![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Wayfarer.jpg?resize=297%2C446&ssl=1\")
\nISBN-13: 978-0062444134
\nKindle Version, file size 3004 KB; \u00a9 2015
\nPaperback, 464 pages; \u00a9 2016\n
<\/p>The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
\nISBN-13: 978-0062444134
\nKindle Version, file size 3004 KB; \u00a9 2015
\nPaperback, 464 pages; \u00a9 2016\n
A Closed and Common Orbit
\nISBN-13: 978-0062569400
\nKindle Version, file size 1251 KB; \u00a9 2016
\nPaperback, 384 pages; \u00a9 2017<\/p>\n
Record of a Spaceborn Few
\nISBN-13: 978-0062699220
\nKindle Version, file size 3471 KB; \u00a9 2018
\nPaperback, 368 pages; \u00a9 2018<\/p>\n
The Galaxy, and the Ground Within
\nISBN-13: 978-0062936042
\nKindle Version, file size 3304 KB; \u00a9 2021
\nPaperback, 336 pages; \u00a9 2021<\/p>\n
Each of these four books, all written by Becky Chambers and published by Harper Voyager, is a different story, though they all take place in the same universe, and are remotely connected. While the stories each stand alone, I wanted to review them together\u2013not despite the differences in the stories, but because of the similarities and qualities they all share.<\/p>\n
First, the main characters in each, whether human or otherwise, are completely relatable. In Becky Chambers\u2019 reality, many beings share similar desires, drives, and emotions, down at their core level. The drives that fuel the actions of an Aandrisk, or an Aeluon, or a Quelin are fully understandable to me, a human. I had no trouble getting behind their challenges, trials, joys, sorrows, and fears. And these characters are well crafted, fully formed, and three-dimensional. Even when they were doing things I didn\u2019t agree with, I could see why they did it.<\/p>\n
Second, the diversity in all these stories (and in everything else I\u2019ve read by this author) is off-the-charts superb. Characters come in every size, shape, form, and color imaginable. Sexuality and gender as displayed among and between the many species is so far beyond binary that I think the characters would be dumbfounded by the old human ways of male vs female, with nothing outside those two choices. I loved the way Chambers introduced these details, even showed them in action. And I especially loved how all the other characters simply took these differences in stride. For them\u2013as it should be for us\u2013it was not only acceptable, but *normal* to have all these various ways of just being.<\/p>\n
Third, characters in a Becky Chambers novel (at least the ones I\u2019ve read) are compassionate. Don\u2019t get me wrong; Chambers\u2019 worlds have antagonism, cruelty, dispassion, and exclusionism. But the *main* characters are not part of that mindset. Instead, Chambers uses the relationships between characters in her novels in a way that demonstrates a kinder, more sensitive way to live. To support one another. To at least try and reach understanding, if not respect, for each other. She\u2019s not preachy. She just lets these scenarios play out for the reader in such a way that they appeal. Each one (not just these four, but her Monk and Robot series, too) left me wishing for a world where we treated one another that way.<\/p>\n
I wouldn\u2019t call these books hard sci-fi. Instead, I\u2019d call them \u2026 space opera. Or soft sci-fi. Or even science fantasy, to some degree. But each Wayfarers book definitely has an otherworldly feel, as in the events are not taking place on the Earth. The worlds that are depicted are well fleshed out, even the third book, which takes place aboard ships in the fleet. There was never a moment when I did not feel grounded (per se) in the setting, or feel like I couldn\u2019t see the world the author had created. And oh, the feels! Every single BC novel I\u2019ve read has moved me to tears\u2013not because they\u2019re sad, but because they are heartwarming, evocative. The characters actually learn and grow, and that\u2019s enough to give me hope for my own species.<\/p>\n
There are four books in the Wayfarer series, and you\u2019ll want to read them all: Book 1, A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet; Book 2, A Closed and Common Orbin; Book 3, Record of a Spaceborn Few; and Book 4, The Galaxy and the Ground Within. Even though the books can all stand alone (mostly), you\u2019ll want to read them in order since the events from book 2 flow from those in book 1, and so on.<\/p>\n
If you love a good \u201chuman\u201d interest story, one that will touch your heart, this series is for you. Most highly recommended.<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet ISBN-13: 978-0062444134 Kindle Version, file size 3004 KB; \u00a9 2015 Paperback, 464 pages; \u00a9 2016 A Closed and Common Orbit ISBN-13: 978-0062569400 Kindle Version, file size 1251 KB; \u00a9 2016 Paperback, 384 pages; \u00a9 2017 Record of a Spaceborn Few ISBN-13: 978-0062699220 Kindle Version, file size 3471…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8n0kX-ZE","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3792,"url":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/2024\/01\/30\/the-man-with-the-butterfly-mind\/","url_meta":{"origin":3822,"position":0},"title":"The Man With the Butterfly Mind","author":"DremaDeoraich","date":"January 30, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"By Fabian Foley Thorpe-Bowker, Publisher ISBN-13: 978-0645674637 Kindle version, file size 796 KB; \u00a9 2023 Paperback, 327 pages; \u00a9 2023 Where is Ash? He never came home, and only Bimba knows he\u2019s missing. She doesn\u2019t know what happened, but she has to find him. Yet how is a small dog\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/image-189x300.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3825,"url":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/23\/dogs-of-war-duology\/","url_meta":{"origin":3822,"position":1},"title":"Dogs of War Duology","author":"DremaDeoraich","date":"February 23, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Dogs of War: Dogs of War, Book 1 By Adrian Tchaikovsky Head of Zeus Publishing ASIN: B06XXJ4P9H Kindle version; file size 7308 KB; \u00a9 2017 Paperback, 352 pages; \u00a9 2022 Bear Head: Dogs of War, Book 2 By Adrian Tchaikovsky Head of Zeus Publishing ASIN: B08DJJBQ1M8 Kindle version; file size\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/DogsOfWar-196x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3486,"url":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/2023\/08\/24\/monk-and-robot-books\/","url_meta":{"origin":3822,"position":2},"title":"Monk and Robot Books","author":"DremaDeoraich","date":"August 24, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"A Psalm for the Wild-Built By Becky Chambers \u00a9 2021 TorDotCom ASIN: B08H831J18 Kindle version; file size 3476 KB Paperback, 151 pages. A Prayer for the Crown-Shy By Becky Chambers \u00a9 2022 TorDotCom ASIN: B09CNFL3W7 Kindle Version; file size 5020 KB Paperback, 152 pages It\u2019s years after The Awakening, when\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Psalm-188x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3663,"url":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/2023\/12\/20\/teacher-bloopers-and-potty-mouth-stories\/","url_meta":{"origin":3822,"position":3},"title":"Teacher Bloopers and Potty Mouth Stories","author":"DremaDeoraich","date":"December 20, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"By Maxine Blake Illustrated by Jo Titman @2023 MaxineBlake.com ASIN: B0CN3CDZWR Kindle version: file size 2956 KB Paperback, 240 pages. What an interesting and fun peek behind the curtain into the world of teaching and educators! Author Maxine Blake shares some stories\u2014hilarious, awkward, surprising\u2014from her teaching days. Some tales come\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/094-Teacher-Bloopers-194x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4241,"url":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/2024\/05\/12\/children-of-time\/","url_meta":{"origin":3822,"position":4},"title":"Children of Time","author":"DremaDeoraich","date":"May 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"By Adrian Tchaikovsky Tor (\u00a92015); Pan Books (\u00a92016); Orbit (\u00a92018) ISBN-13: 978-0316452502 ASIN: B07DN8BQMD Kindle Version, file size 2632 KB; Paperback 640 pages Let me just get right to the point. I loved this book. I cannot say enough good things about it. From the explosive opening chapter to the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/ChildrenOfTime-201x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3705,"url":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/2024\/01\/06\/where-the-forest-meets-the-stars\/","url_meta":{"origin":3822,"position":5},"title":"Where the Forest Meets the Stars","author":"DremaDeoraich","date":"January 6, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"By Glendy Vanderah \u00a9 2019, Lake Union Publishing ASIN: B07CWSPSMX Kindle version; file size 5390 KB Paperback, 333 pages. Grad student and cancer survivor Jo is isolated in a remote cabin, working on her thesis, when a young girl shows up at her place barefoot and covered in bruises. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ForestMeetsStars-200x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3822","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3822"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3822\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3824,"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3822\/revisions\/3824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3822"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3822"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dremadeoraich.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3822"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}