Andy Weir
A former software engineer who turned a self-published blog serial into a global franchise. His books combine real science with humor and heart — two became blockbuster films.
Biography
Andy Weir is living proof that a self-published serial on a personal blog can become a global phenomenon. A software engineer by trade, he spent 15 years writing code at companies like AOL and Blizzard Entertainment before his hobby — writing hard science fiction — changed his life forever.
In 2011, Weir began posting The Martian chapter by chapter on his website, mostly for a small community of science enthusiasts who helped him check the math. The novel about an astronaut stranded on Mars went viral, hit #1 on Amazon's Kindle store, and was picked up by Crown Publishing. Ridley Scott's 2015 film adaptation starring Matt Damon grossed $630 million worldwide and earned seven Academy Award nominations.
His second novel, Artemis (2017), a heist thriller set in humanity's first lunar city, showed Weir could write beyond survival stories. But it was Project Hail Mary (2021) that cemented his legacy. The story of a lone amnesiac astronaut who must save Earth from extinction — and the extraordinary friendship he forms along the way — became a #1 New York Times bestseller, a Hugo Award finalist, and was named one of the best books of the year by Bill Gates, the New York Public Library, and Kirkus Reviews. Film rights sold before the book was even published, and the movie adaptation starring Ryan Gosling, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, hit theaters in 2026.
What makes Weir unique in modern fiction is his commitment to scientific accuracy. Every problem in his books has a solution grounded in real physics, chemistry, and biology. He spends months researching each scenario, consulting with NASA scientists and engineers. Yet his writing never feels like a textbook — it's funny, fast-paced, and deeply human. He writes scientists the way scientists actually think: with curiosity, humor, and stubborn optimism.
Weir lives in California. He has said in interviews that he still can't quite believe his life — that a programmer who wrote stories for fun is now one of the most beloved science fiction authors on Earth.
Best Starting Book
Project Hail Mary
While The Martian made Weir famous, Project Hail Mary is his masterpiece. It has everything: real science, laugh-out-loud humor, genuine suspense, and a friendship so unexpected and so beautiful that readers worldwide say they finished the book in tears. This is the book that proved Weir isn't just a one-hit wonder — he's one of the best storytellers of his generation. Start here, then go back to The Martian.
Reading Order
Project Hail Mary
Weir's best work. A lone astronaut wakes up millions of miles from Earth with no memory and two dead crewmates. What follows is a survival thriller, a scientific puzzle, and the most heartwarming friendship in modern fiction. The Ryan Gosling film adaptation (2026) is excellent, but the book is even better — you solve every mystery alongside the protagonist. #1 NYT bestseller, Hugo finalist, Bill Gates' top pick.
The Martian
The book that started it all. Astronaut Mark Watney is stranded alone on Mars and must survive using nothing but science, duct tape, and his sense of humor. Self-published on a blog in 2011, it became a global bestseller and a $630M Ridley Scott film starring Matt Damon (7 Oscar nominations). The book that proved hard sci-fi can be a page-turner.
Artemis
A heist thriller set in humanity's first city on the Moon. Jazz Bashara is a smuggler who gets tangled in a conspiracy that could destroy the entire lunar colony. Lighter and faster than Weir's other novels, with a charming protagonist and his trademark scientific world-building. A fun palate cleanser between the two masterpieces.
