Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir is a tour-de-force piece of writing ... in my humble opinion! The book opens with Ryland Grace walking up and not really knowing where he is. He assesses his surroundings and soon comes to the realisation that he is in a space craft, travelling through a galaxy he doesn't recognise and that his fellow crew mates are both dead. He knows he has been asleep a long time, the kind of induced deep sleep that can play havoc with your memory. But as he comes to terms with what supplies he has, how to work the equipment, etc, pieces of his former life start to emerge ... and it is exceedingly worrying. It turns out that he has gone from being a science teacher to being sent on mission to save Earth from an extra terrestrial threat. His personal journey, both before and, now, during the mission is funny, intense and scary in equal measures. And when he discovers that he is not actually alone after all, it sets up an amazing first contact story into the bargain! Full of action, heart, and lots of zingers, this is such a thrilling read where the device of his fuzzy memory enables us, the reader, to discover things at the same time as the main character - both the good, the bad and indeed, the ugly at times. Packed with science too, but explained in such an accessible way, it's a book for anyone - space nerd, thrill seeker or fans of unexpected friendships. Although set in space, it's a very human story too. Can you tell I enjoyed it? I read the audio edition, narrated by Ray Porter, which was fabulous, particularly the communication between Ryland and his unusual ally. Highly, HIGHLY recommended.
My STAR rating: FIVE.
Length: 496 prints pages.
Price I paid: £2.98.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.
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