The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

Wayfarers 1 , #1

hardcover

English language

Published July 15, 2015 by Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.

ISBN:
978-1-4736-1979-1
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Goodreads:
22733729

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(1 review)

Follow a motley crew on an exciting journey through space—and one adventurous young explorer who discovers the meaning of family in the far reaches of the universe—in this light-hearted debut space opera from a rising sci-fi star.

Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.

Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of …

12 editions

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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.