4 out of 5 stars
I learned with The Martian that Andy Weir can make hi-tech astronaut talk sound interesting all while making readers laugh out loud at the humor and ingenuity of the main characters he creates. Project Hail Mary is no exception. In his newest book, Weir almost lives up to the incredibly high standard he set with The Martian and he far surpasses the disappointing Artemis.
In Project Hail Mary, science teacher Ryland Grace is part of a space mission designed to save humanity from the threat of Astrophage. The story alternates between the present time when Grace is in space and flashing back to pre-mission days.
If you’ve read The Martian, the early chapters of Project Hail Mary will seem familiar. You’ll immediately notice the inner dialogue of Ryland Grace sounds a lot like that of Mark Watney. Both men find themselves alone in a spaceship and have to figure out a lot to stay alive. They display a similar level of humor and creativity. However, Project Hail Mary adds in an alien being from another planet. The relationship between Ryland and Rocky and the way the two learn to understand each other is the best part of the book.
As endearing as the relationship between Ryland and Rocky was, it didn’t quite make up for how much more technical Project Hail Mary was than The Martian. I found it much more difficult to follow the technical information in Project Hail Mary and felt that some of it could have been cut out without sacrificing any of the story.
Overall, I thought Project Hail Mary was an enjoyable read. I was glad to go along on the journey with Ryland and Rocky.
