The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers (Wayfarers 4) is the last book in the Wayfarers series, and whilst we don't go back to the Wayfarer ship, we do have a character from that first book!  This time it's Pei, who is the Ashby's lover.

This book is set on Five-Hop One-Stop, on the planet Gora, which is at a nexus of wormholes, and so is a popular stopping point for many travellers. 

Pei is on leave, and heading for Ashby on the Wayfarer, Speaker is an Akarak, travelling with her twin, and Roveg is a Quelin, heading for an appointment.  They all stop at the Five-Hop One-Stop, and so are the guests of Ouloo, and her child, Tupo.

They all have to stay on the planet for longer than they had planned, and so have to rub along together, which means, as in the other books in this series, we learn more about the people, their motivations, and their fears.  

One of the things I've enjoyed about this series is that unless you know the person, you don't assume their pronouns, and in fact there are some people who use the gender neutral pronouns for various reasons.  Instead xe and xyr is used.  In this book, Tupo has not chosen a gender yet (and might not), and so is referred to as xe and xyr.

This was a lovely end to the series of books, which the description of quiet was really made for.  Yes, they're in space, yes, there are aliens, but this is about characters rather than space battles, and it was very good.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers (Wayfarers 4) was published on 18th February 2021, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones (signed edition!) and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Becky Chambers on her website and Facebook.

I was given this book in return for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Hodder & Stoughton.

You can read my review for previous books in the Wayfarer's series:

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet  (Wayfarers 1)

A Closed and Common Budget (Wayfarers 2)

Record of a Space Born Few (Wayfarers 3)

HIGHLIGHTS
~natural history can be rocks
~Significant Sparkles
~a truly excellent bathhouse
~cheese
~brain maps
~DESSERTS FOR EVERYONE

As delighted and honoured as I felt to get approved for an ARC of this, it’s kind of hard to imagine that any book of Becky Chambers’ needs pre-release hype. Surely it’s enough to just announce that she’s written a new book, and it’ll fly off the shelves like the spaceships she made her mark with? I mean, do we even need titles or pretty covers or blurbs at this point??? If it’s by Becky Chambers, we’re going to read it and love it, yes?

By which I mean, yes, The Galaxy and the Ground Within is utterly perfect.

Obviously.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is to the reader what it is to the characters: an enforced pause to rest and breathe. It’s reflective and a little bit dreamy; gently exploratory; focussed on people and the relationships between them rather than big, galaxy-changing adventures. It’s quiet and soft and so perfectly soothing: exactly the kind of book so many of us have been craving.

Or, like some of the characters, maybe you don’t think or realise that you need a little quiet time. But I bet giving your mind a break within this book will still do you good.

Although it stands perfectly as a standalone (like all the Wayfarer books), Galaxy does circle around somewhat to book one, The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet; it feels like a kind of companion to it, maybe a mirror. In Long Way, we encountered Pei, the Aeluon in a secret romance with the Human Ashby, who was one of Long Way‘s main characters; in Galaxy, it’s Pei’s turn to shine, as she becomes one of the PoV characters. The other main PoV characters are Roveg and Speaker, who both come from species we have only known until now from the negative interactions we had with them in Long Way. You can absolutely read Galaxy without having read Long Way (although why are you denying yourself the pleasure of more Wayfarer???) but Roveg and Speaker very much serve to – forgive the term – humanise species that we had a poor impression of before.

So Galaxy does bring us back around to the beginning, in a way. It closes the circle, neatly and gently, on what has been one of my favourite, and one of the objectively best, series ever.

I’m struggling to describe the plot to you, because it’s built out of so many quiet, personal, normal moments rather than any big drama. Yes, there’s an accident that grounds hundreds (thousands?) of ships while it’s sorted out, but we’re not up there in the atmosphere with the people dealing with the difficult, exciting part; we’re on the ground, seeing how this delay, and the forced break from their lives, affects the characters. Which is not to say that it’s one long flatline of serenity; Roveg is incredibly anxious that he not be late for a very important appointment; Speaker is unable to contact her sister, who is still in orbit with a chronic health condition; Pei is restless and wrestling with the life-changing choice she’s promised to make; and Ouloo, their incredibly sweet host, is immensely distressed that there’s a problem for her guests that she can’t smooth away.

But these are all…personal, intimate problems. Kingdoms won’t rise and fall by what Pei decides; governments won’t topple if Roveg doesn’t get to where he’s going; and even if Speaker’s sister dies, people die every day, and the universe keeps going.

So it would be easy to dismiss all of these as…uninteresting, I guess. But Chambers has always had the magic of making the reader care about ‘small’ problems. Where other storytellers look at the big picture, Chambers zooms in on the small one…and shows us how beautiful it is. How delicate. How intricate and interesting, made up of so many tiny parts, all of which are infinitely valuable in different ways. And Galaxy, even more than the other Wayfarer books, is very much all about how much the small picture matters. About remembering to care about yourself, and others, not as players on a galactic stage, but just as people.

It’s also, beautifully, about how people come together during times of stress, of emergency. It’s about unexpected kindnesses and confronting your own ignorance or beliefs about others; it’s about different kinds of love and different ways of being; it’s about how fast and deeply you can form a bond with someone who’s gone through a scary thing with you, even if you were strangers before.

It’s about delicious desserts, and just wanting people to be happy.

And I’m tearing up a bit, because this is the end of the series and that makes me sad. But I’m happy too. Because Ouloo is very, very good at her job of taking care of people, and after closing Galaxy, I feel like I’m leaving the Five-Hop One-Stop after receiving the best possible care.

And I can always come back and visit again, just by opening up the pages.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is out on the 18th of Feb in the UK, and 20th of April in the US. I heartily recommend you make sure you get a copy!

I read this book upon a recommendation from a friend. I'm not a sci-fi fan; it was the book cover that drew me in, I didn't even read the description, but I can fully say that from this book alone, I am a sci-fi convert.

It took me a few attempts to get past the first page. I didn't think it would be for me, but I perserved and by the middle of the first chapter I was hooked. What impressed me most about the book was the individual character development, and how that tied in with the overall understanding of the narrative. There was no forced storyline, no big drama or excitement happened, it was purely developing our understanding of the characters, how they had come to meet at this point in time, and the profound impact they consequently made on each other's lives. From having not read any of the other Wayfarers books I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised - I didn't want it to end!

Now if you will excuse me, I need to go and purchase the other three Wayfarers books!

An excellent follow-up to the Wayfarers series - so cosy and heart-warming - it's everything I hoped it would be. A fantastic wrap up. Looking forward for more from Becky!

The latest and final instalment of the Wayfarers quartet is a perfectly pitched, stunning farewell to a series I’ve loved since I first picked up Chambers’ A Very Long Way to a Small Angry Planet several years ago.

This queer, wacky, alien (in every sense of the word) sci-fi isn’t like your usual book series, much to its credit. There is no one ‘main’ character that you follow, but rather the stories are loosely connected by threads as briefly mentioned characters in one book become a point of view character in the next. One of the things I love about her work is that Chambers manages to make her novels both intimate and expansive, packed with lore and emotion, with every newly introduced character as unique and intriguing as the next. The Galaxy and the Ground Within is no exception.

This book focuses on the stories of three separate characters: Roveg, Pei (whom readers might recognise as Ashby’s Aeulon lover from the first book), and Speaker. The storyline kicks off when they stop – and are subsequently stranded – at the Five-Hop One-Stop, a waystation for travellers hopping between worlds run by Ouloo and her child Tupo. The “Snowed In” (or in this case “grounded by lots of space debris in the atmosphere”) trope is one that really fits her kind of storytelling well, as we follow this unlikely band of different alien species who would otherwise be strangers and see them come together during their time here.

Where Book 2 and 3 depart from the usual plot having a wider setting to play with, this final book brings back some of the intense character-driven conversations I loved about Book 1. Chambers’ strikes the right balance between poignant exploration of a whole host of topics from the meaning of family, love, loss, self-actualisation, and humour (there’s a particularly funny bit where the collective alien group discuss cheese, which I chuckled a lot at). The Galaxy and the Ground Within offers readers a concentrated exploration of “human” relationships, without a human in sight.

It’s in this book that Chambers really gets to flex her world-building muscles, dropping details about previously unexplained alien species, exploring their culture and customs a little more. Whilst one might think this “snowed in” trope means the novel is at risk of being stagnant, she continues to keep it interesting. There are twists and turns as characters learn more about each other, explore the nuances between them, argue, gossip, and change their own perspectives and prejudices that kept me glued to the page.

Without spoiling too much, the ending of this novel is a bittersweet one. As I reached the final few pages, much like Tupo, Ouloo, Roveg, Pei, and Speaker find a place in each other’s hearts, this book nestled its way into my own. I didn’t want it to end, but just as the character’s separate and get back to their original journeys, so too must this book come to a close.

Final verdict:

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is a fantastic send-off for a truly unique and colourful sci-fi series. It is a must read for fans of her series, and offers long-term fans a cathartic type of closure. I’m sad to see it finish, but am so very glad that I read this Wayfarers series to the very end, and I very much look forward to seeing what Chambers publishes next.

A small, quiet intimate book about a group of people thrown together for a random few days. It's light and it is not heavy on plot. But you know what, that is totally fine. It feels like a dinner party which quietly expands on a little of what we know of the Wayfarers galaxy and shows us the tensions, conflict and connections between a disparate group of aliens. I enjoyed spending my time with them all.

Whenever a Becky Chambers appears on my horizon I know I must read it, and her new book continues to prove how true this is as she expands the universe she creates in this new book. Her way with building characters and building worlds continues in The Galaxy, And The Ground Within at the level we have come to expect from them and I love reading more about it with each book that comes along.

Giving us the perspectives of multiple characters, the author gives us so many dimensions of the same event going on with incredible thought and pathos in this story, especially the one of Speaker alone on the ship without their twin and being able to handle the situation on their own and trying to figure out what’s going to happen. The characters are always so incredibly well developed and we see throughout the book the development of each character perfectly done.
Pei is the centrepoint of the plot and they are such a great character with a really well developed character - and how she connects to all the characters in this book is brilliantly done with such a small space, Chambers utilises one event and place to create brilliant connections between a diverse collection of characters and it makes for such beautiful reading.

I also want to touch on the ‘world building’ in this series - each character is of a different species and Chambers’ ability to give them all their own story but also their own origin story is such an incredible thing to read throughout this book - we are given planets, politics and people in this story and it makes me love it so much more.

Basically, if Becky Chambers writes it at this point I will read it.

5*

(I was given an ARC via Netgalley for honest review).

Oh Becky Chambers! You have written another spectacular addition to the Wayfarer series. I'm very sad to see that this is the last volume planned.

The amount of thought and imagination that has gone into creating every character and species, their history and making their likes and dislikes consistent and logical (as far as these things can be) was great. Within that, each character had distinct personality and motivation. The insights into society and behaviour that are given are incredible given that this is a very entertaining story as well. Hats off to the author!

One passage that particularly made me smile was the one discussing the human habit of eating cheese and how it was made. Finishing with the bombshell that it isn't even made with human milk was genius.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I have to admit I was putting off having to read this. As the last book in the series, I did not want to say goodbye to the Wayfarers universe and I was worried it would not live up to my expectations - I should have known better. It was outstanding. I would not change a single thing about it. I loved all the characters, especially Speaker, I loved all of their personal journeys and how much they had developed by the end. At the heart of it, this book was an ode to acceptance, love and individuality, allowing us to appreciate the differences that set us apart and how those differences can bring us together. I cannot wait to recommend it in store, it was the perfect ending, to a brilliant series.

Coming off a well deserved Hugo for Best Series, Becky Chambers finishes her Wayfarers quartet with The Galaxy and the Ground Within. The novel works as an excellent bookend to the series along with A Long Way thanks to similarities between the two. Pei, Ashby’s partner, makes a return here somewhat continuing on their story. The book brings the series back to its book 1 slice of life roots. And there is a gentle trend of found family tropes flowing through the novel as three aliens are forced to stay at a hostel-type travel stop.

(Sidenote: how unfortunate it is that a book that uses a planet-wide lockdown as a plot kickstarter would be released in 2020/21 - I doubt it was intended to hit quite so close to home. Although, a lockdown only lasting one week sounds pretty idyllic at the moment.)

This is the first Wayfarers book to not feature any humans at all; without that ‘default’ human perspective, the setting truly feels like a diverse galaxy. In a practical sense, it’s something that is harder to pull off at the start of a series because readers find it harder to identify with characters. But now, in book 4, trusting that readers will not bounce off the decision, we can acknowledge that so much of what we experience (teenage awkwardness, struggles between honesty and fitting in, two of those explored in The Galaxy and the Ground Within) is universal.

One thing I really admire about the world Chambers has created is that while it clearly is a generally better quality of life as you’d want a futuristic society to be, there are still genuine systemic problems that would come with the territory. Wayfarers is known for being cozy science fiction and I think having these instances of societal backwards-thinking actually adds to it. It grounds the characters in reality and makes their gradual acceptance of each other while being in moral disagreement more realistic.

As is usually the case (with the exception of Spaceborn Few) the plot is fairly thin - there is no real attention given to the reason for the lockdown, it’s just used as a device to create character interactions. This isn’t a criticism though, it works to the book’s advantage. It’s reminiscent of real life for the average person so helps build the slice of life atmosphere. As a conclusion the Wayfarers series, The Galaxy and the Ground Within is anticlimactic. If you’re expecting some definitive closure or references to the previous books’ characters, prepare for disappointment. There is no grand send off to the series, no fanservice ending, this is just another installment. We read the book, finish the series, enjoy it, and look forward to what’s next.

"When a freak technological failure halts all traffic to and from Gora, three strangers—all different species with different aims—are thrown together"

I love the wayfarers series and this book did not disappoint

Such a good book! A great continuation for a good series.

A great series, amazing characters and leave me wanting more! Thank you so much for sharing this book with me.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is the fourth and final book in Becky Chambers' wonderful Wayfarers Series. Reading this book was something of a bittersweet experience, on the one hand I love everything I have read from this author, and this series has long been a favourite of mine, but on the other hand I am so sorry to see it come to an end, and know that there will be no more to look forward to.
Unlike the previous books in the series, this one does not feature any human characters, something I really enjoyed and appreciated given the long history the author has of creating characters of different species with very diverse anatomies and with different and at times opposing needs in terms of atmosphere, diet etc. Setting this book at a waystation on a small planet at the junction of a series of interspatial tunnels allows her to really explore that idea, which she does through the owner of the Five Hop One Stop, Ouloo and her child Tupo, who both strive to ensure that all visitors experiences are as comfortable and welcoming as possible.
When a technological disaster grounds all spaceflights from the planet, Ouloo and Tupo are hosting several very different characters, each of whom have their own worries and pressing reasons for needing to leave - Roveg , an exiled Quelin is trying to return to his home world in time for an important coming of age ceremony for his sons, Speaker , an Akarak who requires a mechanised suit to move around and survive outside her shuttle , is desperately worried about her sick sister alone in orbit above, and Pei , a colour speaking Aeulon is desperate to make an assignation with the human lover she is hiding from the rest of her people because of their insular attitudes. Drawn together by circumstance these very different characters may clash and butt heads at times, but they come together to learn more about each other, and in the process learn more about themselves too.
This is very much a character driven book, there is little in the way of plot, especially in comparison to some of the previous books in the series, but that did not mean I enjoyed it any less. I found myself fully invested in these people and their problems, and I thought it was a fascinating reflection of the situation so many of us find ourselves in right now, trapped in one place, unable to be with the people we care about. I did not know what to expect going into this book, but having come to the end of it I can say it left me feeling completely satisfied , and though I am sad to see the series come to an end, I am happy that I can truly say I have loved each and every book along the way.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

The Galaxy and the Ground Within is the final book in Chambers' Wayfarers series and all of the things that have won her plaudits and awards in previous books are present here: fantastic worldbuilding; using sci-fi and alien species as a lens through which to view and critique humanity; wonderful characterisation, with characters who feel like old friends very quickly. I've seen another review refer to this as "cosy sci-fi", which I actually have to agree with. 'Contains scenes of mild peril' would be a very fitting a description, which makes it perfect for readers like me who are averse to more high octane, battle-driven sci fi.

Chambers is obviously working through the events of the past twelve months in the main narrative, which finds five characters trapped together in de facto lockdown after a disaster prevents travellers from leaving the Five Hop One Stop on the planet of Gora. While one character - Pei - will be familiar to previous readers of the Wayfarers series, the others are new characters and provide an opportunity to learn more about other species in the Galactic Commons. I particularly enjoyed getting to know the two Laru - Ouloo and Tupo - and while I felt some of the back story of the Akaraks heavy handed in its obvious role as metaphor, the Akarak character, Speaker, was especially interesting.

As sad as I am to say goodbye to this series, I'm nevertheless looking forward to where Chambers goes from here with her clever, contemplative writing.

Initially I wasn't super into this. I can't say for certain why, but I struggled to want to pick this up. However, after 10-15% I started to warm to the characters and the story more and flew through the rest of the book fairly quickly.

While not much actually happened in this story plot-wise, it was just nice to read about a bunch of different species interacting with each other and learning about their ways of living and their histories and politics etc. I do think this series could do with sketches of the different species though, because I did have a tough time trying to picture what they looked like.

As always with these books, Becky Chambers seems to make these different species seem real and believable and her books always give you a sense of being hugged. They're comforting to read and I'm eager to see what Becky Chambers imagines next.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within, the final instalment of the Wayfarers quartet, was so lovely to read. It was quiet and contemplative, whilst also being expansive - while the physical setting may have been less vast than in previous volumes, this book provided the space to contemplate the entirety of the Wayfarers universe. The characters are all well rounded, and I became attached to all of them.
I re-read the other books in the series before reading this, which wasn't strictly necessary, but I really enjoyed being in this world again for a lengthier period of time. I think a strength of the quartet is seeing so many different aspects of this world, and encountering a variety of its inhabitants' stories.
It perhaps wasn't the big, climactic ending that some were expecting - but I think this was a positive, rather than a negative. Especially at the moment, there was something really soothing and satisfying about being immersed in another world - and especially one which felt relatively peaceful (or at least was working towards that peace).
I'm sad that this is the last instalment, but whilst not an ending, exactly, I felt this was a hopeful and gratifying point to leave the Galactic Commons at. I really look forward to reading whatever Becky Chambers writes next.

I'm really sad to see the end of the Wayfarers series, such a beautiful set of books. The author has an amazing talent for creating wonderful species of all shapes and sizes, I love trying to visualise them in my mind - the Laru, who we are introduced to here, are "a big muppety sort of species, with long necks and noodly limbs".
This particular novel deals with a small group of strangers trapped together in the Five Hop One Stop during a state of emergency. It's a wonderful distillation of humanity as we see that respect and kindness are key to harmony, and also actually listening to others instead of projecting assumptions.
This series is one that I recommend consistently to everyone who ever expresses an interest in sci-fi, and also to those who are willing to try something different. It's space opera at it's best, character driven and thought provoking.

4 / 5 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2021/02/11/the-galaxy-and-the-ground-within-by-becky-chambers-review/

The Galaxy and the Ground Within is the fourth and final book in the Wayfarers series, a collection of semi-related novels all taking place in the same universe. One of my favorite all-time series, the Wayfarers teaches hope, love and acceptance, while still managing to relate to everyday life, despite the fact that it’s set hundreds of years in the future.

I fully expect that Becky Chambers was sitting around during the pandemic, relaxing and pondering new projects, when some of her friends called her up or messaged her with “the world NEEDS more Wayfarers”. Enter the Galaxy and the Ground Within [hereby known as simply The Ground Within].

Gora once lived an nondescript existence. The only planet orbiting an unremarkable star, it held no air, no water, no native life or valuable minerals. If not for a series of wormholes, it might not have gotten any attention whatsoever.

As a popular stopover on the intergalactic highway, Gora is a pseudo-truck stop. Here, at the Five-Hop One-Stop, long haul traders, travelers, and spacers alike can stretch their appendages, shake out their hair, and let their lamella breathe.

When a freak tech failure leads to Gora being locked down, interstellar traffic grinds to a halt, at least for the travelers stuck in the system. And specifically for five such spacers at the Five-Hop. Now these strangers (three travelers and the two hosts) must band together to survive—or at least to stave off boredom—or they will fall divided.

The Ground Within is a particularly remarkable book, as it predominantly features no humans, at least among the main cast. As such, I occasionally felt myself (my imagination, at least) come ungrounded as my mind boggled to accurately picture all the non-conforming life. Not that we’re left completely in the dark. Among the main cast are a few species that you’re likely familiar with, should you have read any of the other three books—not to mention one character in particular that has appeared in a previous book, albeit briefly.

The Ground Within is also remarkable as it doesn’t so much feature an overarching plot, per say. I mean, there IS a plot, obviously, it’s just not the typical space opera kind. Instead it’s written in more of the Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet approach of “here’s a subset of characters, here’re their problems, let’s put them in a room and hash everything out”. Which it does, to varying degrees of success.

The main issue is that with no overarching force driving the story, it’s prone to wander aimlessly. Which it does—or feels like it does—for a decent chunk of the book. I often found myself asking “where is this going?” only for the plot to resolve itself in an odd, often roundabout way, or by ditching one path and abruptly taking another, only to return later on. It’s… Becky Chambers is good at this approach. Not to say that it’s when she’s at her best, but she can make it work. And does. There are bumps along the road, however. Once or twice I even considered giving it up, as nothing was happening and I couldn’t see where we were heading. But in the end I stuck it out and was glad I did.

I teared up. Again. Four books and the author has caused me to tear up in each one. I guess that’s as good a measure of success as any other. Although occasionally aimless and often wandering, The Ground Within delivers again. I know Chambers has said time and again that this is the last Wayfarers entry. But if there is one more in the future—maybe we’ll have another lockdown or something—I would like to see it be more guided.

TL;DR

The Galaxy and the Ground Within is the Wayfarers finale you didn’t know you needed. I mean, you KNEW you NEEDED one, you just didn’t know this was it. Possessed of an odd, often leisurely pace, the story seems to wander aimlessly throughout, in no hurry to reach any destination, and even with no concrete destination in mind. This is a particularly remarkable novel, for the reason that there are no humans amongst the main cast. But despite this, Becky Chambers manages to tell a full, amazing story that does not disappoint in the end. While not up to the level of #2 or 3, I cannot recommend The Galaxy and the Ground Within enough as an emotional, thought-provoking read, combining messages of hope and acceptance. It provides a fitting resolution to the Wayfarers series, and one that I hope you’ll enjoy as much as I did!

Can I just say how thrilled I was to be able to read the latest Wayfarer novel? And how sad I am that this is the last Wayfarer novel? This series has been such a treat. Such a pick-me-up in the moments when I’ve really needed one. I’ll hold these books close to my heart forever.

The Galaxy and the Ground Within has a similar sort of structure to some of the previous Wayfarers novels. It’s almost like a bottle episode of a TV show. Our cast of characters have all touched down on the small planet of Gora — which basically acts as a service station or stop-over between wormholes — and are forced to spend a period of time there after a disaster.

What happens next is the usual Becky Chambers fare. We’re given a sense of who each of these characters are, what their personalities are like… and then they all get to know each other. It’s not always pretty, and they don’t always get along, but they try. As always with Wayfarers, it’s about hurting, healing, handling it, and living the rest of your life.

This time around, our character cast includes Ouloo — the owner of the “service station”, determinedly hospitable host, and mother to Tupo, her very curious and clumsy child. There is also Pei, whom readers of A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet might remember, and Rodveg, who has mysteriously been exiled from his home planet for a number of years. Finally, there is Speaker, who was absolutely my favourite character of the bunch.

Speaker is an Akarak, which is a species that most of the galactic commons doesn’t know much about, though that doesn’t stop them harbouring prejudices. She has lived her entire life with her twin sister, and when seperated from her after the disaster, does everything she can to re-establish communication with her ship to ensure that she is okay.

There is the direct antithesis of a plot-heavy book. The characters and their interactions take center stage here. It’s all about the conversations between them. Their pasts, their desires, their attachments. More than anything else, this is a snapshot of their lives.

But admittedly… I didn’t feel that attachment that I usually do to Becky Chamber’s characters. With the exception of Speaker, most of them this time around felt like a collection of traits rather than complicated people. And frustratingly, I really can’t put my finger on why I feel that way. I feel like with the past three books, I was able to relate on a deeper level with the characters, while this time around that sense of intimacy just didn’t come around. Which is odd, as on the face of it this is a very intimate book.

It felt like this time around the characters were maybe a bit too tied to the worldbuilding for my tastes. One character would act a certain way because they were of a certain species, another would act another way because they were rebelling against the accepted behaviour of their own species. I didn’t get that sense of individuality that I’d come to expect. Although, in fairness, this does tie into the themes of the book somewhat. The idea of becoming someone who you want to be, rather than who/what you’re expected to be.

Part of what took me out of this book was a plotline that involved disagreement on the need for and motivation behind a war. The Galaxy and the Ground Within has a lot to say about people being on opposite sides of a violent political divide. About putting differences aside and working together when you need to, being cordial to people with different beliefs than yours. It acknowledges that there’s no easy reconciliation with these things, but I just… It felt like something that I didn’t want to be reading. It reminded me too much of political arguments over christmas dinner with wider family.

I’m focusing a lot on critical feelings here, but I want to make clear that there was some stuff that I really appreciated, too! Speaker’s arc, again, was a highlight. The parental relationship between Ouloo and Tupo kept me smiling. The nods back to a relationship between Pei and a certain pilot were really satisfying as a fan of the series.

I feel like I’m being unfair to this book. I can’t ignore the fact that I read this during the height of a global pandemic while the world slowly fell apart. There is a lot here that certain readers will love, and it has all the stuff that you’d expect from a Wayfarers novel. I’m sad that the series has ended on my least favourite of the four, but just because I personally couldn’t fall in love with this one doesn’t mean that you won’t.

I hope you do.

How is it possible for authors to create not just a new world, but build a universe?

New species, quirky characters and relatable angsty teen made this feel familiar even though it’s the first in the series I’ve picked up.