Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

My rating: 5 (out of 5) stars

What an amazing novel! Hard science, suspense, so many emotions, shocks and surprises, and a most human of tales. Andy Weir does a fantastic job of marrying (astro)physics, gentle humour, and a very real, fallible hero into a story that caught hold of me right from the off and only increased its grip as the tension and emotions racked up.

A man wakes up in what he deduces to be a spaceship. He doesn't know who he is, where he is, or why he's alone in outer space. It's a start that invites the reader to join in discovering the man's present, his past, and maybe the future. Andy Weir's imagination is breath-taking, yet almost everything, I'd guess, has its roots in some science or another.

Yes, the novel is science heavy. Yet, it's mostly presented so that an enquiring reader can either understand the science or at least get the gist. Other times, it's almost just a part of the drama. Something to be experienced at the same time as our hero does.

This is a book that demonstrates a profound belief in humanity, and how the actions of one lone human can change things for the better. In the current climate, that's a message that runs contrary to so much out there. A pleasure to read and re-read.

I read about three-quarters in book format before starting again with the audio. Ray Porter makes the hours fly by, with some help from elsewhere. Being any more specific would give away the plot.