I was so confident that I would like Becky Chambers’ Wayferer series that when I snagged the first book the library, I grabbed the entire trilogy. Why waste time?? I was so excited to start book two and continue exploring the galaxy with Ashby, Rosemary and the rest of the crew of the Wayfarer. So it was a very rude awakening to discover that this second book has absolutely nothing to do with them. At first I was rather disappointed, but once I shook that off I enjoyed the book.
This book is in the same universe but instead of following the Wayfarer we are with Pepper (the tech friend of Jenks from Port Coriol) and Lovelace (the newly “born” AI from the Wayfarer). At the end of the first book, the crew of the Wayferer is postively devestated to lose their friend Lovey the ship’s AI to a reboot. When the Lovelace system reboots, Pepper offers them the opportunity to be uploaded into the body kit that Jenks bought for Lovey. It was a quick choice to spare those on the ship who lost their crew member, but Lovelace is shocked at the new limits of her existence, but Pepper is their to support them every step of the way, as Lovelace tries to acclimate while also staying under the radar (as what they have done is illegal).
In general I like books that operate in the same world but show us different POV, for example, I am absolutely OBSESSED with Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series, where each subsequent book is about a different character, but Chambers went so “all in” with the Wayfarer crew that I missed them, but that withstanding, this is a very good book.
There are two timelines, we learn of Pepper’s origin story and Lovelace/Pepper’s current timeline on Port Coriol. This book has a much sadder narrative thread, but Chambers as always buoys harsh realities with hope and shows us characters who remain resilient in the face of tremendous difficulties and learn to adapt and make choices to grow beyond their perceived limitations.
Presuming then that the third book will explore a new part of the galaxy, I’m going to give it some time before reading it and save the third installment for when I need a pick-me-up.
