I love Andy Weir and Project Hail Mary did not disappoint! The Martian is one of my favorite books of all time and this one is right there with it now. I loved the characterization, the science and the imagination!

Project Hail Mary further cements Andy Weir's position as the flagbearer for easily accessible hard science fiction. Much like his previous works, Weir's protagonist is equipped with the knowledge and pluck to be able to extricate themselves from certain danger and possible death time and time again by using their scientific knowledge.
Starting as a "white room" plot, Project Hail Mary sucks you in from the beginning as you try to determine who our hero is and why he is in such a predicament. Through non linear storytelling, Weir slowly reveals the stakes of the central problem and how our intrepid hero came to be where he is.
If you are familiar at all with Weir's earlier works, you will be used to the escalating scientific experimentations to resolve problems. I was amazed at the level of knowledge the protagonist had in such widespread scientific disciplines but it did come in handy.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit and it allowed me the feeling of suspense I had the first time I had read The Martian. It also demonstrated again that hard science fiction can teach you and thrill you at the same time.

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. All opinions in this review are my own.

This was the first novel I have read by Andy Weir and after reading this one I am going to read the rest of his works. This book was well written and had me wanting to see what happened next. The lead character Dr. Grace felt real albeit smarter then the average person but his emotional response to what was happening around him seemed authentic. The story goes back in forth of him on his current mission and memories from the past that led him to be on the space ship that had to sole goal to save the planet. There is so much I want to mention that makes this book so great but I would be robbing new readers from the chance to discover these scenes as they unfold. If you are a fan of Sci-Fi and human reactions to the end of the world this is the novel for you!

Fun science! I loved this book. (Until the end. Then, I'm not so sure, but what ride to get there.) Tons of science made interesting, and an ingenious way to tell the story.

I'm sure fans of Weir's The Martian will not be surprised at the level of science-based problem solving in this book. (I abandoned The Martian because I didn't want watch an astronaut starve on Mars. I quite enjoyed the movie, though.)

The structure of this book - of an astronaut who wakes up in space and doesn't know who or where he is - adds an element of mystery to the narrative, which might not have been so effective if it had been told in a linear fashion. We get the back story as his memories return.

[Small spoiler] I loved the alien life proposed in this book. I became quite attached to it, too. I would like to know how Weir chose his aliens, but I'm sure there is real scientific thinking behind.

My gripes are that the characters tend to be two-dimensional, and the ending doesn't quite stick the landing. Not to mention all the luck that makes the plot work, but that's fiction for you.

I am not a fan of hard science fiction, so I can't judge how Weir's work would sit with those readers. This book's style of plot-driven, science-laden storytelling is sure to have wide appeal and produce another hit for Weir.

I haven’t read Andy Weir before, but of course I have heard about The Martian. It is on my Want to Read list although I have already seen the movie. So I was intrigued when I saw a new book available by Weir.

Project Hail Mary starts off with Dr. Ryland Grace waking up from a coma on a spaceship. He doesn’t remember his own name let alone why he is in space. But eventually the details come back to him and he realizes he is Earth’s last chance for human survival.

I absolutely loved this book. Grace is an extremely likable and humorous character which is good, considering he is mostly the only character. As a math nerd myself, I loved the math and physics problems that Grace would work out as well as the scientific problem solving that Earth went through creating the Project Hail Mary mission. Even though most of it was a hypothetical situation, I still felt like I increased my understanding on many subjects in addition to enjoying the story.

This was one of those rare books where I was overwhelmingly sad when it ended. I kept wanting to return to it and was always disappointed when I remembered I reached the end. I thought it had a perfect ending (even more rare!) and I honestly have no faults with the plot.

This book was entertaining and thought provoking without being overwhelming. I highly recommend to anyone especially if you have an interest in STEM or space in general. I definitely plan on going back to read more from Weir.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Project Hail Mary is incredible! Andy Weir is back with another sensational science fiction novel that you have to read if you were a Martian novel fan like I was.

It begins with a lost astronaut who wakes up and doesn’t know where he is or who he is. The book offers one scientific theory after another which Grace races to solve. I can’t even begin to tell you if the science is accurate, I don’t have a desire to look it all up, but it seems real and plausible! What I loved the most were the one-line sarcastic humor that Mark Watney was know for. This was such a great book!

Project Hail Mary is Andy Weir’s usual thrill ride of world-saving science and engineering with unintended consequences. It’s one of those books that you read twice, first to see what happens and then to appreciate how the author sets it up.

The best plot hook is that initially the main character can’t even remember his own name-- and his amnesia apparently kept him alive during suspended animation. From there the story unfolds in a series of flashbacks as the lone surviving astronaut figures out how to use the ship while he starts to remember why he’s on his mission. It's incredibly fortunate that he was such a good high-school science teacher before he switched to being an astronaut... if he could only remember why he made that career move in the first place.

Then the alien shows up.

Then our hero realizes that he can’t get back home... or maybe he can? But even if he can, then should he return?

The book lurches from one crisis to the next as the author explains time dilation, relativity, spaceship design, biology, and climate change. It’s his best book yet!

I had a major book hangover after finishing Project Hail Mary, and I do believe this took over as my favorite book of all time. That award went to Andy Weir’s The Martian these past few years... until now.

This book was definitely my most anticipated read for 2021, and not only was it every thing I hoped it would be, it seriously blew my socks off.

Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship to find out that his memory of who he is and why he’s there is gone. He also discovers that his two crewmates are dead and he’s alone. As bits and pieces of his memory return to him a little at a time, he discovers that he knows science and math. A lot of science and math. He also discovers that he’s been asleep for a VERY long time and is far far away from Earth.

I’ve been reading other reviews about how Ryland Grace is too much like Mark Watney in The Martian but without all the cussing, and that there’s too much science in this book. Well, my love of The Martian and Mark Watney as a character are extremely high. I adored Ryland Grace because he was a lot like Mark Watney, and I didn’t mind all the science. Yes it was a bit overwhelming, but... I just scanned the bits I didn’t get. Okay, I probably scanned most of the science. That’s what Andy Weir does though. He pours on the science. I, for one, am in awe of the science!

I experienced so many feels in the last part of the book, I’m still getting goosebumps thinking about it. I can’t wait for my preordered signed copy to come in so I can sit and pet this book. That’s how much I loved it. I’ll definitely be reading this one at least once a year like I do with Weir’s The Martian and Artemis.

*Thank you so very much to Ballantine Books, Random House, and NetGalley for the advance copy!*

ARC provided by Goodreads and the publisher—Ballantine Books—in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 stars

Andy Weir is back with a new novel suitable for fans of The Martian.

“Stupid humanity. Getting in the way of my hobbies.”

I’m sure I’m not the only that became a fan of Weir’s work because of The Martian. For years I’ve heard such amazing things about The Martian, and it’s not until three months ago that I caved in and finally read The Martian. I was blown away by how good it was. It’s an incredible thing, especially because I’ve watched the movie adaptation first, and I knew how the story will go already. And still, I was impressed, entertained, and felt satisfied from reading the novel. I know that Artemis has been mixed received; I haven’t read it yet, so I can’t say much on this novel. However, if you’re a fan of The Martian, I really don’t see how you’ll end up disliking this one.

“Sometimes, the stuff we all hate ends up being the only way to do things.”

If you haven’t heard of the premise of Project Hail Mary, I’m going to sum it up briefly now. Ryland Grace is a lone astronaut with a task to save Earth from disaster, but he’s alone, and he has no memories of what has happened before. He has to find a way to save Earth from disaster, and then come back home, all by himself. See? It’s practically the premise of The Martian with a new addition of saving the world. I won’t lie, there were times where the plot and the structure of the storyline felt too similar; I enjoyed it, but an extra distinction would’ve earned this book a better remembrance strength in my head. That being said, this isn’t a carbon copy of The Martian; Weir still managed to make Project Hail Mary a different book besides the incredibly similar premise and storytelling structure.

“I feel like Sherlock Holmes. All I saw was “nothing,” and I draw a bunch of conclusions! Conclusions that are wildly speculative and with nothing to prove them, but conclusions!”

Ryland Grace, as a character, felt pretty much like a non-foul-mouthed Mark Watney. Other than that, the voice of his narrative felt highly similar to Mark Watney; whether this is a good thing or not, it’s up to each reader to interpret. Personally, despite the similarity to Mark Watney, this was a good thing for me because I was indeed in a mood for reading a POV of a character that can act positively despite their harsh circumstances; I got what I wanted here. I did, however, found that the scientific details were too much.

“Human suffering is often an abstract concept to kids. But animal suffering is something else entirely.”

I’m not claiming that I understood every scientific detail in The Martian, but in my opinion, Weir did a superb job in balancing the science info-dump in The Martian along with the characterization, plotting, and humor. The Martian never stopped feeling super intriguing and captivating to me. That’s not the case in Project Hail Mary, not at first, anyway. The heavy discussions on mathematics and physics were simply over my head, and there were so many of them in the first half of the novel that it felt to me like I was transported back to high school to fail these two lessons again. Fortunately, the second half remedied the pacing; the balance between plot, characters, dialogues, and scientific info-dumps was handled significantly better. And similar to The Martian, the ending of Project Hail Mary was enormously satisfying.

“Maybe it’s just the childish optimist in me, but humanity can be pretty impressive when we put our minds to it.”

Filled with positivity, intellect, and thrill, to me Project Hail Mary was almost as good as The Martian. I will admit that my expectations towards this novel may be a bit too high, and I’m sure many readers who enjoy—plus understand—the intricate scientific details will have a more enjoyable reading experience. What’s the highlight of Project Hail Mary? Rocky. That’s all I’m going to say on this.

Official release date: 4th May 2021

You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository (Free shipping) | Bookshop (Support Local Bookstores!)

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions

Threats to the survival of humanity lead to an unprecedented journey into space in a last-ditch effort to preserve life on Earth in Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary.

Junior high science teacher Ryland Grace is alone on a space ship, an unlikely but ultimately only remaining hope for humanity, on a mission to save the Earth from impending demise; however, he doesn’t quite know all of this when he wakes up. He takes stock of his surroundings, which includes robotic arms and a disembodied computer voice, and quickly comes to conclusion that he’s skilled in and has vast knowledge of science, and is likely American, but he’s not quite sure what he’s supposed to be doing. With his memories slowly and hazily returning to him as he goes about the ship and dealing with his two deceased crewmates, Ryland recalls that he’s on a mission to save Earth and everyone on it from an extinction event. In his quest to get answers to the gaps in his memory and save his plant, Ryland eagerly conducts experiments to gather data and makes one of the greatest discoveries that becomes his most valuable ally in this endeavor.

A captivating and generally optimistic tale of survival against the innumerable odds thrown against you (and humanity more broadly), this story contained plenty of endearing comments and asides from the protagonist, both in current time and in recollections, to keep you engaged and invested in the somewhat bleak origin and heavily scientific task Ryland was set to undertake, which bears the very familiar hallmarks of a Weir science adventure – The Martian in particular. Incorporating a manifestation of encountering alien life forms in space, and collaborating with them toward a mutual goal, was fascinating to watch unravel. The dynamic developed between Ryland and Rocky was, quite frankly, adorable; while I can appreciate that these are intelligent minds that can come up with workable solutions quickly, the pace at which that was portrayed was incredibly rapid, requiring a larger dose of suspension of disbelief to remain immersed in the narrative. The story’s resolving action, and particularly the ending, is an incredibly lovely aspiration, though it felt far too tidy and cheerful in contrast with the serious implications of the sacrifices made.

Overall, I’d give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

*I received a copy of this book from the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read a science fiction novel since high school, but decided to read this one on a whim. What an excellent accident. The book is challenging in its scientific descriptions but also has a strong emotional element.
Dr Grace, a middle school science teacher, is conscripted to go on a one way interstellar trip to hopefully save the world from an organism that threatens the existence of the sun. The book is written from Grace’s perspective and involves many layers of revelation. Part of the charm of the book is learning one chapter at a time what is going on and why Grace finds himself in space.
The highlight of the book is grace’s accidental encounter with “Rocky” an alien from a planet that is also at risk. Although Rocky had few physical characteristics in common with humanity, they develop a strong friendship. The implication is that all humans are the same, in spite of our physical and cultural differences.
Even if you are not a science fiction reader, you will enjoy this book.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

NO SPOILERS OF ANY KIND REVIEW: Masterpiece. Instant classic. From start to finish, I loved this book and haven't had this enjoyable of a read in a LONG time. I won't mention any plot or characters, but I will say that if you've read Andy Weir's other two books, The Martian and Artemis, it's more like the former. However, to use a Beatles reference, The Martian is "Love Me Do" and Project Hail Mary is "Sgt. Pepper"-- the whole album! It's thrilling, funny, and moving. Educational too. If you like science-fiction, and especially if you liked The Martian (book or movie), you'll love Project Hail Mary. If you don't like science-fiction or aren't sure, read the first couple of pages on whatever e-book site you buy from, or better yet, pick it up in a store and do that. If you like what you read, and the style and flavor of it, this book is for you. BUT DON'T READ A SYNOPSIS OF IT! Don't even read any of the review blubs-- I just read one by a famous author and it discloses a huge plot element. Seriously, trust me, go in blind and you will be rewarded!

Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir, is a captivating and intriguing mix of science fiction and mystery with a fascinating interstellar journey along the way.

The story revolves around Ryland Grace, who wakes up without knowing where he is nor who he is, and he can't even recall his name. With continuing flashbacks of various memories, the readers learn alongside the main character. He explores his surroundings and slowly remembers his life and the desperate reason for waking up on a spaceship. Ryland needs to find a way to save Earth and all of humanity living there.

This enthralling and humorous story frequently uses technical terminology, yet it's still easy to read and understand, even for those not familiar with advanced math calculations and random scientific theories. The book is a delightful and enthralling mix of science fiction and mystery with a fascinating interstellar journey along the way.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, especially sci-fi fans. Project Hail Mary is another brilliant book by this author, and it's definitely worth reading.

Note: I received this book from NetGalley, yet the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

In PROJECT HAIL MARY, by Andy Weir, Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship by himself and that's it. That is all he knows. As he explores the ship and as his memories start to return, Ryland realizes who he is, why he is there, and how important to humanity that he is successful in his mission. Can Ryland remember enough to figure out exactly what he needs to do? And when things don't go to plan, can Ryland problem solve his way to saving all of humanity?
I can't say enough how much I love this book. From when Ryland woke up on page one to the super exciting climax and supremely rewarding ending and everywhere in between, I think this book is great and immediately rockets to one of my favorite books ever. Weir brings humor, humanity, and hope to every page. Interspersing all of that while also progressing a story full of twists and unexpected turns, the reader can't help but pull for Ryland Grace every step of the way as he figures out what to do. The book is heavy on the science, but Weir does a good job of dumbing it down when necessary so a layman can keep up. That being said, I did feel smarter for having read this book because of all the education I got to understand all of Ryland Grace's problem solving challenges.
I found myself inspired to understand PROJECT HAIL MARY because of how well the story and the character of Ryland Grace is written and I believe most readers will feel the same way. A one of a kind read that is guaranteed to leave a smile on anyone's face who takes the journey of PROJECT HAIL MARY.

I was so happy to get an ARC of this one! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher! Lots of science that was over my head, but it was fascinating! The Martian was one of my favorite reads of the year several years ago. This one has similarities (male main character, man stuck in space) as well as the humor! This one made me laugh as well as tear up a few times. Highly recommend!

Weir returns to a narrative voice similar to his breakout debut The Martian: an enthusiastic science nerd given to verbalizing all of his though processes while problem solving. There's lots of that, because narrator Ryland Grace awakens alone on a space ship in distant star system Tau Ceti. At first he cannot even remember his own name, not to mention how he came to be in a dormitory with two dead crewmates. The process of regaining his memory takes place gradually over the course of the narrative, in a series of flashbacks.

Fortunately he remembers his name and the reason he's there pretty quickly (wouldn't have much of a story otherwise)! The mission is to figure out how to save Earth's Sun from a newly discovered life form that is gradually draining its energy. If this isn't reversed the effect on the Earth's ecology will be catastrophic: hence the ship name the Hail Mary, after the desperation pass in a close football game. Fascinating as that background is, it is almost completely eclipsed when Grace becomes aware of the nearby presence of an alien ship at the end of Chapter 6.

First the alien pilot attempts to communicate by mirroring the Hail Mary's movements, then sends over a cylinder containing planetary models to indicate its home system. The next reply proposes a tube connecting both ships via their airlocks. So begins Grace's relationship with the alien he names Rocky (from the rocky appearance of the skin on his spider-like body). Rocky's home (the 40 Eridani system) is also threatened with extinction. So they resolve to work together, which requires an extensive process of learning each others languages for a start.

As always the process of scientific discovery is riddled with unexpected events: after awhile I found myself thinking, "what now?" Weir usually uses the device of dropping a crisis at the end of a chapter, with regularity. Predictable, but no less dramatically effective. The finale is far from predictable, however. Grace has a final unpleasant realization of his role in the project. But then he redeems himself by finding a way to help his new friend Rocky and his home world while still sending help home to Earth.

Thanks to NetGalley for a prepublication copy.

Andy Weir's new book, Project Hail Mary, which I read courtesy of NetGalley and Random House / Ballantine is out-of-this-world amazing. It has everything you want in a great read - a fresh plot; well-written, and fully developed characters; great tension and drama; unpredictable plot twists; and warmth. And, befitting a writer who was also a software engineer, lifelong space nerd, and a devoted hobbyist of such subjects as relativistic physics, and orbital mechanics, his technobabble is readable and believable (and who knows it may all be scientific fact). You can tell I adored this book.

In the near future, scientists discover the sun is dimming, losing its energy. The consequence will be devastating. Temperatures drop, crops fail, people die. Life on earth will change forever. Stars are also losing energy and dimming, not all of them, but most. Why? No one knows.

Ryland Grace, a scientist turned eighth-grade teacher, is recruited into participating with a team of scientists committed to saving the earth. Project Hail Mary is born. The mission is simple and straightforward - travel many, many light years into the future with no possibility of returning home, figure out the cause of the diminishing energy, fix it and save the world.

Told in flashbacks, Grace finds himself on the spaceship along with two dead crew persons, no memory of why he is there, and no idea of how to drive the ship. As he speeds towards an unaffected star, we learn how all this came to be, as Grace struggles to stay alive.

I have to stop there. Sharing more of the story will only spoil it. There are a lot of 'OMG, hold your breath moments in this fast-paced, thrilling, and emotional read. It is an engaging and surprisingly funny mystery/science fiction novel about courage, the importance and power of friendship,

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir is a superb and engrossing read which will keep you reading until the end. Well worth the read!

I loved this book! The plot and characters were pretty much perfect. After this past year, I love reading books that are set in space and this didn't disappoint.

This is one of the most entertaining pieces of media I've ever consumed.

Alright, after a loaded statement like that I'll need to do some justification. This isn't the most original thing I've ever read. Far from it. That is completely okay, though, as Andy Weir's hodgepodge of common sci-fi tropes blended with his penchant for writing educational feeling exposition makes the book it's own thing. Reading this with Ryan Gosling in mind (he's been cast as the lead in the upcoming film adaptation) also helped me enjoy it more as it may have set me up to project some charm onto Ryland Grace that was more understated on the written page. Alright, gonna spoil some vague concepts moving forward so pump the breaks if needed. I'd recommend going into this book cold so you can stop reading and pre-order the book now if you see fit.

In its simplest form this is basically Interstellar and Arrival combined into one. A statement like that spoils a lot, but it veers off into its own thing pretty early. It's about saving the planet from it's doom but it's also about the barriers of language and the importance of communication. What it adds to that recipe is a good old fashioned tale of the importance of friendship. It's thrilling, it's intellectual, and it's an emotional journey. Read this book. Start it the day it's available to purchase because I NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK WITH OTHER PEOPLE.