WOW.

That's the first word that comes to mind. When I received my advanced copy, I knew I would like it...but never knew I would fall madly in love with it. So much so that I ended up staying up extra late to finish it. I just could not stop reading and learning and laughing and sighing in frustration at our complex protagonist. Similar to The Martian, Weir masterfully catalogs the wins and losses while keeping you on your tip toes with the dynamic science and boots-on-the-ground work being done.

But I have a secret...I think it's better than the Martian. Why?

Well...

*SPOILER*

BECAUSE ROCKY IS THE BEST NON-HUMAN CHARACTER TO EVER EXIST. For a while, my favorite aliens belonged to Arrival...but wow, Rocky not only was completely realistic and uniquely described, but his little personality won me over.

For a sci-fi novel, this book has something for everyone; it’s heartfelt, it’s funny, it’s definitely science-y with plenty of fiction, but overall, it’s a well-rounded, enjoyable read. Weir’s dry wit and humor that was prevalent in The Martian is back in full force. From the very beginning, I was laughing out loud and rereading passages to my husband because he wanted to know what was so funny. There isn’t much I can say in a review for fear of spoiling any of the surprises, but I’m anxious and excited for the movie version, since it’s already been optioned, because as much as I would love to see how they recreate some of my favorite scenes, part of me knows that they’ll undoubtedly fail to capture it in just the right way to satisfy my imagination. While the science talk can become a bit technical and would cause me to space out (pun intended) at times, most of it is written in a way that us laypeople can understand complex concepts and still remain interested and engaged. The structure of the novel, with well-placed flashbacks answering many of the questions that come up during the present timeline, keeps the story fresh and moves it along at a fair pace.

Everything about this story was fantastic and I cannot recommend it enough.

An advanced copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. The opinions are my own.

My full review is in this video: https://youtu.be/bI7-aGH2BPs

Usually, I don’t like describing books (or movies) through other books or movies, but in this case the easiest way for me to tell you what "Project Hail Mary" is like is to say that it is "Interstellar" meets "The Martian", but with amnesia. The stakes are extremely high, the main character is alone, tasked with cancelling the apocalypse, but he can’t even remember his own name. Thankfully, his memories are slowly coming back, and he finds much needed help where he didn’t expect it.

I had so much fun reading this, and I think fans of "The Martian" will not be disappointed. If what you’re looking for is an outer space adventure, a story of survival and hope, filled with science and humor - "Project Hail Mary" is the book for you.

I will say, I can see some readers having a hard time with the science. Personally, I loved reading the scientific portions, but I remember seeing this complaint about "The Martian" - that the novel had too much science in it. This book has MORE science than "The Martian", though it's still presented in a way everyone should be able to understand.

In the end, this was a really enjoyable the novel - it’s something that I wanted to keep reading, I wanted to know what happens next, and didn't want to put it down. "Project Hail Mary" is definitely a treat for sci-fi fans who are looking for something fun and fast paced, but still rooted in science.

Project Hail Mary was another fantastic outing by Andy Weir. Fans of The Martian will find the same everything they liked about that book, while fans of more outlandish speculation won't be disappointed with Weir's new foray into a slightly farther future. The same hard science and math made accessible to a layman reader is on display, but Project Hail Mary exceeds the Martian in character development, world building, and sheer imagination, while still being fiction well grounded in science.

Ryland Grace awakes alone, a near-total amnesiac aboard a space ship orbiting a star that is not our sun. He not only must discover who he is, and why he's there, but also must solve the problems he's sent there to discover. I can't say much more about the premise of the plot without giving away major spoilers, and most of the joy of this book is finding Grace's answers along with him as he shakes off the cob webs. Suffice it to say that He's tasked with solving a much bigger problem than his own survival.

Weir has a knack for making a lot of the grunt work of space exploration a lot more exciting than it sounds. In both The Martian and Hail Mary he manages to make things like orbit calculation and metric volume of gas in enclosed spaces riveting, as the outcomes are life and death, or bigger. Grace relies on the same rudimentary science that Watney did in The Martian to solve high tech problems, but in the process he remembers his own history, his own motivations, relationships and flaws that Watney never had to deal with. Grace is a much more well-rounded character and his story arch deals not only with his scientific problem, but also with his own growth as he overcomes his personal shortcomings.

In The Martian Weir didn't introduce any cutting edge technology or unknown science. It's a story about Mars colonization in the near future, carried out with technology that we already have. Hail Mary steps farther into the future and Weir speculates on alien life, near light-speed travel, future medical-tech, chemical make up of exoplanets, and a host of other details that are often trivial or overlooked in your typical space opera. The level of detail in Hail Mary should drag a narrative to stand still, but somehow Weir has used them to write an intense page turner. These 500 pages flew by, as I could not wait to see what problems and solutions were coming next.

This was the most exciting book I've read in any genre this year, and has catapulted Andy Weir to among my very favorite sci-fi authors.

I'm by no means a huge sci-fi buff, but every once in a while there's a premise for a book in this genre that really catches my eye and I have to check it out it. This was my first time reading something by Andy Weir, but I doubt it will be the last.

The book follows the journey of Dr. Ryland Grace, who wakes up on the interstellar ship The Hail Mary with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As we follow along, we learn though snippets of returning memory just who he is and the emotions behind this man who is both a teacher and a scientist. With an alien-matter that is quickly destroying the sun (and therefore placing humans on the brink of extinction also) on the loose, he finds himself as the only man who might possibly be able to stop it and save humanity, but he realizes it will mean sacrificing himself.

At times hilarious (I found myself laughing out loud) and at times full of great despair, but ultimately engaging all the emotions with a love for humanity and a hope for the future ultimately prevailing. Weir knows how to write all the technical mathematic and scientific jargon without losing the interest of a reader who knows next to nothing on these subjects. Applause all around on that endeavor. An overall well written novel and one that is highly entertaining to boot!

I absolutely loved this book. This was not my genre, I loved The Martian. Andy Weir has a gift for making science fun relevant.

Dr. Grace is an amazing protagonist. He is likable, believable, and entertaining. I loved this book! I have already recommended it to Many friends and purchased it for my library.

I'm a huge fan of Andy Weir and always look forward to his books. I was pleasantly surprised by Project Hail Mary. It was a bit slow at times, but overall a very enjoyable read. I'll be honest, I loved Mark Watney. Ryland Grace- the main character of this book- does not compare. Go into this expecting a different character. I didn't laugh out loud as much as I did with the Martian but I definitely still felt for Ryland. Actually, I could relate to him more. Sure he was brilliant but he felt more like an every day person (I mean, he was a teacher after all). And I loved Rocky. That relationship was a wonderful surprise. The obstacle/plot of the book was very interesting and as a science person, I loved it. Definitely would highly recommend this book. With not as much foul mouthed cursing, this book can even be incorporated into a curriculum which is nice.

First, thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I loved The Martian by Andy Weir and was so excited to receive a copy of his newest release. I am usually not big into sci-fi but I find his books so interesting and so well written that I forget it isn't all real and completely lose myself in the story. His information is so well researched and thought out that it all seems plausible, even in such sci-fi extremes. I loved Project Hail Mary. I was so in to the characters and the storyline right from the start and did not want to put the book down until I finished it. I loved the dual narrative of past and present and learning how the mission came to be and why he was on it. I loved the tension and suspense created as you get to experience being awoken in outer space with him. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to everyone. I appreciated that the language was much more milder in this novel.

Math and science geeks unit! Mr. Weir is back with yet another quirky book that you need to read before it becomes a movie! Ryland Grace wakes up with no clue where he is or why he is there. Over the next several hundred pages his humor and wit (and thankfully excellent science skills) help him navigate trying to save the world, maybe multiple worlds! Once again Mr. Weir gives us an irresistible set of characters and an interesting and unique situation to immerse ourselves in. I loved the well thought out and explained problems and setting. I have no clue if the math or science were sound, and really it doesn't matter. What does matter is: who is going to voice Rocky in the movie adaptation?

4.5 stars!
I really enjoyed Artemis, so I was excited when I heard about this book...and I was not disappointed!

We get thrust into the action pretty much immediately, with approximately as much information as the main character, who wakes up on a spaceship with no memory of how he got there (or even where "there" is). As the story unfolds, we get the flashbacks of his memory returning to tell us about what led us to this spaceship, while also getting a great space adventure!

As per usual with Andy Weir, the science in this book is fascinating and feels grounded in reality, even if the technology being discussed definitely does not exist yet. The story is very engaging and moves at a good pace. This is a great sci-fi novel, and I encourage everyone to read it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy of this book!

This was my first Weir novel and I was not disappointed. I realize most people open a book with a general awareness of the book's plot, but I went in rather blindly. Which is why I gasped at one point when the plot I thought I was working with became something else entirely. It's excellent science fiction;. while you don't have to fully understand the complex science involved, I'm sure it's an extra treat for those who do. There is also plenty of heart which I especially appreciated. I've recommended it to several people already.

Ryland Grace is a brilliant scientist who left a career in academia to be a middle school science teacher. Except he has just woken up alone on a spaceship millions of miles from Earth and he can't remember his name or why he is there. As his memories slowly return he realizes he is in a race against time to save humanity from extinction... no pressure!

Project Hail Mary is in Andy Weir's trademark style - lots of hard science that is conveyed in an understandable way. It is a more similar vibe to The Martian than to Artemis, so if you loved The Martian but weren't as keen on Artemis definitely give this one a chance. I enjoyed both the story and the characters. A good read for when you want to put the science in science fiction!

Don't bother.
Really, don't waste your money or time.
I read it. It's ridiculously implausible. One deus ex machina after another.
It's all been downhill after The Martian.

Once you get past all the science-y and math-y stuff, which I am sure people more intelligent than I will have issues with, you find yourself in the middle of people-y stuff. The good, the bad, and the ugly people -- as only those trying to save the world can be. Then there is the humor. I know you don’t think nerdy scientists facing world annihilation can be funny, but they are. They so very are. To the point that the dialogue has you putting the book down to continue laughing and sending out messages to your friends and co-workers, telling them they need to stop what they are doing and get their hands on this book. With the laughter, there are also tears and gasping moments. This is what makes the book appealing to a larger audience. There is something for everyone.

'Project Hail Mary' is Andy Weir's welcome return to his wheelhouse. If you loved 'The Martian' but were underwhelmed by 'Artemis' you can rest assured 'Project Hail Mary' will not disappoint. 'Project Hail Mary' takes the aspects you loved about 'The Martian' and amplifies them many times over. The stakes are much higher, the problems are more complex, and the solutions are just brilliantly addressed.

Project Hail Mary
By. Andy Weir
P. 496
Format: eArc
Rating: *****
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I received an e-arc from @Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Then I bought the book..
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Andy Weir took the science fiction world by storm with his release of The Martian. It was gritty hard science fiction. His second novel, Artemis, was not quite as revered. Although I personally loved it, it had a lot of similarities as The Martian. The main character just seemed to be a gender bent version of Mark.

Project Hail Mary is different, and is my favorite Andy Weir book to date. Firstly, I must say there is not a single swear word in the entire book. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was disappointing, but it was an obvious choice.

The first part of the novel may be a bit slow. You are disjointed and have no idea what is going on, because the main character, Ryland, is disjointed and has no idea of what is going on. He has lost his memory and he seems to be alone in space.

The novel is a combination of real time events as well as memory flash backs. It makes for a very thrilling narrative. Then pops in my favorite character ever of any book - Rocky. I won’t tell you much about him because it would spoil everything. But I love him. I will buy action figures of him. . . When someone decides to make them.

If you love science fiction at all then read this book.

Another wonderfully imaginative space adventure from Weir about scientist Ryland Grace who is on a space mission to save the Earth. The format of the book worked well, alternating between past and present to fill in the backstory little by little and keep the adventure moving. The more you find out about the past, the more the questionable events in the present make sense. As with all of Weir's books, I find my eyes glazing over at times with the detailed scientific and technical descriptions--but he has again created such a likeable main character--flawed and sarcastic but smart and noble deep down. As much as I enjoyed the main character, the Eridian Rocky steals the show. Weir did an amazing job bringing him to life and making him so endearing. I just loved the whole story and how it resolves. Great read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Andey Weir, and Ballantine books for this ARC. I do not want to say too much about this book for fear of spoiling the pleasure of it. I will say that the friendship in this book was absolutely heart warming and endearing. There are "science-y bits" for sure, but nothing too complex that the reader cannot follow in relation to the story. I think this will be a big hit for those who enjoyed The Martian!

Fans of The Martian rejoice — Andy Weir is back! Project Hail Mary has upped the ante: Ryland Grace isn’t just trying to save himself — he’s trying to save the entire planet.

Told in two timelines, Project Hail Mary goes just as in depth on the scientific elements of the story as one would expect from Weir. Although the character development is a little sparse (one could really plug any of Weir’s heroes into this story and end up with the same result), this book is so much fun that it almost doesn’t matter. This one is a little more alien than The Martian or Artemis, leaning more heavily towards the speculative end of science fiction.

Fans of Weir’s previous work are unlikely to find anything to complain about with his latest. All in all it is a rollicking, science-packed adventure — just what Weir does best.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC!

In 2011, Andy Weir published his first novel, The Martian, and it was one of the best science fiction adventure yarns I’d read in years -- and certainly one of the nerdiest. Because of the way he researched every problem the protagonist encountered and every decision he made to solve them, the science was all completely credible. No hand-waving pseudo-stuff. Heinlein and Asimov and Clark would have loved it., and a lot of us Old Timey science fiction fans absolutely did, Unfortunately, Andy’s second book, Artemis, wasn’t nearly as good, in my opinion (for all that it won a Goodreads award), There was far less science to it and far more cops and robbers. I began to wonder if maybe he was just one of those authors with only one really good book in him. But never fear! The original Andy Weir is back! His latest adventure, Project Hail Mary, is a riveting story, and the nerd-geek quotient is right off the charts. In fact, it’s basically a “Nerds Must Save the World!” plot -- and not all the nerds are even human.
The set-up is pretty simply: Something appears to be slowly draining our sun’s energy, and that’s going to result in catastrophic climate changes on Earth within the next couple of decades. Ryland Grace is a junior high school science teacher, so he’s been following the story pretty closely. And then observers discover that some unknown organism is actually eating Sol. Ryland is much better educated than most public school teachers, with a doctorate in microbiology (what happened to his career as a university professor is part of the backstory), so now he’s really interested. And then he’s approached -- well, drafted, actually -- by the head of the new global effort to figure out how to reverse things and save humanity from becoming the victim of the approaching Sixth Extinction Event. And that’s going to take him a long, long way from Earth in search of answers. And it’s going to test every bit of his ingenuity and personality -- especially when he discovers that our solar system isn’t the only one in danger and that he isn’t the only intelligent life form searching desperately for an answer.
Basically, anything I might say beyond that would be a serious spoiler, so I won’t. But if you enjoyed The Martian, you’ll love the similar non-stop problem-solving in this one, I guarantee it. I don’t often award five stars, but I would give this one six.