PERHAPS the best way to describe Becky Chambers’ Wayfarers series is an anti-space opera. Thematically, they share many of the same themes and preoccupations as more traditional space operas — interplanetary politics, galaxy-hopping space travel, multiple alien races and cultures — but they have increasingly eschewed the kind of epic and war-centred plots that these sorts of stories tend to favour. Admittedly, I’m positing this theory from a position of possible ignorance and certainly from not being as widely read in the genre as I could be.
In fact, my primary source of comparison is probably Iain M Banks’s Culture novels in that both, to this read at least, portray an utterly convincingly realised galactic setting populated by convincing characters from a colourful and diverse range of species. The first Wayfarer novel, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, in particular, strikes me as the most Banksian, with a plucky group of mismatched protagonists finding themselves embroiled in a wider, galactic conflict. But this is where Chambers parts company with more Banksian themes. As in all his novels, Banks’s focus is on the wider galactic-political themes, particularly the mechanics of warfare, and in an almost fetishistic obsession with the technology involved within them. I have to admit to always being surprised by the extent to which the depth of characterisation that Banks employs in his mainstream literary novels is, with a few honourable exceptions, seldom in evidence in his SF works, which relies far more on archetypal, broad-brush-stroke characterisation.
This is not the case with Chambers. While she’s certainly no slouch in terms of world-building and the various settings and species of the Galactic Commons are largely well drawn and vividly convincing. But once this world-building has been established, she seems content to leave it well alone in order to focus on the interesting character stuff. And while it ends on a characteristically space opera-ish note of high action, Planet is, for the most part, more concerned with the characters of the ship the Wayfarer, each undergoing significant development and personal crisis throughout their voyage.
In this, the Wayfarer novels are perhaps more reminiscent of more mainstream literary novels, with their emphasis on character over action. Certainly, they tend to be marketed as such and in the days when we could still browse in bookstores with abandon, you would be just as likely to find the novels rubbing shoulders with other mainstream novelists on the ground-floor tables as buried away in the hardcore SF sections, with the covers, while giving the books a striking identity, being very coy and oblique about their SF content. Indeed, the novels were something of poster child for the changing paradigms in mainstream publishing, with the Planet originally being self-published via a KickStarter campaign before being republished by Hodder.
The second novel in the sequence, A Close and Common Orbit, continued this trend for deep character focus. All four novels, while essentially self-contained stories in their own right, all possess varying elements of overlap with others in the series but this novel is the closest to a direct continuation from the first book, concerning as it does the evolution of Lovelace, the ship AI from the Wayfarer, into a sentient, autonomous being in its own right. It is, for my money, the strongest in the series, with the relationship between ‘Lovey’ in her new synthetic body and Pepper, the runaway tech who helps her, giving then novel a strong humanistic core. If Planet is essentially a softened version of space opera, then Orbit is very much a love story of sorts.
The third book, Record of a Spaceborn Few, is, to me, the least successful of the four. It largely concerns life on the Exodan fleet, a nomadic flotilla of former Earth inhabitants travelling the galaxy, the particular focus being the aftermath of a disaster within the fleet and its effect on various characters. It lacks the focus of Orbit or even Planet and felt somewhat fragmented, with the overall impression of the book being a series of vignettes held together by the slightest of narrative spines.
The fourth and final novel in the series, The Galaxy and the Ground Within, hits the sweet spot between the (slightly more) plot intensive first books and the more narratively free-wheeling third one. The stakes are still not particularly high but concern a small group of disparate travellers left stranded in a sort of hospitality way-station after a communications outage and, much like the first book, details the growing relationships and rivalries between them. In many ways, it’s the perfect lockdown novel and there’s something in the characters’ frustration at the curtailment of their plans and personal freedoms by circumstances beyond their control that feels very current and resonant. But there’s nothing greater at stake than the various characters waiting for the situation to be remedied so that they can go on their way, if as older and wiser individuals.
But the novel is all about character and we by now realise that the heart of these books are the relationships between the various characters and species, often exploring the implications of gender and sexual orientation under this clash of galactic cultures. That has been the strength of the previous novels and it’s the particular strength of this one too. The relationship between Ouloo, the owner of the galactic ‘truck stop’ and her child Lupo has got to be one of my favourites of the entire series and I could quite happily spend a lot more time in their company than this one book. But then, I think I felt the same way about Pepper and Lovey after Orbit.
The novel’s other characters are, of course, just as engaging, although some more than others and there’s a nice circularity with the first book in the character arc of the main protagonists in particular. But, while it may not be the highpoint of the series, this is still a worthy concluding volume to a fictional universe that everyone should visit at least once.

The bottom line: I just couldn't get into it. No amount of trying to force myself through, feeling like I was waiting for a bus that was never coming (yes, I am talking about the plot), was going to make me enjoy this book. I've almost reached the point now where I accept that, if I don't like a book by the halfway mark, nothing is going to change my mind. This book proves that, because from the 10% mark I already knew it wasn't for me.

If you are a character driven reader, with no requirements from the plot whatsoever, then I think you will actually really love this book because it is a fantastic assessment, or consideration, of human nature and the things we have in common with strangers. It considers our internal motivations, what happens when we just stop for a second, and the relationships you can form in only moments with a perfect stranger.

What it doesn't do is go anywhere. It is quite literally a book about being stuck in one place, inside your own head for a while. I expected something to happen, and a tiny thing happens right at the end, but otherwise I was just stagnating in my own boredom for the first three hours.

Anyhow, not a book for me unfortunately but I can certainly see how it might really compel more character driven readers to really enjoy it.

ARC provided from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is a story about Gora – a planet with no native life. It is simply a stop in the middle of connected routes to somewhere else, a place to rest for a bit – but not a place to stay. Ouloo runs Five-Hop in Gora where she hopes to provide a place of respite for any species to relax and stock up on their journey. That’s where Speaker, Pei, and Roveg are headed while they wait for an approval to jump a wormhole to continue onwards. However, an unexpected issue in the routine maintenance of equipment means that the characters get stuck on Gora.

The characters come from a range of different backgrounds – they are all different species and a moment’s stop at Gora forces them to face their prejudices and get to know each other as the individuals that they are. The characters are simply incredible. They are diverse and relatable, and their perspectives are very distinct in the story. Every single one of them has their own problems and their own motives for their behaviour. I loved how the characters marvelled and made positive humour out of each other’s quirks. They don’t always understand each other – but they try so hard.

The Galaxy, and The Ground Within is simply a positive feel-good read. It wraps you into a big, warm hug – but it doesn’t slack in the important discussions. The story is heavily character driven, and the entire book is a beautiful exploration of the differences that divide and unite different species that happen to be stuck together in rocky little planet for a while. It discusses inequality, prejudices and societal expectations in a way that can be easily applied to where we are at in our home planet. Becky Chambers masterfully shows how inequality can still fester in the seemingly most accepting of environments.

Similarly to the previous books in the Wayfarer series, The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is almost like a slice-of-life type of book. The plot exists but it is hardly there – and that is the point. The characters and their relationships are at the forefront of the story throughout and by the end of the book I was desperately attached to all of them. I just didn’t want this book to end because I wasn’t ready to let go of Tupo, Ouloo, Speaker, Pei and Roveg. I’m honestly hoping that we would get some kind of a continuation in the form of a novella later! Not because the story wasn’t complete, but because I yearn more of it!

Overall – The Galaxy, and The Ground Within is a beautifully written tale of individuals who come together and get to know each other in surprising circumstances. They are all vulnerable and flawed – and they all have to accept that from each other. The story is impactful and encouraging, perfect for reading on a quiet day when you would like to be transported somewhere with kind characters, somewhere positive.

I am a huge fan of Becky Chambers and her books. One of my friends once described The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet as a hug in a book, and it’s still the most perfect description of all of Becky’s books. The universe of the Wayfarer series isn’t perfect, but it’s a whole lot better than anything we have at the moment, and the impression you get is that they’re still working to make it better. Although each book has its own plot, the characters are the most important aspect, and The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is no different to the previous books in the series.

Each book in this series is a standalone, but there’s usually something which links back to previous books, and in The Galaxy, and the Ground Within we’re re-introduced to Pei, who we first met in The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. Pei finds herself stuck on Gora, a planet whose only purpose is serving as a pit-stop for intergalatic travellers, along with two other travellers, Roveg and Speaker, and her ground host, Ouloo and her child Tupo. Over the course of the book, we get to know these five people, each of whom has their own reasons for worry.

The thing that always gets me about Becky Chambers’ books, is that we do really get to know all the characters over the course of the book. I don’t know how she does it so well, and without you noticing, but suddenly something happens and you’re absolutely, completely invested in what happens to these people. Watching these strangers become a sort of family, over a very short time-span, despite some very deep differences, was such a wonderful experience. Ouloo was my favourite, absolutely determined to make sure the Five-Hop One-Stop catered to everyone. Her distress when she realised that she didn’t know how to make anything for Speaker’s species was palpable and it fuller endeared her to me. I loved her relationship with Tupo too – Tupo frustrated her, as I’m sure every teenager frustrates their mother, but her love for xyr was always visible. Tupo xyrself was adorable, desperate to know more about everything. In fact, I loved all the characters, and how they interacted with each other, and I cried when I had to say goodbye.

Something I really loved about this book was the way Chambers used her fictional world to reflect our own. This, of course, is what every good sci-fi book should do, but I’m not sure it’s ever been quite as obvious as in Speaker’s impassioned speech about how her species suffered under colonialism/imperialism, and how she can see the same things happening again under a different name. It is also made clear that the Galactic Commons continue to ignore the Akarak because they are different, while making excuses about not having the money to help them. Sound familiar?

I don’t think I have the words to do this book justice. Like all the Wayfarer books, it hooked me in and I felt like I was also part of that universe. The event that strands everyone on Gora is scary, but I still wanted to be there in Ouloo’s garden, getting drunk on Laru alcohol. I’m so sad this is the last Wayfarer book, but I’m glad it’s finishing on a high. If you haven’t read any of the other books, you don’t have to, as they’re all standalones, but I think you’ll get more out of the later ones if you’ve at least read The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. That said, I cannot recommend The Galaxy, and the Ground Within enough. Read it.

In many ways The Galaxy and the Ground Within felt like the ultimate Becky Chambers novel. It is, like the other novels in the Wayfarers trilogy, low on action, and high on respect for others, with a desire to understand those of different backgrounds and of differing needs.

I really enjoyed it this low key tale of friendship. The entire novel is about non-human species deepening their understanding of one another. It's testament to Chambers' skill that I was drawn into the story without worrying unduly about the believability of it, despite a couple of small questions (these vastly different species all breathe the same concentration of air?).

Is it a shame that Chambers doesn't return to the crew of the Wayfarer? Yes? Though I feel like she leaves the door open to return there in future, which I personally am fine with, as I would love to find out what the crew are up to now.

Ultimately Chambers stays in her lane with the Galaxy and the Ground Within: anyone who is a fan already will probably love it, and anyone who hasn't enjoyed her other novels probably won't like this one either.

I don’t think Becky Chambers is ever going to write a book that doesn’t make me want to lie on the floor and scream with happiness.

This was a beautiful, wonderful, incredible book. It might be my favourite yet. She’s ruined sci-fi for me forever and I’m not even mad about it. If I loved reading less I’d be perfectly content to read nothing but Becky Chambers books for the rest of my life, knowing that I was getting the best books there are.

And to think, yesterday I laughed at one of my colleagues for saying that he’d found his book of the year in the first half of January.

I'm so sad that this series is ending, but I'm so excited to see what she writes next!

This was an amazing end to an amazing series, but let's be honest: I would have happily read many more installments.

This was such an interesting slice-of-life story about people of different species who all end up together stuck in the same place by circumstance and they have to make the most of it. This turned into such a heartwarming, friendly book that fits perfectly in the most comforting sci-fi series I've ever read.

Most final novels fall short, but this one does not. Where others have failed, this one has soared and created a satisfying end to the series. Warm, well-rounded characters; engaging pacing; simply excellent world-building. A glossary would have been appreciated, but still an amazing book in and of itself.

I love Becky Chambers' work - the imagination, the intelligence, the diversity, the humanity of it. And I have loved the Wayfarers series. Record of a Spaceborn Few was my absolute favourite, an absolute delight of a novel.

This one was a slight misfire for me and it pains me to say that as a below par Becky Chambers is still better than nearly everything else out there but I just didn't adore this one with the passion of the previous volumes. I still really loved it but the lost stars represent my startled disappointment.

The reasons are excessively nit-picky. At times I felt something slipped stylistically and thematically and the usually silky smooth became a little clunky. Infrequently and briefly as it was it seemed so out of character it jarred me out the very universe I love inhabiting so ardently. It was like someone other than Becky Chambers was trying to write in the style of Becky Chambers and they could never be as good as the original. Maybe I was imagining it - I did have unreasonably high expectations for this book.

Apart from that everything that made the previous 3 books so wonderful was still very much in evidence - the fascinatingly nuanced characters, the complex and emotionally charged relationships, the sass and the humour. The ending didn't have much emotional crunch though and left me a little underwhelmed for the end of such an emotionally impactful series. The ending of Record...had me utterly in bits.

My personal niggles aside (and I'm pretty sure it's not the book, it's me) this is very much worth reading.

Becky Chambers you say? You bet! One of my favourite sci-fi authors and The Galaxy and the Ground Within was brilliant. It’s hard to find a sci-fi book where the aliens are “proper” aliens and not human variations. Brilliantly described, the narrative goes at a good pace and I can’t fault it. A triumph and privilege to read.

* I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

I absolutely adore Becky Chambers books, I will write everything she writes, and this book was utterly beautiful again. I am very sorry that it's the last Wayfarers Novel, but we get some closure from one mini storyline from #1, I believe.

This is basically about a hotel on a planet where different species sleep the night before travelling on. When an accident in space happens, they are all caught on the little planet in the little hotel and we learn more and more about our focalisers. This book is very queer, very wholesome, dramatic but also fun.

I loved it.

5 Stars

I’ll say this right at the start so no-one is confused: order yourself a copy of this book now you will not regret it. If you’re one of the three people left in the known universe to whom I have not recommended this series…suffice to say I am incredibly envious that you get to read them for the first time – you are going to read them right?

I’m going to assume from here on out that you have at least a sense of what the other books in this series are about even if you haven’t managed to read them yet. I do think reading in publication order is the best way to read these, but you could in theory read this book first if for some reason it fell into your lap. (For reference, the only books I would say it’s best to read in any particular order are books one and two).

This book follows on from the previous books perfectly, reflecting that majestic tone that I’ve only ever found in Becky Chambers’ writing. It’s a strange mixture of hopeful, melancholy, triumphant and poignant that cuts a straight line directly to my feelings. I’m being dramatic yes but I was in tears from around page 50 through to the end and that’s not too common an occurrence for me. Those who have read the previous books and loved them will not be dissapointed.

I think part of the reason this book works so well is the characters. While one character has featured as a side character in previous books the rest are totally new. This has never been an issue in previous books and it wasn’t here – I adored each and every one of these ‘aliens’ and I would gladly read more books from each of their perspectives. I look forward to hearing who everyone’s favourites were (I am an Ouloo fan myself).

One thing that I think a lot of early reviewers are picking up on is the fact that there are no human characters in this book. While that’s not a brand new thing for science fiction and Becky Chambers has never shied away from non-human storylines it is nonetheless a really interesting perspective – particularly if one considers that the last two works in the series Record of a Spaceborn Few and To be Taught if Fortunate were quite human focussed (albeit not ‘humans dominate all’). There are a couple of amusing alien observations on humanity but for the most part this is a story about completely different species and cultures with their own identities, needs, political crises etc. I think that part of the beauty of this book is that we learn just enough about each character – there isn’t oodles of world building for each culture we just get a surface level look at the bigger picture while delving deep into the characters’ individual emotions. I wouldn’t trust anyone but Becky Chambers with crafting something like this and she does not disappoint.

This story has moments of tension enough to make my heart race while simultaneously ‘just’ being a story about some strangers meeting at what is effectively a motorway service station in space, if it had any human characters I would call it gloriously human. I suppose ‘wonderfully sentient’ feels a little clinical. If we ever did meet aliens I would have to thrust these books at them and say ‘look – this one person figured out we could consider things bigger than ourselves’. It’s one of those books where for days (weeks) afterwards you find yourself remembering other moments from within the story in a ‘oh yes the part with the museum’ kind of way. It’s one of my hallmarks of a great book, the way it stays with you after the final page. It’s been a few weeks and I’m still stuck on this one.

That’s a lot of waffle to say – I loved this. I think A Closed and Common Orbit is still my favourite of all of the books because it speaks directly to my soul – but this might be a close second…

My rating: 5/5 stars

I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley – all opinions are my own.

The Galaxy and the Ground Within is out February 18th!

This was a bit of a bittersweet read really as Becky Chambers confirmed it was the last in the Wayfarers series.

I love how well Becky Chambers writes characters, and alien characters at that too. Her books never have overcomplicated plots, they are fairly straightforward and this one was too. The basic premise is a group of travellers get stuck at an alien waystation and discover new things about themselves and each other. It was a really interesting look at differences be it physiological, morals or ideals. I did like the overall feeling of hope and companionship this book gave me.

I would highly recommend this book, whether you have read the previous ones or not, as all of the books in this series can stand alone.

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.

The planet of Gora has little going for it aside from its convenient location - situated at a major junction of interspatial tunnels, it serves as a rest stop for those travellers waiting for their allotted spot in the queue. On a mission to make every member of every species welcome, the enterprising Ouloo and her child Tupo run the Five-Hop-One-Stop, where weary travellers can avail themselves of the bath house, dine on home-cooked cuisine and perhaps even stop by the charming Goran Natural History Museum.

It’s not long before disaster strikes, however, trapping three guests of different species on the surface along with Ouloo and Tupo (themselves four-legged, furry Laru). Roveg, an exiled Quelin (a lobster-like species), is desperate to make an urgent appointment. Pei, one of the colour speaking scale-skinned Aeulons, is keen to use her leave to meet with her human lover, a relationship which she is forced to hide from the rest of her people. Finally, Speaker - a tiny Akarak in a mechanised suit - is trying to get back to her sister, Tracker, in orbit above the planet.

There’s an undeniably relevant feeling to the setup of The Galaxy, and the Ground Within, as the nature of the disaster that hits the planet forces the main characters into lockdown, unable to go anywhere or do anything. Thankfully it’s not disease that brings about the situation - that really would be a little too close to home - but technological malfunction. Nevertheless, it’s a situation which for many will be far less alien than the characters themselves. That’s another thing to note straightaway, actually; for the first time in a Wayfarers book, none of the main characters are human.

There has always been a strong theme of xenology - or “alien anthropology” - to the Wayfarers books, and this is embraced just as readily here, if not more so. With only limited knowledge of each other’s species and little else to do but talk, Roveg, Pei and Speaker find themselves swapping cultural observations, reassessing their prejudices and all in all just trying to get along as best they can (with varying degrees of success). Bustling around them is Ouloo, the most accommodating host it’s possible to be, while her adolescent offspring Tupo (yet to pick xyr gender, and a bundle of energy and flailing teenage limbs) asks their guests endearingly probing questions.

There’s all the gentle, heart-warming charm present that this situation implies. You would need a heart of stone to not warm to Roveg, for example, a gourmand who tries his best to steer conversations into safer waters, or Speaker, cut off from her twin and frantically awaiting word from her. Watching the various characters (who in essence have had an almost ambassadorial role thrust upon them) bond and solve problems is extremely satisfying. Social missteps quickly take on huge significance, with bad air trapped at the Five-Hop just as the guests are, and there’s a few of these which will likely have you wincing on behalf of their perpetrators.

There might be less in the way of action and exploration than in previous books in the series, but this certainly isn’t a case of the Wayfarers universe going out with a whimper rather than a bang; The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is every bit as readable as anything Chambers has produced so far. It is also arguably the purest distillation of many of the ideas that have come up in the preceding books too, as the characters wrestle with their preconceptions, check their privileges and attempt to find cultural touchstones to bond over, a wealth of background information on their species proving once again just how endlessly inventive Becky Chambers is as a writer. It feels inaccurate to venerate these characters for their humanity, with nary a human being among them, but perhaps the message here is that no matter our differences, we can all learn to work together. If that seems a little too twee, apologies, but it certainly seems like it’s something that’s all too easily forgotten sometimes.

All great things must come to an end, and so the end has come to pass for the Wayfarers universe. With a level of profundity that’s only to be expected by this point, Becky Chambers has closed this much-loved series with consummate skill and an abundance of warmth, not to mention typically boundless imagination.

I loved every minute of my time at the Five-Hop-One-Stop, and would certainly visit again.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I've read all of the Becky Chambers books in this series, and this is apparently the last one - if the author's final note at the end is anything to go by. It surprised me, quite frankly - it's the kind of series that could go on indefinitely. But I respect her need for a change/break.

This is the most memorable of the books in the series that I've read, apart from the first one. It's very much still "cozy" sci-fi - nothing is too stressful, everyone is basically a decent person, everyone is trying to get along.

What I liked most about this book were Chambers' attempts to grapple with the stressful feelings of the past four years - of the most RECENT year, even. I'd be VERY interested in learning if any of this was written during the 2020 pandemic. The plot is, basically, a bunch of strangers trapped together due to a disaster. They have to get to know each other. They have to learn to get along.

And so, uneasy conversations are had, meals are shared. The concept of home is explored. We get a lot of "here is some anthropological info about this species conveyed via dialogue" beats (this didn't bother me, I found it fun and enjoyable to read). There's an enjoyable moment in which everyone expresses disgust over how humans make cheese. Throughout it, the following message is frequently beamed out by the, I don't even know, A.I. satellite or whatever: "We are all in this together." Sigh. So cozy...

Apart from the parallels with the pandemic, I felt there were a lot of attempts by Chambers to explore the idea of allyship, a potential product of the 2020 BLM protests. One of the characters talks about how she frequently has to spend her life trying to make other species comfortable. The climax involves a dramatic fight between two very different people with two very different points of views. I won't spoil the result, but I thought it was an interesting examination of shaming vs. educating. This could be a really good book to give to a young person to read, and have a conversation about.

Basically, this is a book in which a giant lobster and a bird in a mechanical suit interact with each other, and there's also some kind of animal I pictured as a giant Furby. I was down with it.

Overall, a thoughtful, compassionate, highly comforting and often just plain fun read. Chambers is truly a gem for lovers of books everywhere.

The final instalment in the Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers; The Galaxy, and The Ground Within is a stunning, character driven tale focussing on three strangers and their two hosts as they are stranded together unexpectedly at the Five Hop Stop.

As in all of the Wayfarers books the different species are easy to imagine thanks to the beautifully descriptive language, and through this it is easy to see the characters differences in physiology, ideology and experience. The interactions between the characters then serve to draw draw out common threads and really make you think about how we perceive others and pertinent links to issues in our own society.

I loved this book, as I did the three preceding it and would wholeheartedly recommend.

The conclusion to the Wayfarers series is every bit as stunning as the previous instalments.

The planet Gora serves as a stopover between popular worlds and destinations. After a catastrophic technological failure, three individuals, of different species, are stuck in a small habitat dome together with no way of communicating with the world outside. Luckily, the dome they are stranded in is run by a friendly and helpful alien and her child.

It will come as no surprise to fans of the series that the strength of The Galaxy and the Ground With lies with its characters. Their stories are woven with great care and empathy, and they genuinely feel like real people, which is a incredible feat when each of them are so alien (both to each other and to the reader). Each character is so well fleshed out and rendered with warmth. We see them grow closer in their forced proximity and watch as they navigate and accommodate the differences between each of their cultures, societies and bodies. I genuinely cared so much for each and every character.

I have heard people describe Becky Chambers' books as sci-fi for people who don’t usually enjoy sci-fi; they certainly are far from the high-energy, action packed sci-fi adventures that we see a lot of. However they also encompass some of the best elements of the sci-fi/ space opera genre- from the exploration of gender, sexuality and parenting in different societies and wide use of gender neutral pronouns, to unique and intelligent portrayals of alien species and culture.

There are so many touching and tender moments in this book. Chambers writing has the ability to completely captivate and comfort.

The Galaxy and the Ground Within is tied with the Long Way to a Small Angry Planet for the spot of my favourite in the Wayfayers series. I absolutely adored every part of it. Reading this was a perfect way to start 2021.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this wonderful, amazing book. I’ve always sold Becky Chambers books as sci-fi for people who don’t like sci-fi. This is another great example of that where the book is driven by the characters rather than the setting. They are all characters who I would happily spend time with they are not perfect but they are kind and they are real. Absolutely brilliant, I can’t wait to re-read it in hardcopy.

The planet Gora is just a stopover between more popular destinations in the Galactic Commons Universe, until the day a technological failure strands three strangers at the Five-Hop One-Stop in a kind of space opera version of The Breakfast Club.

I’ve been dying to hear more about the Laru since we met one briefly in A Closed and Common Orbit and so I was very excited to encounter a name with a lot of vowels that indicted the presence of one of the fluffy, llama-like aliens. Ouloo, with the help of her teenager Tupo, runs the Five-Hop One-Stop and she aims to make her guests feel welcome by catering for their widely varying needs as thoroughly as possible, and baking lots of cake. She’s wonderfully warm, caring and inclusive, and the explanation she gives as to why the two of them live alone on Gora, instead of the Laru home planet, is one of the most moving moments of the book and sums up the heart of Becky Chamber’s universe. Tupo is an incredibly endearing character—a kind, enthusiastic and well-intentioned child, behind a façade of grumpy, lanky awkwardness.

The first alien visitor stranded at the Five-Hop is a character we have met before—an Aeulon called Pei. The other two aliens are species that we have encountered only under negative circumstances: an Akarak called Speaker, and a Quelin called Roveg. Becky Chambers is brilliant at imagining different alien species and creating fully fleshed-out histories, traditions and culture for each one. This is first book of the series that doesn’t feature any humans, which was wonderful because the cultural differences are filtered through the eyes of the other species to create rich layers of meaning in each interaction. And their interactions reveal not only how they conform to the biases of their species, but also how they each have broken away from the traditions of their cultures. The story explores how the differences between the four species cause suspicion and conflict, but also how they learn and benefit from each other’s perspective.

I’m always in awe of the way Becky Chambers can explore such vast sweeping ideas about life and the universe, with a cast of incredibly diverse characters, in the context of such simple, almost familiar scenarios. Another dazzling, profound and poignant tale from the Galactic Commons. I really hope this won’t actually be the last one!

This was the perfect quartet ending to these books. I like the fact that even though they are all set in the same world they can be read in any order.
I love reading a sci-fi book band refreshing that the main character wasn't human.
The character development and interaction throughout the book was beautifully written and very imaginative.
Overall a really enjoyable read and highly recommended.

Thank you for letting me read this and I will post on good reads and my blog