The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Reviewed by: Carey Gibbons, Adult and Reference Services
Genre: Science Fiction
Suggested Age: Adults, Teens
What is the book about?: Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer as the ship’s clerk. This is her first time living out in the vastness of space and she’s not doing it just for fun. The Wayfarer is also a special sort of ship – the kind that makes black holes, which serve as interstellar superhighways for all of the sapient races in the universe. The Wayfarer’s crew is a jumbled mix of members, from the reptile/bird-like pilot Sissex, to the scatterbrained human techs, Jenks and Kizzy, to the ship’s AI, Lovey, to Ashby, the human captain who wants the best for everyone. We journey with these crew members, among others, as they take the biggest job of their lives – creating a black hole in uncharted space for a warlike tribe who can’t seem to keep their aggression under control. Along the way, we learn about all of the crew, including the secret that sent Rosemary to work on the Wayfarer in the first place.
My Review: This is very much a character driven book. Plot happens, but it happens and is resolved episodically, much like a television show. Many people who have reviewed this book liken it to the show Firefly, and I would agree. I enjoyed this book, but it took me a little while to get used to how it was written. Rosemary is only kind of the central character. The book skips around from one character to another and large sections go by without us seeing one or more of the people on the Wayfarer. But I eventually came to enjoy reading about the day to day lives of the people on this ship and their personal conflicts. The large overarching story – that of building a space highway near a hostile planet, doesn’t really kick in until quite late, much like the season finale of a television show. But if you’re a more character driven reader, you’ll like this book a lot. Also, this books looks like hard sci-fi, but it isn’t, so don’t be intimidated or turned off by talk of black holes and interstellar travel. The bulk of the book is about the characters.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Character-driven, compassionate, warm and fuzzy
Give This a Try if You Like… Firefly, Star Trek TNG, Mass Effect
Rating: 4/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!