Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir | Audiobook Review

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Narrated by Ray Porter

Standalone Science Fiction

This review may contain slight character spoilers, but I won’t spoil the climax or ending. This post contains Amazon Affiliate links.

I’m a romance girlie, but I’m into space. I love Star Trek, I have a telescope, and I get notifications for every Florida rocket launch so I can try to spot them. Still, science fiction books aren’t usually my thing (unless the aliens are blue-IYKYK). But Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir showed up on so many “best of” audiobook lists that I finally gave it a try. I’m so glad I did, because I absolutely loved it.

Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a ship with no memories. His two crewmates have been dead for a long time, and the onboard computer has kept him alive through an induced coma during interstellar travel. As his memory returns in pieces, we learn that a microbe called astrophage is draining energy from the sun and pushing Earth toward an inevitable ice age within decades.

Ryland was a high school science teacher whose graduate research intersected with astrophage, which put him in a position to help the global effort to save Earth. But he wasn’t an astronaut, so why is he the one on this mission? And how is he supposed to complete a task meant for a three-person crew when he can’t even remember agreeing to it?

“The whole world put you in charge of solving this problem, and you came directly to a junior high school science teacher?”
“Yes.”

The mission is a one-way trip. If Ryland finds a solution, he can send it back to Earth, but he’ll never return. He’s headed to a star system that’s also infected with astrophage but has somehow stayed stable. While investigating, he encounters another ship, and it’s not from Earth. From there the book becomes a blend of science, survival, first contact, and one of the most heartfelt friendships I’ve ever read.

“Oh thank God. I can’t imagine explaining ‘sleep’ to someone who had never heard of it. Hey, I’m going to fall unconscious and hallucinate for a while. By the way, I spend a third of my time doing this. And if I can’t do it for a while, I go insane and eventually die. No need for concern.”

There is a lot of science in this book, but I never felt bored or lost. Everything felt plausible enough for me, even with my advertising-major level of scientific expertise. Ryland’s voice carries the story. He’s self-deprecating, sarcastic, curious, and incredibly smart. And Rocky. I fell in love with Rocky. Their teamwork and the way they problem-solve together made the whole story unforgettable.

There are no big space battles or sci-fi shootouts. At its heart, Project Hail Mary is a story about friendship, sacrifice, and resilience. It was so well-told that even someone who isn’t usually into hard science fiction can enjoy every minute. I loved watching Ryland and Rocky work together and find creative solutions in impossible circumstances.

I loved everything about this book, so I’m skipping the likes and dislikes to avoid spoiling anything.

The Narration:

LISTEN to this book. Ray Porter’s performance is one of the best I’ve heard. His delivery has so much expression and depth, and the way he voices Rocky adds an emotional layer you won’t get on the page, and sound effects were included. I’m so glad I listened instead of read. I don’t think the experience could possibly compare.

The Down & Dirty

Project Hail Mary was hands-down one of my favorite books of the year, maybe even the decade. I laughed, I learned, I cried, and I already want to listen to it again. I can’t wait to see the movie with Ryan Gosling, but I know nothing will beat the audiobook. I may be a romance reviewer, but the bromance here is as satisfying as any love story I’ve read. This is absolutely worth picking up in audio.

Rating: 5+ Stars, 5+ Narration

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