Project Hail Mary — Andy Weir

Summary

• Narrative structure includes two chronologically told storylines: one on the spacecraft Hail Mary with Ryland Grace regaining memory, intercut with flashbacks leading up to the launch.
• Before launch: A global dimming event is observed, threatening an ice age due to alien microbes called Astrophage consuming solar energy.
• Eva Stratt, former ESA administrator, is given authority to solve this crisis. Ryland Grace, a teacher and former molecular biologist, is chosen to study Astrophage.
• Astrophage is found to reproduce using the Sun's heat and carbon dioxide from Venus. It's discovered to use mass-energy conversion and can be used as rocket fuel.
• The Hail Mary starship is developed to travel to Tau Ceti, a star resistant to Astrophage, on a one-way mission to find a solution.
• Stratt releases methane to reduce global cooling. The mission is expected to take 26 years.
• Grace is coerced into joining the mission after the original crew is killed, and he is sedated before launch.
• Aboard the Hail Mary: Grace awakens with amnesia, realizes his situation, and discovers his crew is dead.
• The Hail Mary encounters an alien ship from 40 Eridani, also affected by Astrophage. First contact is established with the alien, named Rocky.
• Grace and Rocky collaborate, discovering Astrophage's natural predator, Taumoeba, and use it to solve the Astrophage crisis.
• Rocky and Grace part ways, but Grace realizes Rocky might be stranded due to Taumoeba escaping its container.
• Grace chooses to save Rocky and the Eridians by staying on Erid, teaching Eridian young, and becomes a part of their community.
• Years later, Grace learns that Earth has survived and considers returning but decides to stay on Erid.