Project Hail Mary

I read this book in one day. 23 hours to be precise. I just could not put it down! Looking back, I’ve read Weir’s other books and know that I’m drawn to his writing style, but it’s more than that; it’s his ability to make you really like his main characters and want to root for them even to the point of suspending reality and thinking that crazy McGyver-esque maneuver was actually possible. Yes, this book had a lot of science terms and explanations (and I’ll be the first to admit I skimmed through some of them) but it was never overwhelming enough for me to consider putting the book down. I just HAD to finish, HAD to find out what happened at the end and discover whether the lone hero could once again save the world and live to the tell the tale, or whether he was fated to die for this worthy cause. To me, this book is like a modern-day fairy tale at its best.

Project Hail Mary is very similar in style to The Martian, another one of Weir’s books that I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s told from the first-hand perspective of an unlikely scientist/astronaut. In this case, Dr. Ryland Grace is one of three scientists chosen to save earth from an alien species poisoning our sun. His task is to journey far into the galaxy to hopefully learn how to defeat the aliens and send word back to earth before he runs out of air and fuel. Will he make it? Will we? Will the sun stop shining and the earth stop rotating and life as we know it come to an end!? All of these questions start running through the readers’ minds almost instantly, and the answers aren’t found until the very last page. And unlike some books, I liked how Weir ended it. I wasn’t disappointed (in fact, I’m still thinking about it days after finishing the book) and I don’t think you will be either. So if you’re in the mood for a fast, fun read that will draw you in and spit you back out, this is a good one.