What a amazing book! I feel in love with this one. The story is spectacular, all the characters are super vivid. I recommend with my heart.

Project Hail Mary // by Andy Weir

I loved it. That's it.

Just kidding, but honestly pretty much. I don't have a whole lot to say about this one. There was SO MUCH HYPE about this book and I honestly went in feeling very skeptical because most of the time when my expectations are that high after all the hype, I end up being let down a lot. That definitely did not happen this time. Despite my reluctance, I was quickly pulled into this story and was glued to the story almost the entire way through. I'm not a scientist so I can't comment on the truth of the sciency things but I found the info that was included about all kinds of things incredibly interesting and it never really felt like a simple and boring info dump to me. I loved the main character and thought it was really nice to learn about his life and journey to becoming an astronaut as well as his experiences in space. I don't want to give too much away because I thought it was great going in blind and knowing nothing about it (aside from everyone loving it) so I definitely recommend that approach to other readers. Also, if you can, listen to the audiobook. The narrator did an incredible job with it.

Thank you for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have all of Andy Weir's books in my school library; and Project Hail Mary is my favorite. The story feels very authentic on many levels. It feels like a lot of research has been done on the science side of things; and, even though there is a LOT of science talk, everything is explained in a carefully planned, efficient manner so that it does not interfere with the flow of the story.. On another level, this is a true human-interest story -- you will understand when you get to a surprise further into the book. (It was a big surprise to me which I thoroughly enjoyed. I do not want to give anything away so you can experience the pleasure yourself.). I highly recommend this book to everyone --, even people who do not like science or science-fiction..A real winner.

This was a great science book but not something I would read for leisure. It felt more like a science lit review for fun I was reading. It was very sciency which was great for someone in the science field but not something just for fun reading. I was a little bored at times and felt like if I didn't have a science background, I would be lost.

I had enjoyed reading Martian by Weir. Project Hail Mary is true to the format of Martian (even in the feel of the ending). Project Hail Mary was a book I could not stop reading once I started. It was visually vivid in my head, and I was engaged from the first sentence. My journey with the book enhanced my love for science by making complex scientific concepts that were hard to understand in school and college accessible. Understanding and learning chemistry, physics, biology around a story that is plausible and through the approach of problem solving was so incredible. I wish I was taught science through the lens of such stories. As we run into a problem in the story, we all could all come together to research solutions and recommend options, and the science behind each of those. Its simple – the why helps us understand better. I especially recommend all teachers read this book and see how we can approach education through problem solving.
I kept imaging this story as how Star Trek would have started. How Earth was able to go beyond our solar system and how our survival was the catalyst and not space tourism. The story reminded me of parts of the movie Arrival as well. My favorite aspect of the story was that empathy was ultimately fundamental in human survival. The only part that felt unbelievable to me was humans from all over the world coming together and making such a mission happen. But that is my pessimistic lens based on our current reality.
I highly recommend this book. It will be hard to stop. 5/5

I was so excited to read this one & I’m happy I finally got around to it because the hype is REAL for this book, guys!! Even if you’re not a fan of sci-fi, I’m sure there’s something in here for you (spoiler alert: it’s Rocky).

Grace wakes up alone in the middle of an entirely different solar system with no idea who he is or how he got there. Throughout his journey, bits & pieces slowly but surely come back to put together how he got there… & it’s not looking good. Earth’s sun is losing heat, which will bring an Ice Age & the imminent demise of the human species. It’s up to Grace to figure out how to save the Sun. Along the way, he finds an interesting crew mate. 🪨

I typically don’t really go for sci-fi unless I know it’s something I’ll enjoy. And space freaks me out so I was skeptical. But I read & enjoyed Weir’s first book, The Martian, so I figured I’d probably like this one too. So I found myself really geeking out over the math calculations & microbiology in this one 🤓 as a bioengineer, it was really great to understand the MC’s thought process on a more technical level. The writing was excellent & I loved that we got the full story in flashbacks. And, like all sci-fi, the underlying message regarding climate change & the human effect on the planet was apt for what we’re facing right now. Overall, excellent book!!

First off... I enjoyed this book immensely. Maybe a 4.5 for me (yes, I'm a hard grader). There are many aspects that fit some of my favorite reading over decades: it's mostly in space, optimistic (yes, it's about an "end of the world(s) as we know it" plot, but there's still lots of optimism), humor, interesting characters, etc. But the oddest thing is that I'm not a huge devotee of hard science novels, but this one is about SCIENCE. Well done, Andy!

I saw the movie of The Martian and liked it. The novel is on my TBR. But when I received this advanced reading copy from the publisher and NetGalley I had never actually read one of his books. So, this is my unbiased view... I recommend it, period.

If you like the plot aspects I mentioned in the first paragraph, plus "buddy" stories, first contact novels, or a need to figure out how to save the world, here you are. I mentioned that it's about science. The main character also teaches middle school and the value of making educational topics interesting and treating the kids with humor and understanding definitely comes out. If your school or library is trying to emphasize more STEM reading or has a STEM club, this would be a good one to promote discussion about the use of science and engineering, as well as many other science and general topics.

Yes, there were a few times I thought the book was beginning to drag; sometimes I remembered Tom Hanks and his soccer ball... But the use of flashbacks was well done since MC doesn't have all his memories at one point. And the story picks up so much when we all meet "Rocky" (no spoilers beyond that). Pop culture references are sprinkled throughout, somewhat like "easter eggs". And I laughed outloud several times, with even more chuckles and relating bits to my husband.

And the ending was just right. Tears in the corner of the eyes...

Project Hail Mary follows the story of Ryland Grace, whose uncanny ability to science his way out of any situation, regardless of the specialization required made it easy to draw parallels to The Martian‘s Watney, despite their relatively different personalities. Grace embodies all of the characteristics of your favorite high school science teacher. This read as a whole had me hooked from about the third page on, and I couldn’t stop talking about what was happening in the novel, whether it was to my coworkers or family members. I think I even talked to one of the workers behind the meat counter at my local grocery story about Project Hail Mary. The overall premise was quite unique and constantly keeps the reader guessing as to how Grace ended up in this predicament, which is even footing with our memory starved scientist. Grace and the reader are both held in the dark, with the suspense mounting as his memories slowly return through cleverly triggered flashbacks. Following the pacing that harkens back to The Martian, Grace finds himself in situation after situation where he must somehow science his way to safety. Additionally, Weir has several key plot twists in store for the reader that will keep them on their toes and ever guessing as to what surprise he has in store next. There is a short section approximately three fourths of the way through Project Hail Mary that was rather plodding, but ultimately set up the unexpected grand finale.

Project Hail Mary does fall quite heavily into the realm and terminology of science, but the analytical chemist in me was reveling at Weir’s masterful writing style as he manages to convey complex scientific experiments, while utilizing and describing the use of general equations in applicable situations that any reader could understand, without taking away from the suspense of the story. Perhaps I need him to edit my next research paper. I did have a debate with my fellow scientific boffins on the use of an x-ray spectrometer that somehow switches a few pages later to an atomic spectrometer, where both instruments were properly described, just somehow merged. Atomic spectroscopy likely wouldn’t have been utilized in this situation as it would destroy the very precious, limited sample. Regardless, I’m curious if this science heavy material will cause people to lose interest, though this same terminology didn’t deter readers from falling in love with The Martian.

Overall, I couldn’t put down Project Hail Mary, finding that I thoroughly enjoyed the delightful mystery surrounding Weir’s new space adventure, along with his uncanny ability to take complex scientific concepts and eloquently merge them seamlessly into a natural situations.

A tad stuffy for me, a little slow at times, but still quite enjoyed it. Did like The Martian more but that’s ok. Will def read more Andy Weir!

I have a feeling that Andy Weir is one of those authors who divide readers into two camps: you either really enjoy his stories or you just can't stand them. I'm lucky enough to love coming along the ride, even if Ryland Grace feels very similar to Mark Watney. But I enjoyed Watney, his unshakable efforts to just keep going despite not seeing a positive end result, and also his geeky humor. So, living with Grace while he figures out challenge after challenge was perfect for me.

I am not sure what I can say about this book that hasn't been said. I've read almost 400 books this year, and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir has been my favorite. I could gush about it for hours, but I'll just say to read it.

I think it’s best to go into this book without a ton of context, but it’s such a beautiful story about friendship at its core. I also loved the way the narrative unfolded as astronaut Ryland Grace remembers his mission to save life on Earth.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Project Hail Mary is exactly the type of book I love to read when I am reading science fiction--engaging but realistic characters, a plot with twists that incorporate science and BONUS! a wonderful ending that wraps up the plot, and provides hope not only for the future of the character, but for humanity itself!! It is the best book I read in 2021. I seriously cannot wait to see the movie version that is coming soon! I will be recommending this book to all my friends and family to read before they see the movie.

Interesting story line that kept me engaged until the end. A little too much technical info to wade through but overall, a very compelling story.

Andy Weir never disappoints! What a wonderful read. He as completely gotten me out of my genre and opened my eyes to a new style of reading. He makes reading all the math and science easy and the tongue-in-cheek humor is right up my alley. I can't wait until he writes another one!

Excellent book. I am definitely recommending it to my friends who love sci fi. Weir infuses science into the book without making it boring. The narrative goes back and forth from the past to the the present day as the main character (Dr. Grace) regains his memory. Weir is able to capture the isolation one would feel alone in a ship in some distant galaxy.

Loved this book! Yes, it has a lot of science that went over my head, but it also had such a loving story of found family and enduring friendship. Full of humor and hope. A heartwarming sci-fi read.

Andy Weir does it again with his one man's story space adventure! This action packed space adventure circles around the story of Ryland Grace, who walks up with no memory on a rocket in space. Slowly, Ryland is able to use his science background to figure out where he is and what purpose he and his fellow crew members were supposed to undertake. Determine what is happening in another solar system that can help stop the world-ending event in his own system.

With nothing but time on his hands, he is able to slowly delve back into his own memories to piece together to story of devastation on Earth and the ultimate goal of his current path, but first he must deal with the grief of the loss of his fellow crew members. Eventually discovering that he's on a one way trip, Ryland must continue to try to save Earth as he comes to grips with his own imminent demise. But low and behold, things do not go as expected when he arrives at his destination only to find another spacecraft exploring the same possible world saving event. Does the discovery of life on other planets count when you're going to die before being able to share it with everyone back home?

This enrapturing story of minuet biological alien life that threatens life on other planets coupled with an intelligent species working with a sole human surviving astronaut is full of science fact and fiction that is definitely hard to put down. The flashback reveal of what lead to Project Hail Mary and Ryland becoming an astronaut bound to save the world are amazing to read and never frustrating even when you go so many piece so slowly. Flashbacks paired with the implementation of his remembered discoveries and the exploration of how life developed on another planet were wonderful to follow. A great read!

I’ve seen the movie (The Martian), not yet read “Artemis”, and now have read “Project Hail Mary”, but in keeping with the spirit of scientific inquiry, I believe I have enough data to detect a theme. That opening sentence of this review has resonance with the book Project Hail Mary, where the stakes are upped to the extreme (Earth in peril), data and science are king, but yet again, it is a sole man against the unforgiving elements, both organic and inorganic. No, wait, that’s not quite right… spoilers ahead!
Ryland Grace, a scientist driven from academia by mass rejection of his theory about exo-life has found a new mission teaching science to high school students. It’s not a secret, given how the book is described in the Amazon blurb, that his two crewmates are fridged early on due to coma failure, and he is the sole survivor on a desperate mission to find the antidote to counter a new form of life that is devouring energy from the Sun. Unlike “The Martian”, he was hijacked against his will to join the 3 person crew – the two assigned science mission specialists blown up in an experiment on the ‘astrophages’. Shades of “Contact”! ... and speaking of contact, he has a Close Encounter of the First Kind with an alien counterpart at his destination several light years from Earth (some hand waving about how that would even be possible) – said alien also on a mission to explore the astrophages, as those entities are endangering the alien’s star (and others).
To coin a phrase, you have to eat a whole lotta broccoli to get to the dessert of this book. There’s a lot of telling, not showing – pages and pages demonstrating much minutia of detail about physics, biology, chemistry – on and on. After I gave myself permission to lightheartedly skim over this bulk, gleaning enough to keep the gist, things moved along more expeditiously. About 2/3’s of the way through, I was hooked, and the author was thankfully getting away from his natural bent to lecture on each and every detail. The ending was pretty satisfactory, but bittersweet. Weir, when not obsessed on each and every detail, does action well, and there are numerous rising action sequences that demand attention to find out what happens next. What is less of a strength are the human characteristics and interactions, which often descend to cardboard stereotypes. The flashbacks to pre-mission vignettes are dropped in throughout without much attention to signaling ‘we are now in flashback mode’ – which can be a bit jarring. Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Andy Weir does it again. I'm amazed at how detailed his stories are, without ever becoming dry or difficult to understand. I loved the way this narrative is told - from alternating present and past POVs of Dr. Grace - and the last few chapters were some of my favorite of any book I've read this year. I really loved it immensely!

One of my reading goals for 2021 was to “read harder.”

I'm not sure I did that.

One book that was HARD to read this year was undoubtedly PROJECT HAIL MARY by Andy Weir.

I downloaded it February 1, 2021. I finished it (DNF’d at 75%) on December 11.

That's over 300 days.

Almost as absurb as this plot.

When I was still struggling with it still in May, upon it's release, I pulled a stunt and purchased the audiobook (only available on @audible), hoping that this would surely help me finish.

That was not the case!

This one is absurd, absolutely absurd. I should have dnf’d a long time ago.

What kind of reader am I that I would rather take 11 months to read it rather than simply say…

“Its not for me”

At this point there is simply not a star rating low enough to describe my level of enjoyment of this book.

And it's NOT the authors fault. It's not my fault.

It's someone's fault!

This to me is the funniest story. The MOST RIDICULOUS story. Unplausible.

Any tension or problem solving you want to do as a reader is wholly thrown out when the co-hero is introduced.

⭐️

Thanks to @netgalley and Random House Publishing #ballantine for this advanced copy that I finished just in time!