Andy Weir’s “PROJECT HAIL MARY”
Book review by Dennis D. McDonald
Here are my two beefs with this book:
I doubt we could develop, using current technology, a sustainable interstellar craft capable of keeping a crew alive for a multi-year journey at near lightspeed even with the posited energy source.
The coincidences that power this story are impossible to ignore yet they are important to the story.
Still, this book is one hell of a ripping good yarn that kept me fascinated and amused from start to finish. Weir interweaves physics, astronomy, biochemistry, and celestial mechanics in a convincing way. He does this while sustaining an entertaining and down to earth tone that belies the overall theme of impending planetary destruction that permeates the story.
In addition to Weir's efforts to make the scientific aspects of the book as realistic and believable as possible, he uses a tired old plot element — selective amnesia —in a clever and original way to reveal important plot points and character details.
This is a very impressive work. Do not let its light and friendly tone fool you. There are underlying messages here of cooperation, rationality, and self-sacrifice that we would all benefit from emulating.
Review copyright © 2021 by Dennis D McDonald