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blogthatbook's review against another edition
5.0
There were tears. Brave manly tears, but still, yeah, tears.
If this book had been described to me in its simplest terms, a science-based project to save our dying sun, I'd have quickly said, 'Hard SciFi? No thanks. That's not for me.' Thank gods I listened to the hype. And thank those same gods for free Kindle samples! I read the first chapter of the sample and was utterly hooked. I was right there with the main character, completely bewildered and desperate to find out more.
The choice to make the lead character, Ryland Grace, a school teacher was sheer genius. Making him the middle man between ordinary intelligence and super intelligence gave the exact amount of scope to believe he could be as afraid and lost as he is, and also able to fathom complex answers when needed the way he does. Grace is one of the most engaging characters I've found in a book for a very long time.
The supporting characters were also a perfect mix, and the exchanges between them were fantastically entertaining, shocking and awkward.
The split narrative storytelling was a joy. Flashbacks occur as Grace's memories return in conjunction with current experiences. This is the only way this book could work and I loved it. The earthside flashbacks build interest and engagement just as much as the outer space story and each narrative had me eager to get back to the other in turn, urging me on through page after wonderful page.
Ok, let's get to it. The science. If you think the science in this story spoils the enjoyment then, I'm sorry, you're wrong. If you have a problem with the scientific conundrums and problems then I would suggest that's because you'd made up your mind to have a problem with it even before you got to it. Instead of skimming over it and grumbling, try actually reading what Weir has taken the time to put on the page for you. It's been written in a way that's pretty easy to understand, and if I can understand this stuff then anyone can, and it enhances the tension of exactly what's happening. So don't winge about it, read it.
Do I have anything negative to say? No, not really. If you really want me to nitpick I could say that Ryland Grace's avoidance of profanity was pretty unbelievable. But in all honesty, I actually found it quite charming. In a world where the profanity count in entertainment is a one-upmanship competition, I applaud anyone who refuses to toe that line.
This is an incredibly entertaining book, you really do need to read it.
If this book had been described to me in its simplest terms, a science-based project to save our dying sun, I'd have quickly said, 'Hard SciFi? No thanks. That's not for me.' Thank gods I listened to the hype. And thank those same gods for free Kindle samples! I read the first chapter of the sample and was utterly hooked. I was right there with the main character, completely bewildered and desperate to find out more.
The choice to make the lead character, Ryland Grace, a school teacher was sheer genius. Making him the middle man between ordinary intelligence and super intelligence gave the exact amount of scope to believe he could be as afraid and lost as he is, and also able to fathom complex answers when needed the way he does. Grace is one of the most engaging characters I've found in a book for a very long time.
The supporting characters were also a perfect mix, and the exchanges between them were fantastically entertaining, shocking and awkward.
The split narrative storytelling was a joy. Flashbacks occur as Grace's memories return in conjunction with current experiences. This is the only way this book could work and I loved it. The earthside flashbacks build interest and engagement just as much as the outer space story and each narrative had me eager to get back to the other in turn, urging me on through page after wonderful page.
Ok, let's get to it. The science. If you think the science in this story spoils the enjoyment then, I'm sorry, you're wrong. If you have a problem with the scientific conundrums and problems then I would suggest that's because you'd made up your mind to have a problem with it even before you got to it. Instead of skimming over it and grumbling, try actually reading what Weir has taken the time to put on the page for you. It's been written in a way that's pretty easy to understand, and if I can understand this stuff then anyone can, and it enhances the tension of exactly what's happening. So don't winge about it, read it.
Do I have anything negative to say? No, not really. If you really want me to nitpick I could say that Ryland Grace's avoidance of profanity was pretty unbelievable. But in all honesty, I actually found it quite charming. In a world where the profanity count in entertainment is a one-upmanship competition, I applaud anyone who refuses to toe that line.
This is an incredibly entertaining book, you really do need to read it.
warmmbunns's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
sledge_hm's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
harebear's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
aderrick's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to this as an audiobook and absolutely loved it. I don’t typically love Sci-fi but I would recommend this to anyone.
graafflotte's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
elizabethmarie34's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
calemore's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Suicide, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, and Drug use
utabuta's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
thniels's review against another edition
2.0
Thoroughly disappointed by the Hollywood oilrig roughneck myth gone to space of Artemis, I was really expecting more of the succinct nerdiness of The Martian. However, Hail Mary offers little of this. Instead, we get a ridiculously twisted account of lab work, weirdly disjointed characters [and equally out-of-joint superiors] paired with a 1960's 5th grader's prose. The number of plotholes and unmotivated character decisions take away what is left of an otherwise good idea.
First, the good things. Space travel takes time. Andy Weir knows that and doesn't come up with handy little faster-than-light gizmos to get over the inherently slow pace of that issue; instead, put the protagonist in a coma and have the problem over with. Done. That is both realistic and elegant. Add to that a measure of brain damage from the coma and we have a winner. The dynamics of going from nanoscale to astronomical distances in a swoop make for a nice touch too, if not exactly new.
Now... for the rest of the book, one word springs to mind: Lazy. Not once do we get a description of surroundings, characters, dilemmas, pains, solutions. We get sporadic bits of physics- or math buzz but nothing detailed and not always correct and certainly not apt for the smartest scientist left on Earth (even if giving him a genetic defect is pretty clever on that account)... "I'm a teacher, I know these things"... Please. Show us why we should believe him to know random trivia instead of just telling us.
All in all, I was left with a childish and naive novel, that did absolutely nothing to me except annoy me.
First, the good things. Space travel takes time. Andy Weir knows that and doesn't come up with handy little faster-than-light gizmos to get over the inherently slow pace of that issue; instead, put the protagonist in a coma and have the problem over with. Done. That is both realistic and elegant. Add to that a measure of brain damage from the coma and we have a winner. The dynamics of going from nanoscale to astronomical distances in a swoop make for a nice touch too, if not exactly new.
Now... for the rest of the book, one word springs to mind: Lazy. Not once do we get a description of surroundings, characters, dilemmas, pains, solutions. We get sporadic bits of physics- or math buzz but nothing detailed and not always correct and certainly not apt for the smartest scientist left on Earth (even if giving him a genetic defect is pretty clever on that account)... "I'm a teacher, I know these things"... Please. Show us why we should believe him to know random trivia instead of just telling us.
All in all, I was left with a childish and naive novel, that did absolutely nothing to me except annoy me.