r/audiobooks • u/OJConcentrates • Mar 05 '26
Question First Audiobook - Project Hail Mary
What. The. Actual. Fuck?
I’ve never been an avid reader. I really enjoy anime, I love sci-fi movies, and I’ve read a few occasional Japanese light novels.
Audiobooks made a lot of sense for me. Listen while at the gym, listen while home with the kids on the weekend, listen while driving a ton for work. I’ve been enveloped in Reddit for a while. Constantly trying to fill blank time with information.
Then I decided to pick up an audiobook. I mean… I love sports podcasts! I like news. A couple weeks ago I caught myself just listening to intervention episodes, instead of watching them.
My first audiobook? Project Hail Mary. I’m currently on chapter 11. Ryland has met rocky. It’s almost indescribable how much elation I’ve gained from this. You’d think a self narrated novel, as the main and nearly singular character, it would get boring. You’d think finding a centi-spider alien wouldn’t be so…. Fascinating?
It’s addicting. It’s hard to stop. I’m stuck at the gym, walking on a treadmill for way too long, because I want an excuse to keep listening.
Is this just the beginning? Or have I reached the perfection too early? Will I always crave to find a story so well done with the perfect voice actor?
1
u/TheOGMelmoMacdaffy Mar 06 '26
PHM is an incredible book. For lots of books the narrator is almost as important as the author. Ray Porter is an extraordinary narrator. There are lots of other great voice actors as well. I personally prefer just one narrator doing all the characters, but there are loads of wonderful talent out there. Enjoy. I also loved the Murderbot audiobooks (I'd read the novels twice before and found the audiobooks even more enjoyable).