Project Hail Mary

Author: Andy Weir

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Release Date: May 4, 2021

Andy Weir is back with an incredible science fiction novel that will have fans of The Martian excited to find out what happens next!

When Ryland Grace wakes up, he realizes that something is very, very wrong.  His memory is gone, and it feels like he has been asleep for years.  When he finally able to get out of bed, he can’t figure out why he is so sluggish and then he realizes, it’s because gravity is heavier than normal.  But that doesn’t make sense.  Perhaps someone has placed him in a centrifuge, but that can’t be because of the amount of gravitational force that he is experiencing.  There is only one other possibility: he is on a spaceship.  Once he makes his way to the control room and sees the panel, he realizes that not only is he on a ship, the star he is heading towards is in a completely different solar system than his own.  As his memory begins to return in bits and pieces, he realizes that he is on a last-ditch effort mission to save Earth and all the people who live there. 

How to review this book without giving anything away?  Let’s just say that if you loved The Martian and where then slightly (or horribly) disappointed in Weir’s second book Artemis, then you are not alone.  But rest assured, this book gets back to what Weir did best in The Martian.  Readers will ride alongside protagonist, Ryland Grace, as he struggles to understand why he is on this mission.  His amnesia allows readers to discover the same tidbits of information at the same time he does so that the revelation is gradual.  Grace is a microbiologist with a great understanding of science that explains everything to readers.  It does get technical at times, but the plot and story line make up for anything that readers may not fully understand.  I’m married to a mechanical engineer and he got even more out of this book than I did.  Plus having the science mixed with humor throughout makes for several good laughs.  Readers will also experience some emotion throughout the book, but you’re just going to have to read it for yourself to understand why.

Compared to the previous books, there is only a fraction of foul language.  There is also some discussion of sex, but nothing graphic and it is written in a humorous manner.  I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoyed The Martian or just love science fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher.  The views and opinions expressed within are my own.