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A review by billyjepma
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
You know that post that says, "unfollow me now, this is all I'm going to talk about"? Well, that's me after finishing this decadent adventure of a book.
I'm so glad I read this when I did (right after a stressful and exhausting six weeks), where I did (primarily on a beach), and how I did (in several marathon sessions) because it led to one of the best reading experiences I've had in a very long time. Andy Weir is so good at accessible, crowd-pleasing storytelling that it's almost frustrating. Project Hail Mary is Spielbergian in how unwaveringly, heroically optimistic it is, yet it pulls it off without feeling trite, which is quite a feat. Does it mean the book doesn't have much to say? Sure, you could make that claim, but why would I want to when it gave my brain so many sweet, sweet endorphins?
Weir also does an excellent job at giving the science weight and consequence without throwing his audience into the deep end. He provides us with enough education to feel comfortable with the jargon, buy into the premise, and, eventually, let us share in the monumental peaks and valleys of scientific exploration, failure, and discovery. There aren't that many (if any) deep, profound thematics, but I didn't miss them, either. It wouldn't be untrue to say that this book is essentially a beat-for-beat retread of The Martian, either, but in this case, I feel like the "if it ain't broke" adage is appropriate. Sometimes all you need is a rock-solid "man vs. nature" narrative backed up by decent characterization and razor-sharp pacing. This is an old-fashioned book in that way and just one of the many reasons I loved it so much.
I'm a firm believer in the importance of well-written popcorn entertainment, a niche that's becoming increasingly difficult to come by. But Project Hail Mary fits that description wonderfully, and I'll be coasting off the "book high" it gave me for a long while.
I'm so glad I read this when I did (right after a stressful and exhausting six weeks), where I did (primarily on a beach), and how I did (in several marathon sessions) because it led to one of the best reading experiences I've had in a very long time. Andy Weir is so good at accessible, crowd-pleasing storytelling that it's almost frustrating. Project Hail Mary is Spielbergian in how unwaveringly, heroically optimistic it is, yet it pulls it off without feeling trite, which is quite a feat. Does it mean the book doesn't have much to say? Sure, you could make that claim, but why would I want to when it gave my brain so many sweet, sweet endorphins?
Weir also does an excellent job at giving the science weight and consequence without throwing his audience into the deep end. He provides us with enough education to feel comfortable with the jargon, buy into the premise, and, eventually, let us share in the monumental peaks and valleys of scientific exploration, failure, and discovery. There aren't that many (if any) deep, profound thematics, but I didn't miss them, either. It wouldn't be untrue to say that this book is essentially a beat-for-beat retread of The Martian, either, but in this case, I feel like the "if it ain't broke" adage is appropriate. Sometimes all you need is a rock-solid "man vs. nature" narrative backed up by decent characterization and razor-sharp pacing. This is an old-fashioned book in that way and just one of the many reasons I loved it so much.
I'm a firm believer in the importance of well-written popcorn entertainment, a niche that's becoming increasingly difficult to come by. But Project Hail Mary fits that description wonderfully, and I'll be coasting off the "book high" it gave me for a long while.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury