The Galaxy, and the Ground Within

I’m really not sure what to feel about this book. It was easy to read, the characters were varied, and there’s enough world building to get a sense of the wider universe. But nothing really happens. The characters get to know each other, have some arguments, eventually come to a better understanding etc. (reminding me of 12 Angry Men in a way) but there’s no threat, no danger, no one is really at risk.

If you want a book to make you feel good, where all the characters (eventually) get along, and you don’t have to think too much about what’s going on, then I can see the appeal here. If you want plot, action, and things to Happen in general, then you might be disappointed.

My only complaint about this is that it's the last of rhe Wayfarers series. Becky Chambers has an amazing talent for creating characters and I want to know more about what happens to the characters from this and the other three books. This book is a perfect example of how story and plot come from character. There's a big exciting event here, but the main purpose of that is to bring these five characters together and explore how each of them affects the others. However, through these characters - none of whom are human - we get a sense of this universe, how it works, and the frustrations that brings to each character's life. There's even a discussion about politics that captures the realities of it and how people deal with it.
A great read, and eager to see what she does next.

Disgustingly heartwarming, everyone respects each others' pronouns and cultures. Any tension is either sorted out or an "agree to differ" affair.

And the series comes to an end.
I have really enjoyed these very gentle books. There is bad stuff but is at the periphery of these stories and it is a refreshing change to have a gentler amble through some slice of life of stories. Alien slices of life, largely, but still.
These books have not been 'accurate' hard sci-fi. The aliens are very anthromorphised but they are well executed so you don't really care. Further, this just highlights that the stories are actually about us, now, told through a science fictional lens.
This one is a lockdown parable. It must have been written before the current pandemic in one of those lucky hit things but it feels very fresh and apt because of that.
This gets 5 stars on its own but that rating is also a reflection of my view of the series as whole. Highly recommended.

This didn’t feel like an ending. SO whilst I’m looking forward to Becky Chambers moving on, I’m sad to hear that she’s stopping here. There are so many more stories I am sure. This was beautifully told, completely in character, full of the spark and vitality that makes her characters both less Human, but more people, than many other science fiction writers can manage. I have enjoyed all of these and will very much enjoy rereading them all together one day.