I work a desk job, so audiobooks are my go-to. I can listen while I make dinner, go for a walk, or just putter. And when the narrator is amazing, the story can feel just as real as reading it on the page.
That’s why experiencing Project Hail Mary first as an audiobook and then as a newly released film makes for such an interesting comparison. It’s the same story, but it feels very different depending on how you take it in.
Imagine hearing a story about someone who wakes up alone on a spaceship, with no memory of who they are or why they’re there, and you’re figuring it out right alongside them. That’s the story’s opening. Narrated by Ray Porter, the audiobook (about 16 hours) feels like it’s unfolding beside you, putting you right there with the first-person narrator.
Like The Martian, Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary (published in 2021) blends science and problem-solving with humour and heart. I’ve even heard it described as a kind of “buddy comedy,” which sounds odd, but surprisingly, fits.
The film adaptation, starring Ryan Gosling, takes a different approach. A two-hour, 26-minute film can’t stay inside a character’s head the same way, so it simplifies the science to keep things moving. You trade some of the detailed problem-solving for pacing.
I’ll admit, I worried the film might “Disney-fy” a certain character (my word), turning them into a cute, family-friendly sidekick, but it doesn’t, thankfully.
The film stands on its own. I watched it with my husband, who knew nothing about the story, and he really enjoyed it—something not every book-to-film adaptation can do.
That said, if you liked the deeper science and the process of figuring things out in The Martian, you’ll probably get more out of the audiobook or the book. The film gives you the story, but the audiobook lets you live inside it.
One last note: the film is very accessible and family-friendly. The book and audiobook could be too, but younger people might find the science a bit dense or repetitive at times.
For me, this is an easy story recommendation. However you choose to experience it, Project Hail Mary is a story worth your time.
Are you an author in Cornwall or SD&G &A with a new or recent book? Reach out to Nicole Winters at: [email protected] for a chance to be featured in an upcoming author’s spotlight.
Nicole Winters is a writer, editor, and lover of stories. She has spent decades shaping everything from novels to film scripts and refining training materials and digital learning content. She is the author of two traditionally published young adult novels, including TT Full Throttle, named one of the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Books for Kids & Teens, and the bestselling teen romance The Jock and the Fat Chick. She is always on the lookout for a great story to recommend and is currently working on her third novel.
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