Book review by Jared Harding Wilson
🛑 🛑 STOP! MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD! 🛑 🛑
Seriously, if you haven’t finished the book, bookmark this page and run away! But if you love spoilers, or you’ve already finished the journey—let’s dive in.
I just turned the last page of Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, and my brain is still buzzing! If you loved the “science-your-way-out-of-it” energy of The Martian, you are going to devour this. While The Martian remains my personal gold standard, this book is an absolute powerhouse that hits you right in the feelings.
One of the coolest things? Just like Weir’s previous work, there is zero forced romance. No love interest, no distractions—just a high-stakes mission to save two civilizations and the most incredible “buddy-cop” duo in the history of science fiction.
The Genius of the Amnesia Trap
The way this story is structured is pure brilliance. Starting the main character, Ryland Grace, with total amnesia forces you to live the mystery with him. You aren’t just reading a story; you’re solving a puzzle in real-time.
The intensity builds perfectly as the flashbacks slowly drip-feed the truth. At first, you see Grace as a dedicated middle-school teacher trying to save the world—hero work. But the gut-punch comes when he remembers he didn’t volunteer to be a hero—he chose cowardice. He fought to stay on Earth, terrified of dying, and had to be drugged and forced onto the ship. It makes his eventual transformation so much more powerful.
The Weight of Judgment and the Gift of Grace
This book really made me stop and think about how we treat one another. In so many movies and books, the alien is the “other”—something to be judged immediately, feared, or killed. We see that same reflex in our world today. Whether it’s wars, deportations, or “cancel culture,” we are so quick to label someone based on a single choice or a mistake made years ago.
Often, we stop seeing the person entirely. We only see the mistake. We trap people in their past and refuse to give them the grace to change, to grow, or to make a better choice today. Someone believed in him enough to do all she could to get him on the ship. Takeaway: let’s believe and have grace and hope in others instead of hatred, judgment and rejection.
Ryland Grace starts the mission as a man who chose his own life over the world’s. But by the end, he is a hero who sacrifices his return to Earth for a friend. His redemption story is epic! It’s a beautiful reminder that we aren’t defined by who we were—or even the fears we had yesterday. If a terrified teacher and a 40-year-lonely alien can bridge that gap, maybe we can too.
Rocky: The Heart of the Mission
I absolutely loved Rocky! Imagine a 5-legged alien made of stone who speaks in musical chords. My heart broke for him when we learned his backstory—his entire crew died from radiation poisoning because they didn’t understand the science of it yet.
Rocky was alone for 40 years. Think about that. As someone who has felt the deep pain of loneliness, seeing these two different species find a connection in the middle of a literal void was so moving. They didn’t care about their differences; they cared about saving each other.
Fun Trivia & Tidbits
• Andy Weir’s Coding: Andy Weir originally published The Martian for free on his blog. He’s a former computer programmer, which is why the “hard science” in his books feels so authentic—he actually does the math!
• A “Hail Mary” Indeed: A “Hail Mary” is a term (popularized in American football) for a very long forward pass made in desperation. This perfectly describes the ship, which is essentially a long tube designed to pass humanity’s hope across the stars.
• The Rocky Language: To get the chords of Rocky’s language correct, Weir actually researched music theory to ensure the language had its own internal logic.
The Big Screen: Ryan Gosling is Ryland Grace
I am beyond hyped for the movie adaptation hitting theaters March 20, 2026! Ryan Gosling is the perfect choice for Grace. He has that incredible range—we saw his comedic timing in Barbie and his action chops in The Fall Guy.
Fun Fact: Ryan Gosling was actually raised LDS! Whether or not he still practices, he’s a phenomenal talent who can definitely pull off the snarky-yet-sincere vibe of an Andy Weir protagonist.
My wife, one of our best friends, and I are already planning our trip to the theater the week after it comes out. I’ll keep you all posted!
Check out the trailer here: Project Hail Mary – Official Movie Trailer (2026)
Has anyone else read the book yet? If so, what did you think? Did you love Rocky as much as I did, or did the amnesia mechanic drive you crazy? Let me know in the comments below!
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