Book Review: Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir


Andy Weir has hit on a winning formula. To wit:

  • Somehow I, an otherwise unremarkable man, has to SAVE ALL OF HUMANITY!
  • OH NO! Something is BROKEN!
  • I'll use SCIENCE to fix it!
  • Pop culture reference.
  • OH NO! Something else is broken.
  • I'll use SCIENCE to fix it!
  • The science didn't work!!!
  • ...
  • and repeat until (spoilers) the day is saved.

Look, this is basically the same as The Martian. And, you know what? I don't care. It is excellent. It made a 6 hour plane ride whizz by.

It has just the right amount of semi-plausible science. Sinister and shadowy extra-Government agencies. And a cliff-hanger every other page. It is expertly paced and neatly reveals the mystery as it goes.

If you liked The Martian, you'll like this. Because it is the same basic story. The same characters. And the same feel-good progression of problem solving.

Verdict
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6 thoughts on “Book Review: Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir”

  1. Alex Gibson says:

    I'm looking forward to this. The Martian had me chuckling away to myself and you nailed it, it's pure feel-good for those of an engineering mindset. Artemis was pretty good, great story, I never quite bought the details a young female protagonist I was being sold by another middle aged white guy, but the characters were still good, a fun read and I agree it would make a good heist movie.

    Reply

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