Project Hail MaryProject Hail Mary
What it's about
A man wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of who he is or why he's there, and two dead crewmates beside him. Slowly it comes back: he's Ryland Grace, a middle-school science teacher, and he's light-years from Earth on a last-ditch mission to stop a mysterious organism that is dimming the sun and will soon freeze the planet. With only his wits, his science and, eventually, an ally he never could have imagined, he has to figure out the answer before it's too late.
Why it's worth reading
It's the rare science-fiction novel that's pure joy to read: funny, tense, packed with clever problem-solving, and built on one of the most lovable friendships in recent fiction. You don't need to like science to love it.
You'll love it if you liked
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Cloud Cuckoo Land
The Fifth SeasonGood to know
Go in knowing as little as possible: the less you've read about it, the better the surprises. The science is explained as you go and never gets in the way. The audiobook is famously great.
By the numbers
- Readers97 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller88 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz100 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #1 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #3 of the 481 new books we rank
- #6 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Thought-provoking
More by Andy Weir
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Quick answers
Is Project Hail Mary worth reading?
Yes. It's the rare science-fiction novel that's pure joy to read: funny, tense, packed with clever problem-solving, and built on one of the most lovable friendships in recent fiction. It ranks #6 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 95.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Project Hail Mary about?
A man wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of who he is or why he's there, and two dead crewmates beside him. Slowly it comes back: he's Ryland Grace, a middle-school science teacher, and he's light-years from Earth on a last-ditch mission to stop a mysterious organism that is dimming the sun and will soon freeze the planet. With only his wits, his science and, eventually, an ally he never could have imagined, he has to figure out the answer before it's too late.
How long does it take to read Project Hail Mary?
About 12 hours (476 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Project Hail Mary won?
Goodreads Choice (science fiction) winner (2021).
What should I read after Project Hail Mary?
If you liked it, try Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman, Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr or The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin.