Book Review: Project Hail Mary

Occasionally, an author will self-publish a book that goes so viral it lures a traditional publisher. This is what happened for Andy Weir with his first book, The Martian. I read that book for book club a decade ago. Since I put Project Hail Mary on my 2026 movie bucket list, I wanted to read the book prior to seeing the movie. The movie must be outstanding. My youngest went to see it twice within less than two weeks. I will admit, the science kept me bogged down during the read. I would have been fine to see the movie without reading the book. But, if you have more scientific acumen than I do (most probable), you might enjoy reading prior to watching the movie.

Project Hail Mary is, as the title suggests, a story of a last-ditch effort to save Earth and humanity. Ryland Grace is an unlikely candidate to save the world. He is a junior high science teacher sent into space on a mission to tackle a pressing problem threatening the sun. He wakes with amnesia from an induced coma. Through flashbacks, the reader and the astronaut come to understand his identity and his mission. When Grace meets an alien, Rocky, battling the same problem, they form a friendship and tackle the problems together.

I still give kudos to Weir for his great skill in explaining science in simple terms. The relational bond between human and alien is touching. The stakes continually escalate. I imagine (for me, anyway) the movie will be easier to follow than the book. I'm looking forward to it, but will admit I'm waiting until my library has a copy of the DVD. A Great Awakening was a movie that demanded viewing on the big screen (I saw it twice and would have happily paid to see it a third time). I'm not feeling as strong a pull for this movie adaptation.