Science Fiction Books To Read if You Love Project Hail Mary

For readers who want all of the perks of a space opera adventure but may not have the time to devote to epic storytelling, this will be a real treat for you. This anthology contains several short stories by renowned science fiction and speculative fiction writer Ted Chiang. Take a trip to orbit with these stories that combine hard sci-fi and futuristic speculative elements. Don’t be afraid to break out your tinfoil hat because this book has everything science fiction fans and nerds will enjoy. Read about how mankind can create a tower to travel to the heavens, as well as aliens introducing languages that are new and complex for humans to understand.

If you want to start from the beginning of Weir’s works, this is your chance to dive into his debut book, The Martian. This adventurous space opera follows Mark Watney, who becomes the first man to land on planet Mars. As Mark tries to acclimate himself to the environment on the red planet, he is met with brutal dust storms. Now that Mark has survived the storm, he discovers that his communication to Earth is damaged. But Mark refuses to go down without a fight despite his food ration and supplies being limited. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

Dive into the Cygnus Beta series as Earth prepares for first contact with aliens. Planet Earth continues to be reshaped by climate change. From unbearable high temperatures to excessive flooding, humans are aware that Earth might not be a safe place for them to live for long. Humans are equally aware that they are being watched by unknown alien civilizations in the universe. To help transition human expectations and chances of survival, a collective of dreamers band together to present the best of humanity to aliens, if and when they choose to contact humans. This group includes humanitarians and celebrities including Owen, a charismatic pop star. His hidden talent could be the key to uniting Earth as it looks toward the stars.

For readers who want similar titles to Weir’s books but also want to indulge in classic sci-fi novels, this is a must-have on your TBR. Asimov launched his Galactic Empire series almost 20 years before Star Wars. Biron was a typical, everyday university student when someone or something planted a radiation bomb in his dorm room. Since then, Biron has transformed into an assassin. Biron, whose family descends from the Nebular Kingdoms, is in ruins because they are currently living under the occupation of the Tyrann Empire. Earth was supposed to be safe for Biron, but now he has to find allies in a world where everyone is eager to backstab him.

You know how the saying goes. In a galaxy far, far away, there is a soldier named Hunter who is running from the Empire. Hunter is doing everything possible to adapt to his new life and surroundings, including taking the chance to find the planet Puba. This planet is known to be one of the few places that serve as a haven for the refugees from the Clone Wars. However, Puba and its surrounding small islands have few resources left after a deadly storm leaves the location in dire need of rebuilding. Now, Hunter has to ensure he stays off the radar of the Empire as he helps an expecting couple get to safety.

If you enjoy themes of hope and found family in science fiction, pick up this book by Simon Jimenez. Nia is the captain of a ship, and her crew members remain in awe of her ability to travel between their world and countless others, sans aging. When she returns from one of her many journeys, she’s barely aged, while her colleagues have aged significantly. Before she leaves again, they urge Nia to take care of a child who can only communicate through a musical instrument. This thought-provoking saga is filled with wonder and longing.

Some may think that living on other planets is far removed from reality. But what if mankind transformed the moon into a gentrified destination playground for the wealthy? Jasmine “Jazz” Bashara works in the city of Artemis, the only city on the moon, but she is also underpaid and overworked. When the opportunity presents itself, Jazz has the option to pull off a heist that targets the snobbish and rich patrons who keep her city lively. Jazz resents them because she’s in a lot of debt and is in desperate need of food and quality housing, making her the ideal anti-hero in this space heist.

Here’s a standalone sci-fi read for readers who enjoy characters battling internal conflicts due to their circumstances. In this alternate Earth, anyone can travel through multiuniverses with one stipulation. No one can travel to a universe where their doppelganger exists. For Cara, that isn’t a big obstacle because she’s died in hundreds of worlds already. However, there is an alternate Earth where Cara’s parallel lives make her the perfect candidate because she is deemed expendable. As she accepts her new life, she is removed from her community that is filled with poverty and despair and moves to Wiley City, an upscale area that operates as a gated community.

Here’s a multi-book series for readers who enjoy an ongoing sci-fi fantasy saga. This is the sixth installment of the Icarus Saga series, concluding the epic journey of former Icarus group operatives, Gregory and Selene. Up until now, the pair worked for the secretive group searching for the Icari teleportation portals. Now, they find themselves living as fugitives from their former employers. To make matters worse, all of the enemies they’ve made while working for the Icarus Group are also hunting them. Selene, who is of Kadolian heritage, has the ability to control and understand Icarian tech, making her a pivotal key for their enemies.

For readers who want to embrace the darker side of the universe, this title will give you all the action and adventure you need in a sci-fi thriller. Rosalyn Devar finds herself running from her powerful family, her career as a bioengineer, and just life in general. She finds a way to leave Earth and accepts a job as a space janitor. Her job duties include cleaning and clearing the aftermath of space expeditions that turned deadly. However, Rosalyn proves to be a better bioengineer than a janitor. She’s given one more chance to prove she’s fit for the job and is assigned to salvage and clean the Brigantine. Rosalyn enters the vessel expecting dead bodies; instead, she is met with something not entirely human.

If you love the survival themes in Project Hail Mary, you will enjoy this speculative dystopian novel. Sweetmint was born invisible, like many others in the Northern Hemisphere in the future. Sweetmint and those like her are considered second-class citizens. Despite all the odds against her, Sweetmint has graduated and does everything by the book. However, her life is turned upside down when she suspects her brother is not dead, but alive – and in trouble. Her brother is being accused of a politically driven murder, and Sweetmint only has her wit and loyalty to guide her to save him. This futuristic tale combines sci-fi, mystery, and fantasy in an unforgettable prose that readers will love.

This explosive debut follows Ocean, Teo, and Haven as they navigate a futuristic Korea that is the greatest nation on planet Earth. In this world, Korea wields its power to control and dominate space travel. While occupying space, Ocean finds herself on what seems like a never-ending probationary period with the Alliance due to her previous adventures that led her to draw her gun too quickly. Ocean tries to prove she’s worthy of a bigger ship and struggles with her Korean heritage. But when her best friend Teo is accused of murdering his high-society family, Ocean, Haven, and her crew come together to risk everything for him.

Similar to Project Hail Mary, this book explores how life can change unexpectedly at any given time. Jason Dessen considers himself an average man residing in Chicago. He loves his wife and looks forward to spending quiet evenings with her. That is, until he is kidnapped and finds himself pinned to a table with people surrounding him. Even though these people refer to him as “friend,” he finally realizes that wherever he is now is not his real home. In this reality, Jason is not married and isn’t a father. This mind-bending thriller is about choices, paths not taken, and how far we’ll go to claim the lives we dream of.

Out of all the books on this list, this novel is probably the most light-hearted. Dorothy “Dory” Valentine is thrilled that she is close to finally finishing her wildlife biology doctorate program. One day, she finds herself being attacked by a lion! Luckily for her, she is saved, but only because she’s been abducted by aliens from an unknown planet. Now, Dory and her now-feline jungle pal, Toto, are on a strange planet with dinosaurs. When the dinosaurs spot them and attack, Dory is saved again by an alien named Sol. Dory is immediately attracted to Sol, and when they run into another sexy alien named Lok, Dory finds herself part of an intergalactic and hilarious throuple.