Project Hail Mary is an upcoming film adaptation of the best-selling novel by Andy Weir. The premise is compelling: Astrophage, a microscopic organism from another star system, is draining the Sun’s energy—threatening a new ice age on Earth. A desperate, one-way mission is launched to investigate why another star, also infected, has survived.
I’m just finishing the book, and it’s prompted some honest reflection.
Weir’s writing feels like Isaac Asimov gone wild—think Carl Sagan meets MacGyver. The protagonist tackles problem after problem with relentless ingenuity. It’s clear Weir did extraordinary research. The science is layered, methodical, and impressively grounded.
For me, though, the pacing drags at times. The plot is there—but I find myself navigating dense science to reach it. Readers who love hard science fiction will likely revel in the technical challenges. I’m discovering that I’m wired a little differently.
Science vs. Story: A Personal Contrast
Reading Weir has forced me to contrast his approach with my own writing.
Weir has cited influences like Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov—icons of mid-twentieth-century science fiction. My preference from that era leans more toward Robert A. Heinlein.
All three shaped the genre, but they emphasized different strengths.
Weir focuses intensely on the science. I focus on the characters.
I research thoroughly and aim for plausibility, but I won’t let technical explanation overshadow emotional momentum. If I must bend a scientific theory slightly for the sake of story, I will. For me, science fiction is ultimately about people—how they respond under pressure, how they grow, how they sacrifice.
The closest I come to Weir’s technical depth is in my Salt of the Earth series. Even there, though, the engine driving the story is character and adventure.
Which Approach Is Better?
Objectively speaking, Weir is the best-selling author. His novels have major studio adaptations and the backing of powerhouse publishing teams. I’m an independent voice in the writing community.
But “better” depends on what you want as a reader.
Would you rather read Charles Darwin and Friedrich Nietzsche, or Mark Twain and Jules Verne?
For me, it’s Twain and Verne. Story. Adventure. Humanity.
Reflecting on Project Hail Mary has been valuable. It reminded me why I write the way I do. I may never top bestseller lists—but I write the stories I would want to read. And for me, that’s reason enough.