5 Sci-fi Books You Have To Read If You Loved Project Hail Mary

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Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's box office blockbuster "Project Hail Mary" is, without question, one of the very best movies of 2026 so far. Have you read its source material, though?

Released in 2021, Andy Weir's best-selling science fiction book "Project Hail Mary" earned a nomination for a Hugo Award at the 2022 ceremony and made it quite clear that Weir's breakout novel, 2011's "The Martian," was no fluke. ("The Martian" similarly got a big-budget film adaptation in 2015, with Ridley Scott calling the shots.) Weir's story centers around Dr. Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher who also happens to have a PhD in molecular biology and is tapped to take part in a project that could save not just Earth but the universe itself. As scientists from around the world tell Ryland, a substance called astrophage appears to be dimming the sun, and after a catastrophe strikes the project, Ryland is one of the only people who can go on this journey through space to try and stop the spread of astrophage. During said journey, he then meets Rocky, a rock-like (natch) space alien who becomes his only friend in the wilderness of the universe.

With Ryan Gosling and Sandra Hüller leading the movie adaptation (not to mention puppeteer and voice actor James Ortiz, who shines as Rocky), "Project Hail Mary" is more popular than ever. So, if you loved this film and its source material, what should you read next? We've got some picks.

Ballantine Books

"Atmosphere" by Taylor Jenkins Reid isn't exactly hard science fiction (in fact, it's not science fiction at all), but it comes recommended by Andy Weir himself. On the book's Amazon page, there's a pull quote included from Weir that declares, "NASA? Space missions? The '80s? This is a collection of all the things I love." Add in the fact that "Atmosphere" is a deeply emotional and touching love story set against the backdrop of space exploration, and you can see why Weir recommends it so highly.

This 2025 release from the author of "Daisy Jones & The Six" and "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" centers around Joan Goodwin, an ambitious and brilliant woman who's happy working as a physics and astronomy professor when she sees an advertisement noting that NASA is seeking female astronauts. After Joan is accepted, she meets her cohorts ... including Vanessa Ford, an aeronautical engineer. As Joan and Vanessa embark on an illicit romance (the book is, as Weir pointed out, set in the 1980s, i.e. a time when queer romances were still taboo), they fall even deeper in love, even as they prepare for a daring mission into the cosmos.

As of this writing, there is a planned film adaptation of "Atmosphere" in the works, so we'll hopefully get to see Joan and Vanessa's stunning and beautiful love story play out on the big screen — just like we saw Ryland's story in "Project Hail Mary." At the end of the day, "Project Hail Mary" is a tale about love and connection, and so is "Atmosphere." (Nina Starner)

Crown Publishing Group

Andy Weir has gone to the mat for "Recursion" by science fiction author Blake Crouch in the past, but with the utmost due respect to Weir, I think "Dark Matter" is a better starting point for Crouch's body of work. First published in 2016, "Dark Matter" introduces readers to Jason Dessen, a man minding his own damn business when he's suddenly kidnapped and drugged, torn away from his wife Daniela and their young son Charlie in the process. As it turns out, Jason is traveling to an alternate universe — a timeline that could have come to pass had he made different choices years prior — and as he tries to get back to his original reality, he's questioned by scientists over how he made it out of the dimension-crossing "cube" that he emerged from while moving into this other universe.

"Dark Matter" got a small screen Apple TV show adaptation that debuted in 2024, with Joel Edgerton playing Jason, Jennifer Connolly playing Daniela, and Alice Braga and Jimmi Simpson co-starring in supporting roles. (In fact, the second season is set to arrive in August 2026, in case you're already a fan.) Again, "Recursion" is really good and comes recommended by Weir, but if you're new to Crouch's work, I definitely think "Dark Matter" is a great entry point into his oeuvre. (Nina Starner)

HMH

There are books people are often assigned to read in school, and they can be a bit of a chore. Others, however, can help people foster a lifelong love of fiction. "The Giver" is an example of the latter, and a damn fine one at that. Written by Lois Lowry and released in 1993, this young adult masterwork won the Newbery Medal and is regarded as one of the best dystopian novels of all time. For those who never read it in school or otherwise, it's one of those books that has more than earned its impressive reputation.

"The Giver" takes place in a seemingly idyllic world (on the surface, anyway) where pain and conflict have been wiped out via the embracing of "Sameness," a policy that suppresses emotional depth and individuality. The story centers on Jonas, a 12-year-old boy who is appointed to become the Receiver of Memory, a person tasked with holding all the memories of the world prior to the implementation of Sameness. Naturally, he encounters things that challenge his understanding of the world he thought he knew.

While it's certainly not hard sci-fi in the way that "Project Hail Mary" is, "The Giver" falls into the camp of writing so damn good it deserves one's attention. Much in the way that Andy Weir has earned a reputation of delivering the goods, Lois Lowry crafted an all-timer with this one, and it's a great option for anyone looking to scratch a sci-fi itch, albeit cut from a different corner of the genre's vast cloth.

Some stories run the risk of being destined to disappoint based on their reputation alone. "The Giver" is a rare story that rises to the level of expectation, despite its grand reputation. It's the real deal. (Ryan Scott)

Ballantine Books

"Jurassic Park" is a multi-generational touchstone and my personal favorite movie of all time. I also get that a lot of people reading this list are probably looking for hidden gems. So, to the "Project Hail Mary" fans out there who've yet to read Michael Crichton's original 1990 novel that started it all, I'll say this: Those who think they already know the story of John Hammond's dinosaur theme park gone wrong are in for a surprise.

Much like Steven Spielberg's 1993 movie adaptation, Crichton's book focuses on the emergence of a groundbreaking technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA. Creatures that were once extinct now roam Jurassic Park, which is gearing up to open its doors to the world. That is, until something goes wrong.

The difference? Crichton's novel is radically different from the movie that it inspired in surprising, thrilling, and at times bleak ways. There's a reason why the book version of "Jurassic Park" sparked a major Hollywood bidding war. But it's also a novel that feels wholly rewarding even for those (if not especially for those) who hold Spielberg's film version near and dear. It's very much its own thing and is rooted in science-backed, Earth-bound sci-fi, as opposed to more fantastical sci-fi.

Its also has something in common with "Project Hail Mary," in that the book went on to inspire a blockbuster movie that, in many ways, will probably have a larger hand in shaping the public perception of that property for decades to come. Still, there's something to be said for going back to the source material and discovering a literary treasure that stands firmly on its own two feet. It's one of the best-case scenarios ever in the realm of "the same but different" book/movie combos. (Ryan Scott)

Disney Lucasfilm Press

Believe me, I get it. Anyone reading this looking for a sci-fi novel probably just rolled their eyes at the notion of having a "Star Wars" book recommended to them. That said, it's with great confidence that I endorse author Claudia Gray's "Star Wars: Lost Stars." It's not only an optimistic, heartbreaking, exhilarating, beautiful sci-fi tale set in a galaxy far, far away, it's one of the single best "Star Wars" books ever written. It also requires zero homework. Even someone who isn't a "Star Wars" fan at all could pick it up and dive right in.

The book takes place a little more than a decade before the events of "A New Hope" and then moves into the original trilogy's timeline. It offers a unique view of some of the most important events in the "Star Wars" universe, from the rise of the Rebellion to the fall of the Empire, through the eyes of two childhood friends, Ciena Ree and Thane Kyrell. The pair eventually grow up to become an Imperial officer and a Rebel pilot, respectively, and their journey evolves as we watch these two star-crossed lovers find themselves on opposite sides of the war.

From the most casual "Star Wars" fans to the most hardcore, "Lost Stars" is the only piece of media in the franchise I've never had one bit of negative feedback about. It's epic yet wildly different from most any other "Star Wars" story before and makes for a grand, romantic, magnificent human tale. In that way, it's a surprisingly good companion to "Project Hail Mary," even if it might not seem like it at first glance. It's simply a great novel that just happens to be set in the "Star Wars" universe. (Ryan Scott)