Action & Adventure
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Project Hail Mary: A Novel
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • 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-in development as a major motion picture starring Ryan Gosling.
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 • "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.
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 • "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.
Editorial Reviews
"A crowd-pleaser on the grandest scale."-The Boston Globe
"An engaging space odyssey."-The New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)
"Dazzling."-Vulture
"Funny, well plotted, and full of surprises."-The Guardian
"A joy to read."-Locus
"The ultimate page-turner."-Daily Mail
"Weir spins a space yarn in a way only he can. Fans of his earlier works won't be disappointed."-Newsweek
"Andy Weir proves once again that he is a singular talent. Project Hail Mary is so fascinating and propulsive that it's downright addictive. From the first page as Ryland wakes up not knowing who or where he is, I was hooked."-Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six
"Reading Project Hail Mary is like going on a field trip to outer space with the best science teacher you've ever had-and your class assignment is to save the world. This is one of the most original, compelling, and fun voyages I've ever taken."-Ernest Cline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ready Player One
"Two worlds in peril, a competent (but flawed and human) man, a competent alien, unending scientific puzzles to unravel, with humanity itself at risk, this one has everything fans of old school SF (like me) love. If you like a lot of science in your science fiction, Andy Weir is the writer for you."-George R. R. Martin, New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones
"I loved The Martian, but I...
"An engaging space odyssey."-The New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)
"Dazzling."-Vulture
"Funny, well plotted, and full of surprises."-The Guardian
"A joy to read."-Locus
"The ultimate page-turner."-Daily Mail
"Weir spins a space yarn in a way only he can. Fans of his earlier works won't be disappointed."-Newsweek
"Andy Weir proves once again that he is a singular talent. Project Hail Mary is so fascinating and propulsive that it's downright addictive. From the first page as Ryland wakes up not knowing who or where he is, I was hooked."-Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six
"Reading Project Hail Mary is like going on a field trip to outer space with the best science teacher you've ever had-and your class assignment is to save the world. This is one of the most original, compelling, and fun voyages I've ever taken."-Ernest Cline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ready Player One
"Two worlds in peril, a competent (but flawed and human) man, a competent alien, unending scientific puzzles to unravel, with humanity itself at risk, this one has everything fans of old school SF (like me) love. If you like a lot of science in your science fiction, Andy Weir is the writer for you."-George R. R. Martin, New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones
"I loved The Martian, but I...
Readers Top Reviews
C. M. TilleyMr. S
I've always thought that the best works of science fiction are those where the creator has put in the work to world-build their scenarios. Just like with fantasy, the realism (or apparent realism) of science fiction is what can make a truly great book. Andy Weir has definitely achieved that here, all the while maintaining a fast pace, cracking plot and a main character that you're really rooting for. Project Hail Mary succeeds everywhere the Martian did before it, with a slick-ly executed plot, great prose, genuinely good humour and of course a tremendous amount of science. As a microbiologist, I perhaps enjoyed Project Hail Mary even more, and (avoiding spoilers) absolutely loved the attention to detail in the main conceit of the story, as well as the internal logic and experimental approaches used by the main character. So refreshing to see research written in this way, and so well! The story itself is gripping from beginning to end, and reminded me a lot of Dennis. E. Taylor's 'Bobiverse' mixed with a bit of 'Arrival' for good measure. The narrative flips between the present day on the Hail Mary, and the events that lead up to Ryland Grace waking up alone and with no memory at the beginning of the book. I can honestly say the plot surprised me so many times, and I loved the way Grace develops as a character by the end of the novel. The central friendship between two characters in the story was a joy to read, and had me tearing up by the end! I spent the last third of the book on tenterhooks as the stakes continue to escalate, and really struggled not to read the whole thing in one go. If you enjoy hard sci-fi or liked the Martian, you will definitely love this book. Even if you think you're not interested in a science-heavy story, I think the pacing and the optimism of the writing is more than enough to make this book a wonderful, exciting read. I will certainly be reading again soon - the biggest struggle now will be waiting to see what Andy Weir writes next!
Karen CampbellC.
If you liked the Martian, you’ll love this. Ryland Grace wakes up on a spacecraft with no idea how or why he is there-or even who he is. He has to work out why he’s there, and what he has to do, from scratch. And then work miracles. Or in the words of Mark Witney in the Martian, ‘science the s*** out of it’. Written in a similar style to the Martian, with sections alternating between Ryland-on-Earth and Ryland -in-Space, it’s hard not to picture Matt Damon as Ryland, but though they share the same love of science trivia, and self-deprecating humour, they are very different. There’s loads of geeky science as he McGyvers his way from one situation to another. Maybe a little too much if you’re not a science nerd or sci-fi fanatic but I loved it. I loved the quirky characters of all the ‘supporting actors’ (This is so definitely going to be a film!), especially Rocky. Oh, Rocky! Just... read it, ok?
StuartKaren Campb
I received the new book today with the intention of rationing the pages so I didn't binge it in one session. So I binged it in one session. Andy has a knack for totally engrossing hard science based stories that make you keep on turning pages to find out how the protagonists get out of the last big mess he got them into. And Mr Weir doesn't disappoint! There's at least one plot point that he admits is a stretch... but going through the story is educational as much as it is exciting. If I ever get called upon to heroically save the world from an invasive interstellar infection I'm sure I could deliver... Now I need the film to get made so I can enjoy the whole thing afresh.
Richard LangStuar
A well crafted piece of hard speculative science, coupled with great craftsmanship. His protagonist is awakened with no memories. He slowly regains them and finds himself on a space ship with two dead crew. So first there's the regaining memory issue. As it comes back, he uncovers both his history and what' s behind the mission - the sun is being drained and they've found one star close that isnt. Okay. Memory issues. Our world coming to an end. A suicide mission to save humanity. Now add an alien ship and an alien being on a similar mission, and it comes together like a fine meal. There's communicating with an alien. Comparing cultures. Combining forces to overcome disaster after disaster. It might be possible to list the generic plot devices invoked but so what? I've read.two.of his books, and the man likes happy endings. You can't help but smile at the one in this book.
Helen J.Richard L
Can I gush? You betcha! I loved, loved, loved this book. So much heart and humanity wrapped in an ingenious present/past, split-time narrative that poses and answers just the right questions at just the right time. Project Hail Mary is aptly named as Earth's last chance to save it from a climate catastrophe. Something is 'eating' the sun, and any answers lie in space. What follows is one part The Martian--man alone in space; one part Star Trek--explore new worlds; and one part disaster story--what can go wrong, does, often in spectacular ways. The treat is watching Dr. Ryland Grace confront each problem and try to 'science' his way out of it, while dealing with spotty memories of how and why he's on this ship. The first part lured me into the book as he wakes up with amnesia, but the middle of the book totally hooked me with a very unexpected twist. Andy Weir makes science and math accessible, reminds us that humanity works best when we work together, and restores the wonder that is space exploration and all its possibilities. Book of the year, in my opinion.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter 1
"What's two plus two?"
Something about the question irritates me. I'm tired. I drift back to sleep.
A few minutes pass, then I hear it again.
"What's two plus two?"
The soft, feminine voice lacks emotion and the pronunciation is identical to the previous time she said it. It's a computer. A computer is hassling me. I'm even more irritated now.
"Lrmln," I say. I'm surprised. I meant to say "Leave me alone"-a completely reasonable response in my opinion-but I failed to speak.
"Incorrect," says the computer. "What's two plus two?"
Time for an experiment. I'll try to say hello.
"Hlllch?" I say.
"Incorrect. What's two plus two?"
What's going on? I want to find out, but I don't have much to work with. I can't see. I can't hear anything other than the computer. I can't even feel. No, that's not true. I feel something. I'm lying down. I'm on something soft. A bed.
I think my eyes are closed. That's not so bad. All I have to do is open them. I try, but nothing happens.
Why can't I open my eyes?
Open.
Aaaand . . . open!
Open, dang it!
Ooh! I felt a wiggle that time. My eyelids moved. I felt it.
Open!
My eyelids creep up and blinding light sears my retinas.
"Glunn!" I say. I keep my eyes open with sheer force of will. Everything is white with shades of pain.
"Eye movement detected," my tormenter says. "What's two plus two?"
The whiteness lessens. My eyes are adjusting. I start to see shapes, but nothing sensible yet. Let's see . . . can I move my hands? No.
Feet? Also no.
But I can move my mouth, right? I've been saying stuff. Not stuff that makes sense, but it's something.
"Fffr."
"Incorrect. What's two plus two?"
The shapes start to make sense. I'm in a bed. It's kind of . . . oval-shaped.
LED lights shine down on me. Cameras in the ceiling watch my every move. Creepy though that is, I'm much more concerned about the robot arms.
The two brushed-steel armatures hang from the ceiling. Each has an assortment of disturbingly penetration-looking tools where hands should be. Can't say I like the look of that.
"Ffff . . . oooh . . . rrrr," I say. Will that do?
"Incorrect. What's two plus two?"
Dang it. I summon all my willpower and inner strength. Also, I'm starting to panic a little. Good. I use that too.
"Fffoouurr," I finally say.
"Correct."
Thank God. I can talk. Sort of.
I breathe a sigh of relief. Wait-I just controlled my breathing. I take another breath. On purpose. My mouth is sore. My throat is sore. But it's my soreness. I have control.
I'm wearing a breathing mask. It's tight to my face and connected to a hose that goes behind my head.
Can I get up?
No. But I can move my head a little. I look down at my body. I'm naked and connected to more tubes than I can count. There's one in each arm, one in each leg, one in my "gentlemen's equipment," and two that disappear under my thigh. I'm guessing one of them is up where the sun doesn't shine.
That can't be good.
Also, I'm covered with electrodes. The sensor-type stickers like for an EKG, but they're all over the place. Well, at least they're only on my skin instead of jammed into me.
"Wh-" I wheeze. I try again. "Where . . . am . . . I?"
"What's the cube root of eight?" the computer asks.
"Where am I?" I say again. This time it's easier.
"Incorrect. What's the cube root of eight?"
I take a deep breath and speak slowly. "Two times e to the two-i-pi over three."
"Incorrect. What's the cube root of eight?"
But I wasn't incorrect. I just wanted to see how smart the computer was. Answer: not very.
"Two," I say.
"Correct."
I listen for follow-up questions, but the computer seems satisfied.
I'm tired. I drift off to sleep again.
I wake up. How long was I out? It must have been a while because I feel rested. I open my eyes without any effort. That's progress.
I try to move my fingers. They wiggle as instructed. All right. Now we're getting somewhere.
"Hand movement detected," says the computer. "Remain still."
"What? Why-"
The robot arms come for me. They move fast. Before I know it, they've removed most of the tubes from my body. I didn't feel a thing. Though my skin is kind of numb anyway.
Only three tubes remain: an IV in my arm, a tube up my butt, and a catheter. Those latter two are kind of the signature items I wanted removed, but okay.
I raise my r...
"What's two plus two?"
Something about the question irritates me. I'm tired. I drift back to sleep.
A few minutes pass, then I hear it again.
"What's two plus two?"
The soft, feminine voice lacks emotion and the pronunciation is identical to the previous time she said it. It's a computer. A computer is hassling me. I'm even more irritated now.
"Lrmln," I say. I'm surprised. I meant to say "Leave me alone"-a completely reasonable response in my opinion-but I failed to speak.
"Incorrect," says the computer. "What's two plus two?"
Time for an experiment. I'll try to say hello.
"Hlllch?" I say.
"Incorrect. What's two plus two?"
What's going on? I want to find out, but I don't have much to work with. I can't see. I can't hear anything other than the computer. I can't even feel. No, that's not true. I feel something. I'm lying down. I'm on something soft. A bed.
I think my eyes are closed. That's not so bad. All I have to do is open them. I try, but nothing happens.
Why can't I open my eyes?
Open.
Aaaand . . . open!
Open, dang it!
Ooh! I felt a wiggle that time. My eyelids moved. I felt it.
Open!
My eyelids creep up and blinding light sears my retinas.
"Glunn!" I say. I keep my eyes open with sheer force of will. Everything is white with shades of pain.
"Eye movement detected," my tormenter says. "What's two plus two?"
The whiteness lessens. My eyes are adjusting. I start to see shapes, but nothing sensible yet. Let's see . . . can I move my hands? No.
Feet? Also no.
But I can move my mouth, right? I've been saying stuff. Not stuff that makes sense, but it's something.
"Fffr."
"Incorrect. What's two plus two?"
The shapes start to make sense. I'm in a bed. It's kind of . . . oval-shaped.
LED lights shine down on me. Cameras in the ceiling watch my every move. Creepy though that is, I'm much more concerned about the robot arms.
The two brushed-steel armatures hang from the ceiling. Each has an assortment of disturbingly penetration-looking tools where hands should be. Can't say I like the look of that.
"Ffff . . . oooh . . . rrrr," I say. Will that do?
"Incorrect. What's two plus two?"
Dang it. I summon all my willpower and inner strength. Also, I'm starting to panic a little. Good. I use that too.
"Fffoouurr," I finally say.
"Correct."
Thank God. I can talk. Sort of.
I breathe a sigh of relief. Wait-I just controlled my breathing. I take another breath. On purpose. My mouth is sore. My throat is sore. But it's my soreness. I have control.
I'm wearing a breathing mask. It's tight to my face and connected to a hose that goes behind my head.
Can I get up?
No. But I can move my head a little. I look down at my body. I'm naked and connected to more tubes than I can count. There's one in each arm, one in each leg, one in my "gentlemen's equipment," and two that disappear under my thigh. I'm guessing one of them is up where the sun doesn't shine.
That can't be good.
Also, I'm covered with electrodes. The sensor-type stickers like for an EKG, but they're all over the place. Well, at least they're only on my skin instead of jammed into me.
"Wh-" I wheeze. I try again. "Where . . . am . . . I?"
"What's the cube root of eight?" the computer asks.
"Where am I?" I say again. This time it's easier.
"Incorrect. What's the cube root of eight?"
I take a deep breath and speak slowly. "Two times e to the two-i-pi over three."
"Incorrect. What's the cube root of eight?"
But I wasn't incorrect. I just wanted to see how smart the computer was. Answer: not very.
"Two," I say.
"Correct."
I listen for follow-up questions, but the computer seems satisfied.
I'm tired. I drift off to sleep again.
I wake up. How long was I out? It must have been a while because I feel rested. I open my eyes without any effort. That's progress.
I try to move my fingers. They wiggle as instructed. All right. Now we're getting somewhere.
"Hand movement detected," says the computer. "Remain still."
"What? Why-"
The robot arms come for me. They move fast. Before I know it, they've removed most of the tubes from my body. I didn't feel a thing. Though my skin is kind of numb anyway.
Only three tubes remain: an IV in my arm, a tube up my butt, and a catheter. Those latter two are kind of the signature items I wanted removed, but okay.
I raise my r...
