Honestly I haven’t read the Martian (just seen the movie) but I think you might have a better time with Hail Mary. The science is defiantly still prominent and robust but we don’t have a single main character which I think sews the science and story together better.
Yes I loved that arc! I loved that he does prove it true in the end.
Oh I definitely agree the Grace is a good person the whole time. He works so hard on this project mostly because of his kids. He wants them to have a future.
But going on the Hail Mary was the way to save the kids. He tried to say someone else could do it but conceded when Scott pointed out how bullshit that was. And when push came to shove he said “Okay, it’s true! I’m afraid! I don’t want to die! I worked my ass off on this project and I deserve to live!” (Pg 392)
But even though he worked his ass off to save earth and to find a solution, he decided that Rocky deserves to live, not him.
So I agree with your overall point, but I think Grace changed a lot too.
Oo I found a copy of the first one in one of those little libraries a few months back and have been meaning to get to it. I’ll bump it up on my list.