Project Hail Mary
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Book Type: Paperback
Weir goes back to the well of man-in-space for this new novel, throwing problem after problem at his protagonist â this time an unlikely astronaut (just how unlikely doesn't completely unspool until well after the halfway point) who is the sole survivor of a desperate mission to literally save the Earth.
There's a lot of juggling going on in the structure here, as Weir has to transmit a believable but understandable threat and then come up with a technological response that can be comprehended by the non-techie and accepted as within the realm of possibility for those who are more at home in the science behind the action. On top of that, he has to figure out how to maintain a story flow that doesn't become overwhelmingly claustrophobic with just a single character to carry the action. That's where flashbacks come in, as his engaging, somewhat ingenuous, narrator reveals to the reader (and to himself, as his damaged memory begins to heal itself) how he came to be in his currently precarious position.
There's another ace up Weir's sleeve; however there's no way to discuss it without opening up a large can of spoiler. Suffice to say that this, much like âThe Martian', becomes an engaging exercise in âhow will this new challenge be met with the resources at hand?â
The action drags a little toward the end, and skirts dangerously close to âThe Perils of Paulineâ territory, as each time problems are met and conquered, another half dozen pop up to keep the stew boiling.
Ultimately, the story is a testament to what it means to break through barriers, to refuse to admit defeat, and to just how much one man is willing to surrender for a life not his own.
There's a lot of juggling going on in the structure here, as Weir has to transmit a believable but understandable threat and then come up with a technological response that can be comprehended by the non-techie and accepted as within the realm of possibility for those who are more at home in the science behind the action. On top of that, he has to figure out how to maintain a story flow that doesn't become overwhelmingly claustrophobic with just a single character to carry the action. That's where flashbacks come in, as his engaging, somewhat ingenuous, narrator reveals to the reader (and to himself, as his damaged memory begins to heal itself) how he came to be in his currently precarious position.
There's another ace up Weir's sleeve; however there's no way to discuss it without opening up a large can of spoiler. Suffice to say that this, much like âThe Martian', becomes an engaging exercise in âhow will this new challenge be met with the resources at hand?â
The action drags a little toward the end, and skirts dangerously close to âThe Perils of Paulineâ territory, as each time problems are met and conquered, another half dozen pop up to keep the stew boiling.
Ultimately, the story is a testament to what it means to break through barriers, to refuse to admit defeat, and to just how much one man is willing to surrender for a life not his own.
