On a birthday call, a friend and I were talking about the extermination of humanity, as one does.  He recommended I read, “Project Hail Mary”. It wound up on my Christmas list, then under my tree.  The book is by Andy Weir who you all know as the author of “The Martian”.  In a break from tradition, I actually read it this year.

“Project Hail Mary” is a difficult book to talk about without disclosing plot points.  I can say it involves an existential threat to life on Earth, and a desperate global effort to find and combat the source.  The story does discuss potential alien biologies, and the author presents scientifically sound options.  It gave me flash backs of “Broca’s Brain” by Carl Sagan in which be speculated on how lifeforms could survive in Jupiters atmosphere.

I might take issue with two aspects of the book.  The idea that governments of the world would come together for a project to save humanity seems increasingly unrealistic.  The Freedom Caucus in the US would demand elimination of income taxes before approving such a plan, then claim there was no money to fund it.  (The author sidesteps how this came about other than stating it was life or death for everyone).

I won’t say whether there is communication with sentient beings, but I will say if there was some, Mr Weir might make establishing effective exchanges a little too easy. Enough said.

I enjoyed reading “Project Hail Mary”.  The story took directions I didn’t expect, and the science was at least plausible.