Had a hard time with this one and I'm not sure I ever figured out why. Initially I thought it was just a bit uninteresting but now I'm wondering if there's more there. Not sure he writes his female protagonists all that well (which I can understand given you know, he's not female).
To me, it almost read more like a YA book than his others. The stakes were lower, and it was more adventury than sciencey and dire. Definitely made it feel different; not that it's wrong. The Hobbit is aimed way younger than LOTR, but it's still good. I do agree that the female protagonist writing felt a little clunky from what I remember.
This was exactly my experience with Artemis. I had to stop halfway through because I really didn't like the protagonist and reading her in first person was torturous for me
Ugh I was severely disappointed tbh. Short, unsatisfying, not nearly as science heavy as his other hits. Ended so abruptly too. Idk I was left unsatisfied
I'm currently reading this and am thoroughly enjoying it. However, I'm not sure how much it relates to the "alone in space" angle that OP is looking for.