…because lord knows we cannot deal with any more from that dreadful she-who-must-not-be-named and her unquenchable desire to hurt the hearts and minds of the people who grew up with, admired, and felt welcomed by Harry Potter and company. People are who they say they are, and she-who-must-not-be-named can do us all a favor and shout her nonsense directly into a portal to hell.
Anywho!
Luckily, Becky Chambers is on the scene to raise our spirits through the roof and out into the beautiful and terrifying vastness of space!
First of all, I have to thank the CBR crew for putting this book on my radar; I don’t think I would have seen it if it weren’t for you! I watch a lot of science fiction, but I rarely (if ever) add it to my TBR pile. I’m fairly sure that the last piece of good old fashioned space opera that I read was A.C. Crispin’s Han Solo Trilogy back in 1999.
I found this story to be absolutely delightful. The characters clicked immediately, the world felt lived-in, and representation was everywhere! We are introduced to beings of all kinds from all kinds of backgrounds. Gender, sexuality, neurodiversity, socioeconomic backgrounds, religions- I’m only touching the tip of the iceberg. Nothing felt “token” or “tacked on”; this wasn’t a bingo card- Chambers clearly and delightfully expressed what a universe full of beings would look, feel, act, think, and love like.
The story darts about through different points of view, giving us a true ensemble cast. You learn to love all of the crew aboard the Wayfairer while peaking into their every day lives and moments of great importance alike. It read like a TV show (I know- hear me out) in some ways; the chapters were episodic and a good deal of action was left off the page. I appreciate that we were given lots of room to imagine, lots of bits to color in, and lots of lines to finish. The story, much like the characters, is warm and welcoming.
I ordered the sequel before finishing this book, and I would love some recommendations of other books with a similar feel! Thanks again, Cannonballers!