Andie’s Book Club: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir completely surprised me. I’m not someone who usually enjoys science fiction. I tend to get lost in the jargon and the futuristic tech that I can’t relate to; but this book hooked me from the first chapter and didn’t let go.

This is my second go-around with Project Hail Mary. I read it once a few years ago, and when I heard it was being made into a movie (starring Ryan Gosling!) I knew I had to go back to it. But this time I listened to the audio book and I found myself listening: All. The. Time. In the car, making dinner, walking the dog, getting ready in the morning, wherever I was, I was listening to this book. I devoured it thanks to Weir’s impeccable writing and the stellar delivery by Ray Porter. And I’m not alone. Project Hail Mary is winner of the 2022 Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year and is a number-one Audible and New York Times Audio Best Seller. 

The story begins as a mystery and keeps you guessing. It follows Ryland Grace, a schoolteacher-turned-astronaut who wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of who he is or why he’s there. As his memory slowly returns, we learn he’s humanity’s last hope to stop a mysterious phenomenon threatening to extinguish the sun. That sounds like heavy sci-fi, and technically, it is—but Weir somehow makes all the science feel fun, accessible, and even exciting.

What really won me over is how Project Hail Mary blends science with humor and even tugs at your heartstrings. If you saw or read The Martian, one of Andy Weir’s other brilliant novels turned movie, then you know what I mean. Grace is a relatable, sarcastic, and genuinely likable narrator. His inner dialogue makes even the densest explanations feel like conversations with a friend. 

Once we get going, the story introduces an alien character named Rocky. That’s when I thought for sure I would check out. Instead, their friendship became the best part of the book. Watching these two communicate, problem-solve, and form a bond across species is oddly moving and, dare I say, kind of beautiful.

Weir does something rare: he makes science feel like magic without dumbing it down. I found myself wanting to understand things like astrophage and orbital mechanics. Every problem Grace faces feels like a puzzle you want to solve alongside him.

Okay, admittedly, I did not listen through every single problem on the ship. I checked out on a few because there were many problems he encountered. And, frankly, I didn’t think my lack of understanding of all of science hurt the story. It's another reason that listening to the book is easier than reading it.

If you don’t usually read science fiction, this might be the perfect gateway. It’s clever, suspenseful, touching, and shockingly fun. I didn’t expect to care about space missions or alien biology, but here I am, already recommending this book to everyone I know. I may not love all science fiction, but I’ll definitely give another Andy Weir book a try. So far he’s two for two with me.