And I absolutely loved it. It is honestly one of my new favorite books. I am going to tag basically this whole post as spoilers because the thing that truly makes this book amazing does not start until almost 100 pages in.
SPOILERS
FOR THOSE ON APPS THAT CAN’T HANDLE THEM
SPOILERS
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I love stories about friendship and the friendship between Grace and Rocky was truly beautiful. They are both lost and confused and in a horrible situation but they both take everything in stride. They see a way to help eachother and to not have to do it alone and they grab onto it with both (all five) hands. The way they both accept the other’s habits knowing there are things that are fundamentally different between each other is a lesson for everyone.
The growth we see from Grace is also some of the best I’ve read. We learn later that he chose the self-centered path by refusing to join the Hail Mary crew on his own. Then, when faced with a very similar choice he chooses to save Rocky and his people instead of himself. I honestly cried.
Not only are our two main characters amazing but they are FUNNY! I laughed out loud so many times!
Overall I cant wait to re-read this one a bit down the line.
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So, have you read this one? What did you think?
Amaze amaze amaze!
The audible version is also recommended. Mad props to all the folks who made the audio book.
It’s so good. Once the other character shows up and you hear him talking and Grace starts making sense out of what he’s saying it’s like the book just lights up. That was a really nice touch.
“Amaze!” has become part of my daily lexicon after reading this book. I listened to the Audible version, which shares a narrator with another SciFi series I love: the Bobiverse series!
Obligatory: fist my bump!
Jazz Hands
It’s a great book for sure. Two things I really liked are
spoiler
I haven’t read a good alien contact book in a long time, so I really enjoyed that part. Also, the whole arc of “I must have been convinced to do the right thing because I’m here - I guess I’m a good guy, and Rocky did the same.” Was really powerful.
And, of course, Weir does a really good job with hard SF, keeping things anchored and believable.
Loved Hail Mary…I read The Martian after seeing the movie. I’ve read somewhere Hail Mary movie is in the works…kind of was thinking Hail Mary would work as a mini series.
I’d love to see a movie as well!
I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I did not like The Martian at all. I’ve seen so many people say they love Project Hail Mary and that it got them out of their reading slumps and you have to read it. Do you think there’s a chance I’d like this one even though I did not like The Martian? I want to give it a chance because so many people whose opinions I trust seem to really like it, but idk, maybe Weir just isn’t for me.
I thought The Martian was just ok, but I didn’t like Project Hail Mary. It’s full of ridiculous and contrived coincidences and convenient events rather than actual problem solving. I know a lot of people love it but IMO it’s very weak writing and plotting.
Yeah, very good book, I loved it. I’m usually not into optimistic sci-fi, but Weir’s books are comfortably heartwarming even for jaded ol’ me and pretty smart too. Not to mention that his language is very lively so you don’t get bored for a second, it’s fast-paced and to the point. And I have a special affinity for interspecies friendships ever since I read The Great Guignol of the Surrealists by Robert Sheckley where the main character was human and his closest friend and colleague was a essentially a big crab, there is something affirming in this very idea.
