Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir


What I liked about this book: 

  • Ryland's self-deprecating humor 
  • The "science for dummies" 
  • The flashback structure 
  • The relatable narration 
  • Ryland and Rocky's relationship 

What I didn't love about this book: 

  • Ryland and Rocky's relationship 
  • Relatable-ness to the point of absurdity 
  • Over-science 

Full disclosure: I am not a sci-fi person. I thought that this book would be more "realistic sci-fi" in feel, similar to The Martian. The same light-heartedness-around-a-heavy-topic was there, but sorry...you lost me at aliens. 

Yes, Ryland and Rocky's relationship is on both lists. I enjoyed their "bromance" and their deep desire to understand each other. But seriously? Let me just send a sample of my ship to this unknown vessel and then let the alien board me? I get that Ryland is a pretty chill dude, but c'mon. In fact, I felt the mental eye roll about most of Ryland's reactions, including waking up from a coma (wow, I'm ripped) and encountering his dead crewmates (let's just get rid of these skeletons, shall we?). 

I did enjoy the flashback format and thought it made it a far more intriguing read. I also did enjoy Ryland's narrative style -- maybe moreso if it weren't for the situation. In the beginning, I also found myself digging the science that Weir made understandable, but at some point I found myself "over-scienced". 

If you are a sci-fi person, you will probably love this. If you are a realistic fiction person, well, this is a really long read. 

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