The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

Paperback, 441 pages

English language

Published July 5, 2016 by Harper Voyager.

ISBN:: 978-0-06-244413-4

(1 review)

When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn't expecting much. The Wayfarer, a patched-up ship that's seen better days, offers her everything she could possibly want: a small, quiet spot to call home for a while, adventure in far-off corners of the galaxy, and distance from her troubled past. But Rosemary gets more than she bargained for with the Wayfarer. The crew is a mishmash of species and personalities, from Sissix, the friendly reptilian pilot, to Kizzy and Jenks, the constantly sparring engineers who keep the ship running. Life on board is chaotic, but more or less peaceful - exactly what Rosemary wants. Until the crew are offered the job of a lifetime: the chance to build a hyperspace tunnel to a distant planet.

12 editions

Jessica reviewed The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (Wayfarers, #1)

None

5 stars

This book was a wild ride, and I enjoyed it a lot. It is character focused, with the plot developing slowly. It really lets you get to know the characters, and they all feel very real. It's refreshing! And the plot continues to build up until it crescendos, a thrilling climax, and then a satisfying deceleration to a satisfying conclusion.

There are ethical quandaries posed, and while some of them are cliche (can an AI be a person?) some of them are more relevant and real (should a person be allowed to let themself die?). I can't say I liked the conclusions the narrative seems to draw in all cases, but the themes of love and friendship were strong and good.

If I could give it 4.5 stars then I would, but I think it deserves to be rounded up to 5.