Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for getting me an advanced readers copy!!

Fans of the Martian and science fiction will not want to miss this Title. What do you do when you wake up, realize you don't know who or where you are? As your memory slowly comes back you realize you are on a spaceship and the rest of your crew (2) have died. It is now up to you to solve the mystery of why the Sun is cooling and try to save the Earth. What follows is lots of science and space problem solving because things never go as planned; especially when you are on a spaceship flying through space trying your best to save humanity. Story alternates between current timeline and flashbacks of how main character got to be on the space ship Project Hail Mary in the first place. Quick, fun, enjoyable read!!

Andy Weir outdid himself on this one. This interstellar adventure story is unlikely anything I’ve ever read.

Huge shoutout to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this highly anticipated sci-fi novel, which is set to release on May 4th.

You may recognize Andy Weir as the author of the highly successful book, The Martian, which he self-published and then was later picked up by a mainstream publisher and adapted into the Matt Damon movie with the same name. Full disclosure, I did not read The Martian, but I absolutely loved the movie. Due to my love of The Martian and my burgeoning interest in sci-fi literature, I had high hopes for this book and it did not disappoint.

Project Hail Mary begins with Dr. Ryland Grace waking up on a spaceship with amnesia and two dead crew mates. While he struggles to recall his identity, Dr. Grace is flooded with memories - through a series of flashbacks - that inform him (and the reader) of how and why he ended up in outer space on a mission to save earth. As Dr. Grace attempts to save humanity from extinction by using science to solve a problem of apocalyptic proportions, he finds an unlikely companion… one that might just help him save a planet (or two).

I absolutely loved this book - all the unique twists and turns made it impossible to guess what would happen next and the ending was truly to die-for. However, despite the fantastic storyline, this book will not appeal to all readers, as it does include a HUGE amount of science. If you’ve read any of Weir’s previous books, I’m sure this will come as no surprise, but for first-timers (like myself), the sheer amount of scientific discussion will likely prove challenging. Nevertheless, if you’re a fan of sci-fi adventure stories and you can accept the fact that you won’t understand the majority of the science discussed in the book, you should definitely pick this one up.

Also, some exciting news I discovered while trying to google if Weir is a straight up scientific genius or just incredible at writing fiction (jury is still out)… MGM is already adapting the book into a film with Ryan Gosling set to star.

Andy Weir's latest book, Project Hail Mary, will delight the fans he accumulated over the years with books such as The Martian and Artemis. Weir's writing can pull even the astrologically clueless and outer space fiction averse among us. In Project Hail Mary, the narrator is an affable public school science teacher who finds himself helping the best and brightest in the world race to figure out a way to save humanity from an insidious new threat in space that is pulling the power of the Sun. Ryland Grace is a great protagonist and the fantastical adventure he finds himself (unwittingly) on will keep readers engaged and speeding along to find out the solution to the novel's premise right along with him.

I tried to force myself to read this book slowly. It worked for the first few chapters and then I just got so caught up in the story that there was no slowing down. I am not a science fiction fan having only read a handful of books in that genre. After reading the Martian by Andy Weir I told myself I would continue to read his books. He has a way of writing about science, end of the world, suicide missions with a humor that makes the reader laugh even when there are tears and snot running down their face. There is also explanations for the scientific gibberish that makes it all make sense. I feel smarter after having read this book, even though I know I could never really explain any of it to someone else. This book is an adventure from start to finish, past to present as the story unfolds with the flashbacks. This is a book I will read, recommend and cherish for years to come.

Andy Weir is a master at combining the science with the fiction. Told through a series of flashbacks, each revealing more about the current storyline, Dr. Ryland Grace is on a mission to save the world. Each memory brings Grace closer to the truth and reveals more about himself, perhaps more than he cared to remember. Interacting with alien planets and alien life forms are just part of the adventures that Grace encounters. All help him on his way to trying to solve the impossible puzzle that he has been tasked with solving.

Move over Mark Watney, there's a new space Macgyver in town, and his name is Ryland Grace. Ryland Grace is... well, it's not clear who he is. Or where he is. Or what he's doing there. But wherever he is and whatever he's meant to do, he's alone, he can't remember anything, and he's not definitely not at home.

This against-all-odds story starts out as an amnesic puzzle, as we watch Grace slowly stitch together his memory, and slowly realize that he might just be humanity's last hope against an extinction-level event on Earth. This deep space mystery unfolds with Weir's characteristic humor and sarcasm, as we go on a journey with Grace across the galaxy in an epic bid to save the human race. Of course, what could go wrong? Let's just say - Grace's journey get a little rocky. But sometimes, that's exactly what you need to get the job done.

Andy Weir hits the biggest home run yet of his career with Project Hail Mary, a thrillingly crafted story that zips by faster than the speed of light, as it races through twists and turns towards a magnificent crescendo. This book will have you laughing, crying, and rooting for Grace every step of the way. Weir takes the humorous scientific chutzpah that he came onto the scene with in The Martian, and splashes it deeper and further across the cosmos in this story of human ingenuity, resilience, sacrifice, and heart.

Wow, wow, wow, wow! Love the hero, the pacing, the math, the aliens, the conflicts about what matters. Who's think one small setting could make for such a great setting?

If you enjoyed THE MARTIAN, then you are going to devour PROJECT HAIL MARY. Dr. Ryland Grace wakes up from a coma alone and in space with little to no memory. As his memories slowly return, he realizes that he’s on a mission to save humanity. No pressure. Armed with his brilliance, creativity, flashbacks, and an on-board laboratory, Ryland goes about completing his mission, and then he discovers that maybe he’s not as alone as he thought. PROJECT HAIL MARY will have you laughing, crying, and hanging on for dear life as you desperately root for Ryland to save the world and maybe the universe. I did not expect to find myself emotionally attached to PROJECT HAIL MARY, and yet here we are.

The Good: Science! Memory loss! In spaaaaace!
The Bad: Nothing
The Literary: Alternating timelines

A man wakes up in an unfamiliar place after a very, very long sleep, with two corpses for company. He can't remember his own name, let alone what he's doing on a spaceship. But as his memories slowly return, he realizes he's humanity's last chance for survival.

This is one of those books where I really don't want to give any spoilers, so I'm not going to discuss specifics of the plot. The surprises and twists are extremely enjoyable, and just when you think things are going too easy for Ryland (ok, one spoiler, his name), things get very complicated in the second half. Until then, the alternating chapters between the present and the events leading up to Ryland's interstellar journey set the up the ultimate stakes, giving the present some weight as Ryland tinkers with spaceship controls to figure out how they work.

If you enjoyed The Martian, you'll certainly enjoy Project Hail Mary. First, it's very science-heavy, which I personally love. Even the more fiction-y side of the science-fiction is very science-y. Instead of The Martian's crass Mark Watney, you get wholesome and enthusiastic Ryland Grace, though both are quite funny as they deduce their next scientific puzzle. In addition to the one-man survival plot, Ryland has the weight of saving the Earth on his shoulders, all while trying to figure out who he is, and why he's there.

Laughs, thrills, and optimism! Realistic science fiction that gives you hope for humanity—what more can you ask for?

If you liked The Martian, this is the feel good of the apocalypse you will love. I was a bit disappointed by Artemis, but this was imaginative and a good read. It does feel like it leaned on The Martian's formula of a plucky science driven male astronaut a bit, but the rest of it was both entertaining and a very interesting what-if.

So, I would highly recommend this to people that loved The Martian or ones that love the science adventure fiction (not quite hard sci-fi, but like hard sci-fi light). It still has the base in reality, but it an easy read.

Many thanks to Ballantine/Random House for an advance readers copy.

I enjoyed every minute of “Project Hail Mary”. I am not a huge science fiction fan, but after reading “The Martian” I always make an exception for anything Andy Weir writes. “Project Hail Mary” follows Dr. Ryland Grace, the lone survivor of a space mission attempting to save Earth. Yet, as he navigates his present in space having woken up millions of miles from Earth with little memory to go on, his flashbacks of life on Earth help him make sense of this interstellar journey. Weir is so masterful at balancing scientific information dumps for the average non-scientist with humor and thrilling story arcs. “Project Hail Mary” is original and so well-written with an intergalactic heart that is impressive and undeniably captivating. I am quite certain this is Weir at his best. If you read and enjoyed “The Martian,” you are bound to be entertained with “Project Hail Mary.”

“Project Hail Mary” hits U.S. shelves on May 4, 2021.

I was a huge fan of The Martian—even purchased several class sets of the YA edition for all of our 8th graders to read in a novel study—so I was excited to receive an advance copy of Weir’s newest book. The premise was fascinating, and I enjoyed the main character’s personality, but I got too bogged down in all of the science technicalities. At chapter eight, about 30% in, I lost interest and abandoned the book at chapter 8. I’m glad to see by so many five-star reviews that I’m in the minority here. Wishing the author and publisher much success on Project Hail Mary! Thank you for the invitation to read this ARC. I won’t be sharing my review outside of NetGalley, as I don’t want my opinion to negatively impact readership.

I started reading Weir with The Martian and enjoyed the ARC for his second book. But Project Hail Mary blows them out of the water! I could not stop grinning while reading it, and it kept me up way past my bedtime because I just had to know what would happen next. I don't want to spoil a thing about it for new readers because so much of the plot is so inventive and fun that to describe it might ruin some of the joy of discovering more about our hero and his mission. That said, if you liked the Martian but thought it was heavy on the potatoes- you will find this very much the same only better (no potatoes, but there's definitely some time spent farming... of a sort). The premise you figure out right away- we start the story with one man. He doesn't know who he is, or why he is there, or what is happening. But the slow reveal makes all the confusion worth it. The hero/narrator has a lot in common with Weir's hero from The Martian, but I will allow it. His particular (fictitious) background makes him pretty fun to listen to for the duration. And really, a plucky hero is a plucky hero. Good enough for me.

I am not a scientist, and my grasp of basically everything in the book (other than linguistics, shout out to the other language educators out there) was nonexistent. But without making it grindingly gritty, Weir leads us through every improbable but well-researched piece of the science to understand what is happening, why, and how eventually science can solve it. It was like being lead through the most fun class on molecular biology I could ever imagine. You get the picture- I loved this book. I bet you will, too! Five stars of fun, adventure, intrigue, and just plain old space-y science fiction (heavy on the science) good fun. My favorite book of the past year, or very close to it! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book early- and write this unbiased but GLOWING review. Because it was awesome, and I want my friends to read it so we can talk about it!

This story was super intriguing - the idea that someone had amnesia but was on an important trip in outer space. It took a weird turn with the introduction of a certain character... that I eventually grew to really like, and I thought he did a good job fleshing that all out. The plot got a bit too technical for me and I’ll admit, a lot of the details were lost on me but I enjoyed the ride. I would’ve like a little more from the ending though... just a little more closure and maybe one more reveal showing a different memory... trying to stay spoiler free. Otherwise it was a fun ride and I was sad when the book was over.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Project Hail Mary is my third book by Andy Weir. After looking at my ratings/reviews for The Martian and Artemis, well, I was a bit hesitant to dive into this one. Luckily I did because it was actually very interesting. Honestly, anything with aliens will somehow be a likable book for me. Plus Rocky was kind of hilarious at certain points in the book.

Other than Rocky, you will meet Ryland Grace. After diving into the beginning of this book, I will admit that I was kind of hooked. I probably had endless questions to begin with because we don't really know what happened to Ryland and why he was where he was (ya know?). Now while Ryland is trying to put pieces together, I just kind of sat back and enjoyed the wild ride.

I feel like with each little flashback, the twists and turns were starting to reveal the bigger picture. Or maybe after reading a mystery thriller novel I was just still in detective mode. Either way, I liked putting this little scientific puzzle together - even though I was probably going to be completely wrong before the last page came my way.

In the end, I'm pretty Rocky was my favorite part of the book.

Fist my bump.
Fist-bump. It's just 'fist-bump'.
Understand.

Project Hail Mary HAS to be made into a movie!! OMG!! I loved this story!! Weir put together one helluva spectacular touchdown win! From beginning to end, AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWsome!! The story is about a man who wakes up in a spaceship. He can't even remember his own name. It's bad. Not to mention the two dead bodies that lay on the other two beds. Apparently, this man is royally screwed and that's about the only thing he knows.

The story flows so easily... it sucks you in from the get go... and so many unexpected twists and turns... the reader is left needing a shot of oxygen too! lol. I wish I could make all of the items I highlighted visible to others. I'll never write a spoiler... but, DAYUM! Weir!! You got me.

In a nutshell, the Earth is royally screwed... something is depleting all of our Sun. And, it's built a highway to Venus. Our scientists also notice that all of our nearest stars are also losing brightness. Whatever is devouring our Sun... is doing the same thing to all of our neighboring stars. With the exception of ONE! One star. That's it. We must find a way to figure out WHY the little beasts aren't touching it. Because... they sure as heck are touching our star. Earth has less than thirty years to get this figured out before it becomes a ball of ice. We already know that close to half of our current population is going to die from famine, pestilence, and war over resources. Food has become man's biggest problem again.

Ryland Grace wakes up from a coma with absolutely no memory of who he is, where he is, or what's happening to him. What happens next is an incredibly smart, interesting, fun and emotional adventure. Project Hail Mary is the perfect follow up to Andy Weir's The Martian. Much more similar to that novel than the middle one which we won't talk about, this one includes lots of smart science-y concepts while managing to stay entirely entertaining the whole while. Ryland Grace and Mark Watney would DEF be friends. Project Hail Mary includes less cursing and ABBA, but instead layers in much higher stakes while still managing to be FUN. I really really enjoyed this one - in fact I read it in only 2 days. Highly recommend!

I received an e-ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was very excited for this book, as I loved The Martian. Overall the book was an interesting concept; however I felt like they spent most of the time discussing scientific topics, instead of developing the personal plot line.

I loved both of the books I’ve read by Andy Weir (The Martian and Artemis) so I jumped at the chance to get a peek at his newest book. Luckily, it was better than I could have dreamed.

The book starts with a man waking up on a spaceship with two corpses. The man doesn’t know who he is or where he is. As his memories return, he realizes he’s part of a crew on a last-ditch suicide mission to save Earth. Flashbacks serve to inform the reader (and the main character) about the events leading to his involvement in this mission. As Grace figures out his mission and tries desperately to figure out how to harness space microbes to save the Earth from extinction, he finds more in the far reaches of space than he ever expected. I don’t know a ton about science, but Weir manages to explain highly scientific terms in a way that the reader can follow along without too much difficult. As a mystery lover, I loved the many mysteries in this book that Grace had to solve. I enjoyed the goofiness of the main character, and his ingenious and unconventional ways of problem-solving. All in all, this was a dense book with a lot of information and action that took me several days to get through, but it was very difficult to put down because I had to know what happened next. I especially appreciated the lack of f-bombs compared to The Martian, which means I’m happy to introduce this to my 13-year-old reader. I loved it.

Andy Weir has a distinct style and with this book, his third, has really honed in on what made his debut novel, The Martian, such a massive success.
A long time space and science enthusiast, Weir now as a trilogy of books mostly set outside the atmosphere of our little blue ball and they all are led by a sole protagonist. In The Martian, Mark Watney is left on Mars to survive when the rest of his crew believes him dead. In Artemis, Jazz Bashara is somewhat of a loner working in a full fledged city on the moon. Project Hail Mary follows suit with our hero waking up onboard a space craft unable to remember his name, where he is or why he’s there, but he is very much alone.

This amnesia doesn’t last forever though and as the protagonist, whose name I purposefully am leaving out of this to avoid any spoilers at all, begins to remember aspects of his life and mission we learn it along with him in the form of flashbacks.
It’s through these scenes we find out that the scale of this story is the grandest yet for the author.
If Watney failed to grow potatoes on Mars, he’d die and we’d be sad but earth would keep spinning. If Jazz hadn’t stopped getting into trouble with gangsters and authorities on Luna, not many people would have been hurt.
If the titular Project Hail Mary fails, well, that’s lights out for everybody.

Despite these high stakes Andy Weir still has a jovial sense of adventure with everything he writes. His characters are flawed, they get frustrated, they fail. Then they pick them selves up, get back to work and fix whatever just went wrong.
And things most certainly do go wrong.
I don’t think this book has the same trappings as The Martian did; use science to fix problem A, celebrate, feel good, last line of chapter sets up problem B, but that definitely does happen at least a couple of times.
This book takes its swings in slightly different directions though and while it feels like a spiritual successor to The Martian it is in no way a carbon copy.

Weir has established himself as one of the most accessible and commercially successful sci-fi authors of the last decade or so and, for me, it is because his type of science fiction follows the likes of Michael Crichton and leans into the science part of the genre.
His first two novels, while set off planet, relied almost entirely on technologies we either have at our disposal, are in active development or have already been theorised. This book reaches a little further into speculative fiction and I’m happy to say that it works.

If Crichton had an affinity for theme parks that wanted to kill you, Andy Weir has that with space. I am eager to see if he ever decides to tackle and story at a stable 1g, but if he chooses to float around in the atmosphere he has found himself most comfortable in going forward, I’m all in as well.

I’ll wrap this up by saying that if you enjoyed The Martian, this is a must read, but if you like something with a little more depth like, oh I don’t know, the movie Arrival, then don’t sleep on this either. At least without someone watching over you while you do...