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September 1, 2026

Book

Project Hail Mary

The writing style from The Martian definitely carries over into Project Hail Mary, which is a big part of why it worked for me so quickly. It has that same humour, momentum, and ability to make heavy sci-fi ideas feel entertaining rather than dense.

It leans into the end-of-the-world stakes but still manages to stay funny, largely through Ryland Grace as a lead and Rocky as a supporting presence. That dynamic gives the story a lot of charm. It keeps the drama moving without losing the lighter edge that makes the whole thing so readable.

Yes, it's science fiction, but it does a good job of folding science into the story in ways that feel believable and useful rather than performative. It gives the hero credible ways to succeed, which makes the problem solving satisfying to follow.

Command surface