Confession time: I’ve never actually read The Martian. I heard so many people raving about it, and I saw the movie, but once I’d seen the movie I didn’t really feel any urge to read the book. I’m rethinking that decision now, just because I loved Project Hail Mary so much.

Project Hail Mary has a more speculative premise than the Martian, but still grounded heavily in science, without getting too opaquely technical and hard for the layman to understand. The explanations are broken down into concepts which are more easily understood, just like in the Martian. The book also has the same practical scientific problem-solving approach to every complication that comes across the main character’s path. The plot is very twisty-turny as things go wrong and they have to scramble to find a solution. There is a mystery aspect to the story as the main character fills in his missing memories through interspersed flashbacks. Extra twists are thrown in as the missing memories are revealed which shed light on the mysterious and perilous situation our main character has found himself in.

I really appreciated the sense of humor that runs throughout the book, even when the main character is in dire circumstances. It helps to balance out the technical passages. I also - and I'm trying not to spoil anything here - but I really liked the unlikely friendship that develops between our narrator and a highly unexpected character. “Unlikely friendship” is one of my very favorite tropes and adored its use here, as well as the character in question! Science fiction can easily get bogged down in technicality and lose its sense of heart. This is not one of those. I almost cried while reading this at work.

There were a couple of nitpicky little drawbacks to the book. My main complaint is that some of this guy’s abilities stretch credulity. His memory recall for random science facts is incredible, and despite not mentioning anything about musical training, he apparently can recognize distinct musical tones extremely well. At one point he says he only knows “rudimentary programming” yet the script he writes sounds (to my layman’s ears) more than rudimentary. Sure, he’s a genius scientist, but there are just a few little moments that made me go, “really?” But there weren’t so many of them, and the ones that happened were not so egregious, that it completely threw me out of the story or made me want to stop reading. I was still completely engrossed in the story. Even with those minor issues, I’m still unreservedly giving this five stars.

I'm not often a fan of sci-fi as I tend to gravitate towards historical fiction and fantasy, but I did enjoy The Martian. I'm very glad I gave this book a try, although it did cost me a few hours of sleep. Yes, the science in this book is complicated, but Weir does an admirable job of making it understandable for those who might not have a scientific background. A very solid read.

I can proudly honestly excitedly announce a GRANDIOSE WINNER now!

I know my overcooked brain cells don’t have enough capacity to absorb every complicated, detailed, elaborated scientific facts and fantastic world building which amazed me at least thousand times but I fell so hard what I could understand which is enough for me to enjoy this book!

It truly hugged my inner weirdness and nerdy proportionally!

Since the Martian I was expecting something equally blistering, earth shattering, marvelous from this author! After the disappointment feelings I got from Artemis, I am truly satisfied with my space journey, intriguing mystery and another one man against the universe to save lives theme!

Ryland Grace wakes up from miles away from his home, lying down on a soft bed, surrounded by cameras watching his every move, wearing breathing mask tight on his face, naked, connected to more tubes he may count! And this is not the only weird thing about his situation: he is accompanied by two corpses and as a computer keeps asking what is two plus two.

Did I also mention he didn’t remember anything about himself including his name! And as we discover more about him by catching glimpses from his past, we realize this man is only hope to save the universe and he’s the sole survivor of desperate deep space mission ( you may call it suicide mission) Through the scattered quick flashbacks, we gather more information how he was assigned for this project !

I don’t want to spill more about details which I always do : because the surprise elements and unexpected twists are important to enjoy this journey!

Even though this looks like a long journey, narrated by one man who barely gathers his memories and rediscovers his identity ( so ironic, right, a world’s future depends on a man who tries to redefine who he’s and how he finds his real mission to exist), this book is truly a precious, addictive gem! It is smart, complex, entertaining but in the meantime thrilling, claustrophobic: the dark parts equally balanced the witty, enjoyable parts.

And let me tell you something, I loved to spend my time in Ryland’s mind. He was such a great narrator who has dark and witty sense of humor. You easily engage with him and deeply feel his dilemmas, struggles!

Overall: maybe it’s too early to declare but I feel like this will be my best sci-fi reading of this year!

I’m so thankful to Mimi Chan and fantastic Goodreads team to share this remarkable, one of the best reads of the year with me!

I highly recommend this extra smart, compelling, entertaining, well crafted novel! I’m planning to reread again in near future! At some parts I found it more enjoyable than Martian!

I immensely enjoyed reading this book. After reading The Martian and Artemis, I was sold on Andy Weir and his writing style. My favorite thing about Project Hail Mary is how Weir can write a situation that seems completely impossible and make it seem realistic. The flashbacks from the past that pop up from time to time really help to give the book depth and allow the reader to completely understand the plot. I would suggest this book to anyone who is a fan of science fiction, or for anyone who likes to escape their world (pun intended) by getting into a really good book!

Andy Weir has done it again. If you like The Martian, you're definitely going to like this one. Project Hail Mary is everything that science fiction should be: intrepid adventurers, dangerous scenarios, and actual science. One of the things I love the most about Weir's writing is that the science is definitely complicated, but he makes it understandable to the non PhD reader while not being condescending. I always feel like I learn something, but it's disguised as fun. And that redemption arc....this is a new favorite!

After loving The Martian, I was ready to love this book but was disappointed. The science was fascinating, but the plot and conclusion too hard to believe in. Liked the snarky alien.

I love, love, loved this. I loved it even more than Weir's first book, "The Martian," which was 5/5 stars for me. "Project Hail Mary" has everything I loved about "The Martian," plus a plot that is even crazier, more thought-provoking, and heartwarming. It made me cry multiple times. I'll be recommending this to all of the sci-fan fans I know. Thank you, Netgalley!

This is really fun, and a return to the style of The Martian for Andy Weir. I don't want to give away too much of the plot here, but I will say that from my point of view (definitely not a scientist!) this all seems very plausible. I enjoyed working my way through the scientific parts, trying to picture what was being built, and there were enough humorous parts to allow me to relax between those parts. Recommended!

This is SO, SO good. It has best elements of The Martian (detailed technical details! engineering mistakes and engineering heroism! optimism!), far fewer of the clunkier parts (ABBA references, POV shifts back to Earth), and some fantastically well-done new elements that I won't spoil. Getting to see Andy Weir grow even stronger as a writer is a genuine pleasure.

I really appreciate the relentless optimism that Weir brings to sci-fi. I adore Neal Stephenson and Kim Stanley Robinson, but their versions of this book would be focused on the dark horrors of space and humanity's inability to think of future generations. Right now, Project Hail Mary is exactly what I need.

Fans of The Martian and Arrival will really like this.

If you are a fan of The Martian and other science fiction, then you will definitely love this book. Without giving the plot, or book, away, the story takes place on earth where the sun is slowly dying. But what's causing this? An astronaut wakes up in space with no recollection of how he got there and what the mission is. This book is an interesting look at humanity, friendship, and the size of us versus the rest of space.

Earth will move toward an ice age if scientists can't complete this mission, Project Hail Mary. Love the premise! Being a huge fan of "The Martian", I was so excited to get Andy Weir's new arc. The story is fairly fast-paced with a lot of science and speculation. I didn't understand most of the science but wow, I was amazed at the depth of knowledge and research that went into writing this novel!

There are moments when the plot slows down and drags a bit but overall, I loved the dialogue between the characters as well as the genuine reactions and emotions the astronauts faced while preparing for the do-or-die space mission. The humor, interlaced with tense moments, was perfect and what kept me engaged throughout the novel. Great read for fans of Andy Weir and doomsday science fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing - Ballantine Books, and Andy Weir for an advanced eBook copy in exchange for my honest review.

Electronic ARC provided by NetGalley.
4.5 stars

I loved The Martian but was kind of meh on Artemis, so I'm happy to say that "Project Hail Mary" is much more like The Martian in both atmosphere and setting. This book is original, creative, tense, and full of the sciency problem solving that made The Martian feel so grounded in reality.

Ryland Grace is our main character and narrator- a teacher who has somehow ended up as the sole survivor of a desperate deep space mission to save the Earth. The nature of the threat, and how Grace ended up on the front lines, is detailed in flashbacks scattered throughout the book. I don't want to say too much about what happens during the story because it's best to be surprised, but it's clear that Weir put significant thought into the science behind the various situations in which Grace finds himself. The book is full of clever problem solving, and despite the rather epic plot, the narrative always feels at least somewhat grounded. Grace is a likeable narrator, and the main supporting character is also fantastic.

If you've been wondering whether Andy Weir can pull off another sci-fi bestseller like The Martian then I think you'll be pleased with "Project Hail Mary." It's a creative and intelligent sci-fi adventure and I'm sure Hollywood is already fighting over the film rights.

An excellent return to form by Andy Weir. A great concept well done with an ending that you do not see coming. After a slight misstep Weir is back in form

Andy Weir is back in his element after an unfortunate second novel that, to my mind, is better left forgotten. Project Hail Mary tells the story of a lone astronaut trying to save humanity by using lots of science. As with The Martian there is beacoup de science, but it's described so well that it still feels fun. I read this book at the edge of my seat - the stakes are high and the back and forth story telling between past and present is gripping.

I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Get ready to science the crap out of this book!

Mr. Weir is back with another madcap adventure, this time to save the human race! As usual, things don't quite work out the way they were supposed to!

I absolutely LOVE this man's writing style. Even while explaining high-concept scientific fundamentals (which he does often), his writing is always accessible, well thought out, and loaded with dry wit.

While in places the story is a bit formulaic, the journey taken is not, with a number of unexpected surprises that take a simple end-of-the-world disaster story on a whole other route.

Overall, I'd heartily recommend Projecy Hail Mary. Strong escapist SciFi rooted in the plausable!

Project Hail Mary is Andy Weir at his best. He brings you along for the ride in solving problems you can barely comprehend, and makes it feel like fun! The fact is that his genuine love of science shines through so that even someone like me with no claims to scientific knowledge will enjoy the journey. The setting details and world building are just right. I really don’t want to go too much into plot as I don’t want to spoil the read. In addition to science this read contains action, suspense, adventure, friendship, reflections on humanity and social problems, and really raw moments that induce visceral reaction. It’s been a while since I’ve been so engrossed in a novel. Thanks for writing it Andy Weir! I’ll be singing your praises to my patrons in the library.

Loved it! A welcome return to form from Andy Weir for fans of The Martian, this was a perfect read during the week of the insurrection--a fast-paced escapist science fiction adventure about using human ingenuity, science, and cooperation to solve problems and meet the Other. Recommended.

In Project Hail Mary author Andy Weir returns to form in a story of unlikely heroes, aliens, science, and space exploration. Weir captured me with his first book "The Martian", and in "Project Hail Mary" he outdoes himself with fully realized protagonists, dire, existential threats, clear science, strong supporting characters, and a storyline which challenges not only the characters, but the reader as well. I look forward to recommending this read when the book comes out.

This book is every science fiction fan’s dream come true! Every box gets checked - from trying to save the world to meeting your very first alien. Hand me an Andy Weir book any day and you’ve got a reader who won’t stop until the ride is over. 5 very big stars.

Another excellent offering from Weir. A recommended first purchase for most fiction collections, particularly those where realistic SF is popular.