RaveDen of GeekWeir says that he sets out to develop more nuanced protagonists which each new book...In this, he definitely succeeds. Far from the gung-ho, super-motivated type, Grace is very much a reluctant hero, one with real vulnerabilities which help humanize him and add shades of grey. Yet the strongest character in the book is arguable Rocky, Grace’s alien counterpart. Creating a compelling literary alien can be challenging, but Weir gives us a memorable character who soon endears himself to the reader ... a well-constructed alien race ... There’s a lot of science in this book, which is by no means a bad thing, but it will require some readers to go over several passages carefully and perhaps repeatedly. I found myself going over some of the concepts several times, making sure I really understood the science lesson that Andy Weir was teaching me through the voice of Ryland Grace. Weir is a writer who always does his homework, and there’s a lot to unpack here, especially if your understanding of physics isn’t the best (as this reviewer’s isn’t). That shouldn’t scare off potential readers, however; the book never stoops to lecturing, and the exposition is kept to what’s necessary to advance the plot. Thanks to a unique structure in which the novel moves forward from two different starting points and alternates between them, the plot is constantly moving forward, and each reveal leaves the reader wanting to know what’s coming next, until culminating in a very satisfying final chapter that makes the whole journey worthwhile ... In many ways, Project Hail Mary feels like something that Clarke, Asimov, or Heinlein might have written ... Weir manages to work these themes into the book in a subtle enough manner that they are clear to see, but without being intrusive ... While there are no space battles or alien invasions, Project Hail Mary is no less a gripping journey for that. Andy Weir has turned in a smart, unpredictable novel that makes for highly recommended summer reading.
