Project Hail Mary: A Novel
May 2021 · Sold by Ballantine Books
4.7star
2.2K reviews
Ebook
496
Pages
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About this ebook
THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE MARTIAN • Soon to be a major motion picture starring Ryan Gosling, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, with a screenplay by Drew Goddard
From the author of The Martian, a lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this “propulsive” (Entertainment Weekly), cinematic thriller full of suspense, humor, and fascinating science.
HUGO AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF THE YEAR’S BEST BOOKS: Bill Gates, GatesNotes, New York Public Library, Parade, Newsweek, Polygon, Shelf Awareness, She Reads, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal • New York Times Readers Pick: 100 Best Books of the 21st Century
“An epic story of redemption, discovery and cool speculative sci-fi.”—USA Today
“If you loved The Martian, you’ll go crazy for Weir’s latest.”—The Washington Post
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.
Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.
All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.
His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.
And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.
Or does he?
An irresistible interstellar adventure as only Andy Weir could deliver, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian—while taking us to places it never dreamed of going.
From the author of The Martian, a lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this “propulsive” (Entertainment Weekly), cinematic thriller full of suspense, humor, and fascinating science.
HUGO AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF THE YEAR’S BEST BOOKS: Bill Gates, GatesNotes, New York Public Library, Parade, Newsweek, Polygon, Shelf Awareness, She Reads, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal • New York Times Readers Pick: 100 Best Books of the 21st Century
“An epic story of redemption, discovery and cool speculative sci-fi.”—USA Today
“If you loved The Martian, you’ll go crazy for Weir’s latest.”—The Washington Post
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.
Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.
All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.
His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.
And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.
Or does he?
An irresistible interstellar adventure as only Andy Weir could deliver, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian—while taking us to places it never dreamed of going.
Ratings and reviews
4.7
2.2K reviews
Caiden Finch
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December 11, 2024
I adored this book! 10/10 This is a story about the world ending and a suicide mission into space... and Andy Weir somehow made it heartwarming and exciting! I'm very impressed with how lighthearted this story is while still maintaining the seriousness of the scenario. The main character is goofy in a charming way while being believably smart, and I got attached to the other main characters as well. The science in this book is believable enough to me, someone without a scientific background, and the way it's written allows the reader to feel like they're finding solutions right alongside the main characters! My only criticism is very small, and it's that there are a couple of deus ex machinas, but it wasn't enough to ruin the story for me by any means. I'm currently reading this a second time this year since I enjoyed it so much! I'd definitely recommend it if you'd like a "scary" space story but with a more positive perspective and fun characters. :)
W. Ram
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September 6, 2025
2.75 * * - * * * If there hadn't been "The Martian," I might have rated this book higher. It seemed like Weir took some elements that worked before and recycled them. Science man alone in outer space using his knowledge to help him find a way back to earth. Obviously there's more in PHM. Luke "Martian," Weir goes into scientific details to explain intentions and plot twists. Three fourths of the way, he amps up the science detail to hyper speed and I find myself skimming the details. Sometimes less is more. This could have been better if it hadn't been so heavily scientific-y.
Jennifer Williams
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September 6, 2024
I have had this book on my Audible list for almost a year because of all the great reviews, but I kept putting it off because sci-fi books don't jump out at me. This book experience was amazing and if you have Audible, please please please get the audiobook! There are elements of the book that you may not understand without the audio version and it is so worth it! This book is a great adventure told from the point of view of a middle school science teacher who has the experience of a lifetime. The banter between the characters is so good and I cannot remember the last time I laughed so much while listening to (or reading) a book. Do not make the same mistake I did by letting this one just sit and collect dust! You won't regret it!
About the author
Andy Weir built a two-decade career as a software engineer until the success of his first published novel, The Martian, allowed him to live out his dream of writing full-time. He is a lifelong space nerd and a devoted hobbyist of such subjects as relativistic physics, orbital mechanics, and the history of manned spaceflight. He also mixes a mean cocktail. He lives in California.
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