Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Book Review

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Ryland has woken up on a spaceship, somewhere, in some universe and he doesn’t have a clue why. The only people who could tell him passed away during their journey. But as he starts to remember why he is in his current predicament, Ryland realizes he’s the last human left who can save the Earth.

Project Hail Mary is steeped in science and experimentation. While in the background the reader is conscious of the time limit Earth has, the tension isn’t really felt throughout the story. Instead, Andy Weir focuses on the tension built up from events caused by the initial experiments done on the unknown substance threatening all life as we know it. The enthusiasm Ryland feels as he progresses in his experiments and uncovers information is unmistakable. Each step forward is like an awakening and makes the setbacks hit emotionally harder.

Ryland’s story is told from a shifting perspective of past and present. As he wanders the ship and begins to unlock his memories, readers will start to see the ever-evolving story of Earth’s newest threat. Andy Weir was clever in syncing the timelines, allowing readers to see how Ryland interacted with those around him in the past and bringing in dialogue and character development that would have been stalled viewing only Ryland in his ship.

My favorite part of this novel was Ryland’s developing understanding and relationship with another life form. From the way they learned how to communicate and work together, to their quick thinking problem solving using their various backgrounds and abilities was phenomenal. Ryland is introduced as a frustrated scientist with few personal connections. Watching him form a bond with someone else and the internal thoughts he went through establishing their relationship was fascinating.

I would recommend this book if you enjoy science and engineering. Math and science are used to describe details in a way to up the ante for those who can understand the language. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people and I found myself missing out on more physical based action and tension. However, Project Hail Mary is a good book, it just isn't the book for me.

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