By Andy Weir© May 4, 2021
File Size: 11.6 MB
ISBN-13: 978-0593135211
Ryland Grace awakens from a coma with no idea who he is, where he is, or what happened to put him there. Only time, and slowly returning memories fill in the blanks. He’s a middle-school science teacher. He’s on a space ship. And he’s here to save the Earth. The only thing is: he’s just the science member of the three person team, and the others—the two people who know how to fly the ship, where they’re going, and all the other pertinent details—did not survive the trip. He’s alone in the blackness of space. Until he’s not.
Spoiler alert: There’s no way I can write this review without giving away certain things that are not made clear in the book’s blurb.
I cannot say enough good things about Project Hail Mary. I was hooked from the start. Main character Ryland Grace is human…no, like really, really human. Full of faults, weaknesses, and doubts. Throughout the course of the story, it’s easy to relate to his emotions and fears, given the circumstances in which he finds himself, so when he completely falls apart the first time he finds himself in zero G, it’s totally believable. It’s also absolutely realistic that he geeks out about being the very first human to explore/visit a whole new solar system (as well as other firsts for humanity). As the story progresses, Weir masterfully crafts Grace’s growth through plausible and relatable stages, drawing us in ever closer to Grace’s emotional landscape until we can’t help but feel what he feels.
Grace, as a sole character, would have been riveting enough. But Weir didn’t stop there. He added Rocky, who is also incredibly human—even though he’s not human at all. But that’s all I’m going to say about that, other than to add that Rocky’s presence, and his effect on Grace’s work, marks a turning point in Grace’s character growth. But it was only when the results of his changes smacked me in the face with his life-altering choice that I realized I’d known this result was inevitable from the beginning. Brilliantly done.
There is a ton of science in this book. And some of it I could understand. Most of it I could not. (Science aficionados will love the heck out of it, though!) Even so, it didn’t affect my ability to read and follow the story. I followed enough to know where Grace was going with his projections and plans, and that’s what mattered. The premise of this story—both the challenge the character faces and his (their) devised solution—is nothing short of genius. There’s the sickening fear of what’s happening on Earth (once he remembers it), and the disappointment when he tries and fails to solve the problem over and over. But there’s also hope, humor, excitement, and absolute determination to find the solution that had me hanging on every page.
Overall, the story has an upbeat, positive, hopeful, and human flavor that is immersive. It sucked me in and didn’t let me go until the last page. This book kept me up past my bedtime and almost made me late for work. It’s that good. I was torn between wanting to see how it ended and not wanting it to be over.
This book is nothing at all like The Martian, save that a single human character finds themselves alone in space with a massive problem to work out. Still, science fiction fans are likely to love it. Readers who want stories heavily based on character growth and development will probably also love it. Looking for a story that pits the average person against overwhelming odds? Here’s your book. Project Hail Mary is a joy to read and left me in tears more than once—not from sadness, but from compassion and understanding of Grace’s emotional turmoil. This is a novel I will probably read again. And again. And probably again. It’s my new favorite read. Most highly recommended.