Project Hail Mary
Author: Andy Weir
Published: 2021
Target Audience: Adults (Appropriate ages 15+)
Andy Weir returns with an exciting new addition to the science fiction genre in the form of 'Project Hail Mary'; an epic tale of discovery and desperation. This book has so many great surprises and twists that are really rewarding to experience firsthand without prior knowledge, so this review will aim to be as spoiler-free as possible.
Ryland Grace is humanity's final hope. He is the last remaining crew member on a mission to save the world from a threat that cannot be fought, nor negotiated with. If he fails, all life on Earth will perish. Except, right now, he can't remember any of this.
Instead, Ryland Grace wakes up in a tiny ship hurtling through space with two corpses for crewmates and no idea who he is or why he is there. As his memories slowly return, Ryland realises the immense task ahead of him: to figure out an impossible scientific mystery, and save humanity from an extinction-level threat. And with time running out and Earth lightyears away, Ryland has to do it all alone. Or does he?
Excerpt:
I make my way to the control room and take a good long look at every screen. I spend an hour in there cataloguing what each area seems to say, and make guesses as to what the functions are. What I'm really looking for is something like "Information" or "Here to save humanity? Press this button to learn more!"
No such luck. After hours of poking at screens, I've found nothing. I guess they figured if the crew are so brain-mushy that they don't remember how to use the ship, they're probably not useful as scientists anyway...
I decide on a more tactile approach: I'm going to start pushing buttons!
Hopefully there's no "Blow up ship" button.
Review:
'Project Hail Mary' is a science fiction novel first published in 2021 by American author Andy Weir, best known for his critically acclaimed debut novel 'The Martian' (2014). It is a well-paced, gripping, and overall fun tale of one man's efforts to save humanity while not entirely knowing what he is doing. Through a combination of Ryland's amnesia and continual new questions and challenges, 'Project Hail Mary' fosters a delightful sense of exploration and discovery, and makes for a thrilling story. This is only heightened as Ryland reclaims snippets of memory and the stakes are soon revealed, creating an underlying discordance of urgency and desperation that drives the characters forward and draws readers further in.
'Project Hail Mary' is an suspenseful adventure story, but also a very personal journey filled with many great character moments that are both entertaining and intimately revealing. Partway through the book, a new ally comes into the story, leading to enjoyable interactions as Ryland and the newcomer try to figure each other and their situations out. This addition does not detract from the plot-driven appeal of the story, but seamlessly adds a new dimension of character interaction which ultimately elevates the previously established stakes, allows the characters to rebound ideas off each other in an entertaining fashion, and provides space for small moments and conversations that reveal just how isolated these individuals are, and how the weight of everyone's survival burdens and drives them.
'Project Hail Mary' is a dramatic book, but it does not rely on melodrama. Instead, it uses plain statements and natural dialogue to deliver plot points, so when there is an emotionally charged situation, it feels very immediate and alarming for readers. It also learns more towards the 'space opera' side of science fiction rather than the 'hard science' side, and will consequently require a greater suspension of disbelief. This may not appeal to some readers, particularly fans who prefer the approach Weir took with 'The Martian' in striving to make it as believable and in-line with real life science as possible. Yet, this style enables great character moments, riveting events, and gripping obstacles for the characters that will engross readers all the way to the final page.
Andy Weir's 'Project Hail Mary' is a fantastic addition to the science fiction genre, and will delight fans and newcomers alike.