fantastic character, a man who loves to teach and gets very excited when confronted with new ideas and problems. He’s on par with Mark Watney when it comes to problem solving, and the crazy ideas he comes up with were some of my favorite parts of the story. I also loved the way he refused to swear, using phrases like “what the fudge” and “motherfluffer” in lieu of swear words, although eventually when the shit hits the fan he does swear, lol. There are so many laugh-out-loud moments in the story, and I’d love to mention a few choice quotes, but I’m afraid they would spoil things for you. And did anyone else pick up on the name of the ship and the main character and think “Hail Mary full of grace”?? Ha ha.

The villain of the tale—of course there has to be one—is Eva Stratt, the all-powerful, driven woman who facilitates the entire operation. At first I cheered the fact that Weir gave us a strong woman who can literally command the President of the United States and every other world leader in order to get what she needs for the project, but it doesn’t take long before you start to realize just what a horrible person she is. There is one reveal in particular near the end that nearly made me throw my Kindle against the wall, I was so enraged by her choices! However, on the surface she's annoying as hell, but she has mankind's best interests at heart, so you have to give her credit for that.

And I wouldn’t have given this book five stars if it hadn’t resonated with me emotionally. Unfortunately I can’t talk about the emotional parts because of huge spoilers! But let me just say that I didn’t see that ending coming and I sobbed like a baby.

Andy Weir has another winner on his hands, one that takes all the best parts of The Martian and spins them off in different and surprising directions. The book isn’t perfect—it’s pretty long and there are many many paragraphs and pages full of technical information—but honestly, I’d put up with those things all over again if I could read this again for the first time.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

Review will be published on Goodreads by 05/03/2021

Andy Weir’s humor and attention to detail definitely continues in this new book. The slightly self deprecating humor of the main character is the driving force behind this exciting, out of this world, novel. Who better to save humanity than a Junior High School teacher, right? I have to say for a man who has amnesia and can’t even remember his name, Grace is doing a pretty good job aboard a spacecraft heading for a new star.

*** Spoilers ahead ***

I have to say I was not expecting the good doctor to meet sentient life, but the logical yet humorous way in which he interacted with them is perfect. Rocky’s attitude about how frail and useless humans are is highly entertaining and like most of his previous novels, Hail Mary is highly researched and well thought out. It is definitely in the realm of realistic science fiction and it makes me wonder if NASA will reach out to Weir again and ask who his alien contact is?

Overall, it was a wonderful story filled with well thought out and unique characters. The story was full of low and high points of action and possible heart ache and kept me simultaneously rolling in fits of laughter and on the edge of my seat.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC!

Andy Weir is back with an incredible science fiction novel that will have fans of The Martian excited to find out what happens next!

When Ryland Grace wakes up, he realizes that something is very, very wrong. His memory is gone, and it feels like he has been asleep for years. When he finally able to get out of bed, he can’t figure out why he is so sluggish and then he realizes, it’s because gravity is heavier than normal. But that doesn’t make sense. Perhaps someone has placed him in a centrifuge, but that can’t be because of the amount of gravitational force that he is experiencing. There is only one other possibility: he is on a spaceship. Once he makes his way to the control room and sees the panel, he realizes that not only is he on a ship, the star he is heading towards is in a completely different solar system than his own. As his memory begins to return in bits and pieces, he realizes that he is on a last-ditch effort mission to save Earth and all the people who live there.

How to review this book without giving anything away? Let’s just say that if you loved The Martian and where then slightly (or horribly) disappointed in Weir’s second book Artemis, then you are not alone. But rest assured, this book gets back to what Weir did best in The Martian. Readers will ride alongside protagonist, Ryland Grace, as he struggles to understand why he is on this mission. His amnesia allows readers to discover the same tidbits of information at the same time he does so that the revelation is gradual. Grace is a microbiologist with a great understanding of science that explains everything to readers. It does get technical at times, but the plot and story line make up for anything that readers may not fully understand. I’m married to a mechanical engineer and he got even more out of this book than I did. Plus having the science mixed with humor throughout makes for several good laughs. Readers will also experience some emotion throughout the book, but you’re just going to have to read it for yourself to understand why.

Compared to the previous books, there is only a fraction of foul language. There is also some discussion of sex, but nothing graphic and it is written in a humorous manner. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoyed The Martian or just love science fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Wow! Andy Weir does it again! This book is INCREDIBLE! Who knew a single male character for a good chunk of the book could be so compelling. Once he finds a companion, who knew this could have so much heart. I am not really a sci-fi fan, but this very well will be one of my best books of the year!

Oh Andy Weir, you've done it again. I can never get enough of your acerbic wit while talking astrophysics. In the same vein as the Martian, but now with the whole of Planet Earth in peril, a middle school science teacher is thrown into a mission to save the world. The only trouble is, he can't remember anything, not even his name. And unlike the Martian, Ryland Grace is not alone. This book is sci fi, yes, but also lots of warmth, heart and humor (and it makes you WANT to learn about the space-time continuum, and brush up on the theory of relativity - what kind of a book can do that?!). Another 5-star winner for me! So happy for this one to hit the shelves.