Project Hail Mary - A Hard Sci-Fi Novel which is Surprisingly Heartwarming 🚀

1. Intro

2. Pros

3. Cons

4. Final Thoughts

Intro

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Andy Weir’s “Project Hail Mary” is a hard sci-fi novel which packs a surprisingly strong emotional punch. The story follows Ryland Grace, a researcher turned middle-school teacher, who wakes up on a spaceship lightyears away from Earth, not knowing how he has reached there.

The Pros

The friendship between Ryland (Human) and Rocky (Alien) is amazing. Despite all their challenges in communication, cultural differences and being millions of miles away from their home planet, they can trust each other and have a deep and meaningful relationship.

The storytelling lives up to its genre - Hard Sci-Fi. There aren’t any moments where I go, ‘How did that happen’ or question why the science seemed dodgy. The science is written to be accessible, nothing more complicated than a basic understanding is required to make sense of what is happening.

The story is very optimistic. There are moments where I expected the story to get darker, with moments where I would disagree with the actions Ryland takes. He seems too trusting, but it fits so well into the heartwarmingness of the story that it ends up being a positive aspect of the story instead.

Cons

I liked this story so I don’t have that many cons.

I disliked Ryland’s amnesia. While I understand why Weir uses Amnesia from a storytelling point, it’s just a little Cliche. I’ve seen Amnesia a million times and Weir does not bring anything new to the trope. It feels a little used and outdated.

Final Thoughts

The story is fun! I enjoyed myself when re-reading this story. I would recommend reading this story. 4 Stars.