Project Hail Mary
A Novel
-
-
4.6 • 985 Ratings
-
-
- $14.99
Publisher Description
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Now a major motion picture starring Ryan Gosling, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, with a screenplay by Drew Goddard
A lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this “propulsive” (Entertainment Weekly), cinematic thriller full of suspense, humor, and fascinating science—from the author of The Martian.
HUGO AWARD FINALIST • NEW YORK TIMES READER PICK: 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY • ONE OF THE YEAR’S BEST BOOKS: Parade, Newsweek, New York Public Library, Polygon, Shelf Awareness, She Reads, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal
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?
Hailed by USA Today as “an epic story of redemption, discovery, and cool speculative sci-fi,” Project Hail Mary is an irresistible interstellar adventure as only Andy Weir could deliver.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Andy Weir, author of the runaway bestseller The Martian, has written another space-disaster thriller that’s equal parts edge-of-your-seat suspense, fascinating science, and sarcastic humor. Ryland Grace’s mission is saving Earth from an extinction-level event, but first he has to figure out who he is, how long he’s been in a coma, and why he’s alone on a spaceship in the middle of nowhere. No pressure. Weir grounds his hero’s wildly imaginative predicament in real-world physics and biology. Every new revelation about the enormity of his situation is a jaw-dropper, as are the solutions he comes up with. Ryland’s joy of discovery is contagious, but the story’s heart is in a completely shocking twist that’s way too good to spoil. We’ll just say that it makes Project Hail Mary as sweetly touching as it is intelligent, funny, and exciting. This is science fiction that even people who think they don’t like science fiction will love.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bestseller Weir (The Martian) delivers a suspenseful portrait of human ingenuity and resilience in this powerful narrative of a desperate effort to save Earth. Ryland Grace awakens from a coma with no memories of his identity or how he came to be alone on a spaceship. Weir creates instant engagement by toggling between Grace's efforts to make sense of his present circumstances and flashbacks that gradually paint an unsettling picture of his life before. Grace worked as a microbiologist until the negative response to his theory that water may not be required to sustain alien life drove him from his research to a job teaching middle school science. That career is disrupted, however, after astronomers discover that the sun is losing heat, imperiling the future of humanity. The cause seems to be a microscopic life-form that feeds on the star's energy, and Grace is drafted into the international team of scientists working to combat the impending catastrophe. Weir cleverly doles out pieces of Grace's backstory and information about the mission that landed him in space, tossing in curveballs and judiciously using humor to break the tension as the story builds to an unexpectedly moving ending. This is a winner.
Customer Reviews
Great Story
I like the way the writer laid out the story going back and forth - i wonder if he will do a follow up as the movie comes out in a week and for those who haven't read the book they will be asking the same thing. It kind of begs that question. Good job Andy thx.
True Sci-fi
Great read
One of the best books I have ever read.
There is not a dull spot in this book, it flows from start to finish. The science behind this is fascinating and most of it is real.
I hope the movie, which is being released March 20, 2026 does justice to this amazing story.