Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Genre: Science Fiction; Adult Fiction
Reviewed by Landon W., 11th Grade
Rating: 7/10
Project Hail Mary is an overall fun experience. The book is about a scientist named Ryland Grace, who is sent into space to examine a star in a distant solar system in order to figure out why Earth's sun is dying. There's just one problem: he has amnesia while alone in space with only lab materials.
The flashback chapters of the book are by far the most interesting sections. These chapters detail Ryland learning how the sun is actually dying and the chain of events that caused his current predicament in space. The flashback chapters are spread around the book, helping keep the pacing of the book stable.
However, some of the space chapters can drag on for too long. The early space chapters are interesting since we are learning the layout of the ship and the ship's contents along with Ryland. Also, Ryland being alone on the ship adds some tension to the story, reminding us that Earth is doomed if he fails. However, as the book goes on, we are introduced to Rocky, an alien that looks like a hand made out of rocks. While Rocky is an enjoyable character, his introduction grinds the plot to a halt as all attempts to solve the problem of the Earth dying are put on hold for several chapters. By the time the characters get back to figuring out the problems with the sun, I have lost a bit of interest in the story.
While Rocky's introduction could be better, the flashback chapters, along with the early chapters in the book and some of the later chapters, make this book a fun read. I recommend it for anyone interested in science fiction stories, giving it a solid 7 out of 10.
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