**Thank you, NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to review this from an advanced reader copy**

Ho, boy, I have thoughts. So many thoughts. I'm not going to put spoilers in this review since it's such a heavily anticipated book with us sci-fi nerds. First off, I want to say I enjoyed The Martian, a lot. Read the book, took the kids to the opening weekend of the movie, I was pumped for that book. I was a little hyped about The Martian, so I might have waved away some of Andy Weir's faults, but no amount of hand-waving is getting rid of the mess that is this exposition-heavy novel.

So, back to The Martian, Mark Watney's science experiments on Mars were *endearing*, seriously, adorable. His triumphs were amazing to me, things he discovered, I felt like I was along for that ride.

This? If you cut out all of the science exposition, you'd be left with a 70-page book. Seriously. And if you took out all of the exclamation marks? A 65-page book.

I wanted to love Project Hail Mary with all my heart. But the "gosh darn its" felt so fake. that I wanted to laugh. I don't know a single human who talked the way this guy does. Maybe a couple of Mormons.

Also? Don't do this: I, as an author, need to explain the science shit they're about to do, but my character is not an expert in this field, so I'll say, "The guy is having the worst day in his life, if he wants to vent to me about it, who am I to stop him?" And then let that guy explain all of the science for the next 3-4 pages. That is some freshman creative writing shit right there, friend.

There is one thing that his agent must be SUPER bummed about... this book would be utterly unfilmable unless they changed a LOT about it. And after coming off a mega-watt all-star cast movie, that agent must've looked at this manuscript and cringed.

Look. I like science. In fact, I love it. I didn't need Bill Nye here explaining ever single fucking thing he's doing and slowing down the pacing to a snail's pace. This book took me a little over a week to finish, it usually takes me 3 days to finish a book. I ended up just skimming past all of the science after the 2/3 mark.

If you’re looking for a sci-fi thriller to read and you enjoyed The Martian, then this is for you! I loved this book! It does get a little bogged down with the technical explanations, but you could skim past them enough to get the gist, or you can soldier on as I did, as they do help make the story more believable and it’s all well-explained.

So basically, there’s space algae that’s eating the sun, which in turn is killing Earth. The world bands together to send three saviors out to space to find a way to kill the space algae. Yada yada yada… the main characters are a junior high school science teacher and a space alien, which I picture in my head as one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Both species breathe totally different air, speak different languages, eat different food, have their own peculiarities as a species, but somehow figure out how to work together in their common goal of survival of their worlds. I loved their interactions and can’t wait to see this as a movie like The Martian, which I haven’t read but saw the movie, and after reading this book, I will definitely read the book because I really enjoyed Weir’s writing style. BTW, the Internet has told me that Ryan Gosling will be producing and starring in the movie version of this book!

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for the advanced copy of this book. It had me hooked from start to finish!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir / Pages: 496 / Genre: Sci-Fi Thriller / Release Date: May 4, 2021

Thanks to Andy Weir, Random House - Ballantine, and Net Galley for providing me with an advance copy of this novel. I’m a big Andy Weir fan, having loved The Martian, and so I was really excited to read his latest novel. Project Hail Mary did not disappoint — it has an intriguing premise that hooked me from the beginning, a likable main character, and science that is interesting and accessible. Having said that, I felt like it could have used some editing — it bogged down in a few places, and while the science is a big part of the adventure of an Andy Weir story, sometimes I felt like the detail got in the way of moving the plot forward. Still, this was enjoyable read that I would recommend.

Interesting plot but it didn’t quite hold my attention. Dr. Ryland Grace, a junior high school teacher, is enlisted by the government to save Earth from microorganisms dubbed “astrophage” which are absorbing the sun’s energy. At the beginning of the book, Grace wakes up from a coma in the depths of space to find that he can’t remember his name, where he is or why he’s in a spaceship with two dead crew members.

My experience with this book can be described as “it’s not you, it’s me”. While I liked the plot, the execution just didn’t do it for me...there were so many info dumps, endless math calculations, and scientific descriptions that my head was spinning. I’m sure this book will appeal to many but unfortunately it just wasn’t my cup of tea. Overall, 3 stars for the storyline.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballentine books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This hulking novel is full of science and space and friendship and loneliness. Definitely pretty dense with the science and the first 30% was a a bit slow for me, but enjoyed the dual timelines and just had fun with this one. It's already set to be made into a film and while Ryan Gosling does absolutely nothing for me, I cannot wait to meet Rocky.

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!

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.

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.