Book review
Book Review: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
An impressive story about a one-man mission to save the Earth from extinction
A witty and nerdy teacher goes on a solo mission to save the world, befriends, and gets help from an alien.
Did you dream of becoming an astronaut? I did. This book is for all of us space nerds. And for everyone who likes geeky content in their books. Add some alien life, and the story becomes irresistible. This book is so cool!
“I don’t want to look dumb in front of the aliens.” ― Andy Weir
‘Project Hail Mary’ by Andy Weir
Goodreads rating: 4.52! (388,750 ratings) My rating: 5 stars Genre: Science Fiction Published: 2021
The Plot
Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship and doesn’t remember anything. He has forgotten why and where he is. He doesn’t even remember his name.
The reader gets information about Ryland, the Earth’s situation, and this space project through flashbacks. He and two other scientists were sent out in an outrageous attempt to save the Earth from extinction. Unfortunately, the other crew members never woke up. He’s on a one-man mission in history’s most important job. No stress.
Then comes the alien Rocky. The one-man mission turns into a man and an alien mission since Rocky also has a planet to save.
“Knock-knock-knock No, that’s not creepy at all. Being in a spaceship twelve light-years from home and having someone knock on the door is totally normal.” ― Andy Weir, Project Hail Mary
My Praise and Critique
Project Hail Mary is awesome. The plot is masterful. A witty and nerdy teacher goes on a solo mission to save the world, befriends, and gets help from an alien. It seems crazy, but the story works! Ryland and Rocky are amazing.
I love Andy Weir’s writing, the book’s unexpected turns, and the drive. Some critics accuse the book of having logical flaws. I didn’t become an astronaut, just got a master’s in biophysics. The eventual logical flaws don’t ruin my reading experience. I enjoy the story.
The one criticism I would make is that this book falls into “the first slow 100-page”-category. You must get through the first 100 pages and get into the story before it takes off. However, that’s not enough to stop me from giving the book its well-deserved 5 stars.
An example of how Ryland is funny:
“Oh thank God. I can’t imagine explaining “sleep” to someone who had never heard of it. Hey, I’m going to fall unconscious and hallucinate for a while. By the way, I spend a third of my time doing this. And if I can’t do it for a while, I go insane and eventually die. No need for concern.” ― Andy Weir
The same for Rocky:
“Grumpy. Angry. Stupid. How long since last sleep, question?” ― Andy Weir
Project Hail Mary won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Science Fiction in 2021.
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