Project Hail Mary writer Andy Weir on social commentary in books:
"I dislike social commentary. Like… I really hate it. When I’m reading a book, I just want to be entertained, not preached at by the author. Plus, it ruins the wonder of the story if I know the author has a political or social axe to grind. I no longer speculate about all possible outcomes of the story because I know for a fact that the universe of that book will conspire to ensure that the author’s political agenda is validated. I hate that."
"I put no politics or social commentary into my stories at all. Anyone who thinks they see something like that is reading it in on their own. I have no point to make, and I’m not trying to affect the reader’s opinion on anything. My sole job is to entertain, and I stick to that."
"To that end, I also don’t talk about my personal political opinions publicly. I don’t want readers to even know, honestly. I don’t want that in the back of their minds as they read my stuff."
Is this why he has the #1 sci-fi movie in decades?
After the movie, one question keeps coming up: what exactly happened to the other two Hail Mary crewmates? The film doesn’t explain it, and the book doesn’t either. But in an interview, Andy Weir confirmed he knows the answer and is keeping it secret, possibly for a sequel.