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A review by mynameismarines
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
5.0
I was going into this with middling expectations. I certainly did not expect to love it.
Why you may not like this book: You read [b:The Martian|18007564|The Martian|Andy Weir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1413706054l/18007564._SY75_.jpg|21825181] first. I've never read it, so I can't compare how alike they are, but if you scroll through a bunch of 1 star reviews of this book, you'll find so many comparisons to The Martian that a theme will emerge. Weir, like many authors before him, has a brand and general kind of story he's apparently writing. Like with many authors like him, it's often that your first one or two experiences by them will be the strongest and then from there, they can feel like cheap imitations.
Also, while this is high stakes and is thrilling in its own way, it's a sort of slow burn thrill. We've spend a lot of time slow chipping away at our one major problem. If you don't immediately hook into something else (namely the voice of the main character or the relationship he forms) this could end up being rather boring.
Finally, if you are a sci-fi person that needs your science to really science, probably look away. There are a ton of ways that this asks you to suspend disbelief, from our main character being a good-at-nearly-everything high school science teacher, to the unlikely ally he finds his space. This asks readers to kind of go with it for the thrill of unwinding this puzzle and for the heart of connections along the way. If you can't let go of your "...but that's not how space works," then this isn't the book for you.
Why I loved this: I listened to this on audiobook and I think it has to be one of the best audiobooks I listened to all year. Considering how important sound is to this story in general, it just really lends itself well to spoken format. That and I think the MC's voice/narration style is softened by spoken delivery. There is something about the combination of smug and nerdy that feels a lot better when it's being spoken and performed.
I loved the slow burn thrill. It felt like I was on the edge of my seat, but like in a really nice and measured way. I also really loved the alien, the friendship, the exploration of language, and the whacky hijinks of it all. I read this in one sitting and was entertained the entire time. And unlike some things I read in one sitting, it stayed with me. I think about this book often and always fondly.
Why you may not like this book: You read [b:The Martian|18007564|The Martian|Andy Weir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1413706054l/18007564._SY75_.jpg|21825181] first. I've never read it, so I can't compare how alike they are, but if you scroll through a bunch of 1 star reviews of this book, you'll find so many comparisons to The Martian that a theme will emerge. Weir, like many authors before him, has a brand and general kind of story he's apparently writing. Like with many authors like him, it's often that your first one or two experiences by them will be the strongest and then from there, they can feel like cheap imitations.
Also, while this is high stakes and is thrilling in its own way, it's a sort of slow burn thrill. We've spend a lot of time slow chipping away at our one major problem. If you don't immediately hook into something else (namely the voice of the main character or the relationship he forms) this could end up being rather boring.
Finally, if you are a sci-fi person that needs your science to really science, probably look away. There are a ton of ways that this asks you to suspend disbelief, from our main character being a good-at-nearly-everything high school science teacher, to the unlikely ally he finds his space. This asks readers to kind of go with it for the thrill of unwinding this puzzle and for the heart of connections along the way. If you can't let go of your "...but that's not how space works," then this isn't the book for you.
Why I loved this: I listened to this on audiobook and I think it has to be one of the best audiobooks I listened to all year. Considering how important sound is to this story in general, it just really lends itself well to spoken format. That and I think the MC's voice/narration style is softened by spoken delivery. There is something about the combination of smug and nerdy that feels a lot better when it's being spoken and performed.
I loved the slow burn thrill. It felt like I was on the edge of my seat, but like in a really nice and measured way. I also really loved the alien, the friendship, the exploration of language, and the whacky hijinks of it all. I read this in one sitting and was entertained the entire time. And unlike some things I read in one sitting, it stayed with me. I think about this book often and always fondly.