Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir is an eye-catching, emotionally charged science fiction book chock full of friendship, creativity, and, of course, science. Project Hail Mary follows the story of Ryland Grace, an astronaut who has forgotten his memories trapped on a spaceship full of corpses, heading towards an unknown goal. What Andy Weir does marvelously in this novel is maintain intrigue and mystery, slowly unraveling Ryland’s story and darting between the past and present.

However, the true reason this book is so ingenious is the way in which Andy Weir presents the strife, struggle, and eventual friendship that Ryland uncovers on his lonesome journey. A journey, which he soon discovers, is not going to be as lonely as he thought – so long as he can manage to decipher his sudden companion's language, that is.

This book follows Ryland's logic step-by-step, guiding the ordinary reader through a realm of science, astronomy, and xenobiology while moving the story forward. Though not all of the science is 100% accurate, it is founded in reality, and if you squint, it looks plausible enough to be potentially real.

This book tells an emotionally charged, mysterious, and authentic science fiction story, one worthy of a read if you have the time. To all those who wish to travel amongst the stars, this is your book. Good luck, spacefarers.

Review by: Tristan

Tristan is an 11th grader, dungeon master, poet, future engineer, avid reader, and lover of fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi.

—Rachael Zak, Young Adult Librarian, Woodland Hills Branch Library