ariii reviewed Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
A fun read with mediocre social science
4 stars
Project Hail Mary was a really fun read. This book is a lot more ambitious than The Martian, but mostly well executed and I didn't trip over any questionable science. I didn't like how the main character ended up on the mission, but that can be forgiven. I'm a little disappointed in the politics. The world is ending, Grace is imagining people he loves dying, and we don't get their perspective at all. I get that that's completely beside the main story line but it feels like the story takes place in an uncomfortable social vacuum. And yeah, I have to mention Rocky's gender. Of course the scientist is excited about communicating about atoms and number systems more than social science. But defaulting to he/him for the little creature and never circling back is wrong. It would work as commentary about cishet guy scientists, but instead it only tells us …
Project Hail Mary was a really fun read. This book is a lot more ambitious than The Martian, but mostly well executed and I didn't trip over any questionable science. I didn't like how the main character ended up on the mission, but that can be forgiven. I'm a little disappointed in the politics. The world is ending, Grace is imagining people he loves dying, and we don't get their perspective at all. I get that that's completely beside the main story line but it feels like the story takes place in an uncomfortable social vacuum. And yeah, I have to mention Rocky's gender. Of course the scientist is excited about communicating about atoms and number systems more than social science. But defaulting to he/him for the little creature and never circling back is wrong. It would work as commentary about cishet guy scientists, but instead it only tells us something about the writer.
