Sci-fi isn't normally my genre. I'll take swords, kings, and magic any day over spaceships and physics. Every once in a while, though, I pick up a sci-fi book, and almost every time I find myself really enjoying it. Project Hail Mary is no exception. I loved this book. 

Dr. Ryland Grace finds himself freshly woken from a 4-year coma with his crewmates dead and a bad case of amnesia. Piece by piece, through a series of experiments and flashbacks cleverly threaded throughout the novel, we learn Grace is on a mission to save Earth from bacteria eating the sun. Much like Andy Weir's first effort, The Martian, Project Hail Mary is a lonely novel at the start. We get deep in Grace's head; a deep, complicated man, good-natured at heart but ultimately flawed like the rest of us.

Enter Rocky, the character that sets Hail Mary apart from and above The Martian. Rocky is an alien from a nearby star system whos planet faces the same fate as Earth. The development of Grace and Rocky's friendship throughout the final two-thirds of the novel is complex, realistic, and most of all deeply human. Two people, alien to one another, each the only hope for their entire species. 

There is no violence in this novel. No big bad, no galactic invasions. Just a problem to solve, and interesting characters that have just enough skill to solve it. These elements are where Weir's skill as a writer shines through brightest - a funny, relatable, and skilled main character. Plenty of science but it's never overbearing - anyone with a high school education should be able to follow along. Weir does an excellent job of showcasing the inherent goodness and resilience of humanity, our ability to cooperate and coordinate on a massive scale. 

Just an excellent, excellent story. The larger plot, honestly, takes a backseat here. The real star of the show is Dr. Grace's relationship with Rocky, finding connections and hope where by all rights there should be none, overcoming adversity, and finding that solid unbeatable core in yourself that makes the most insurmountable challenges possible. Like all the best sci-fi novels, Project Hail Mary tells an interesting story on the surface and unveils a deep, considerate reflection on the human condition and the nature of selfishness and sacrifice for the greater good as you get further into the novel.