I finally watched Project Hail Mary last night.
My plan was to watch it on the big screen, but then— Well, I hardly need to explain the concept of time.
It was good, the movie, but the book was better. It almost always is. Especially if you read the book first.
And some books, when read after watching the movie adaptation, is a whole new story. Like “The Lost World” by Michael Crichton. Since the screenplay of “Jurassic Park” diverged so much from the book, there was no way to unify the sequel book and film.
You can read the book and watch the movie, or vice versa, and be left with two completely different stories. Both good, just different. I can strongly recommend it. Start with Jurassic Park, that way you will learn something new about the man who spared no expense.1
I read Project Hail Mary back in 2022. Borrowed from my sister. I liked it so much I bought a copy for myself. If there is one thing I like better than owning a good book, it is owning a great book.
And since I bought the book before the movie adaptation, I have the original cover, not one boosting “Now a major motion picture” on the front or a picture of Ryan Goslings face.
Not that there is anything wrong with Ryan, but I do not really care for the tactic of changing book covers once a book has been turned into a movie. I understand it, but I am not sure if it sells more books.
If anything it might remind people to stream the movie when they get home. Or forget it once they turn around like a normal person.
In summary: Read the book, watch the movie. They are both good, but one is better than the other.
- Regarding nummer 4 in the YouTube video. They really missed an opportunity by not using “the voice of” David Attenborough, the brother of the actor who played John Hammond, Richard Attenborough. ↩︎