I'll be the first to admit that I can write stuff that's serious and intense at times. Therefore, on Fridays I'll be featuring something more lighthearted, fun, or creative, so we can all end the week on a high note. Have a great weekend!
I've always been a fan of science-fiction, for as long as I've been able to read. From Jules Verne to Asimov via Barjavel and Heinlein, it's a genre that still makes me dream of the future to this day (yeah, I know...). I had lost touch with the genre after devouring Asimov's Foundation series a few years back until I stumbled on "Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir of "The Martian" fame.
This book is the story of a man who wakes up with amnesia on a spaceship to an unknown destination, and slowly pieces together how and why he got there while making first contact with an equally confused sentient alien at the same time.
It's a riveting 21st-century sci-fi novel, but what makes it so engaging is the characters' development and storylines, set against a background of an apocalyptic disaster for the human race, with a touch of situational humour and a healthy dose of science to round out the novel.
One thing that distinguishes it from older classics and makes it more relatable are the 21-st century cultural references, from smartphones to astrobiology.
If you like good storytelling, sci-fi or not, this is a novel worth reading and I bet that you'll read it cover to cover faster than the near speed of light.