Title: Record of a Spaceborn Few
Author: Becky Chambers
Genre: Science Fiction
Read Great Things Challenge 2020 Categories: A book that is part of a series, a book suggested by a Durham Tech librarian.
Description: Hundreds of years ago, the last humans on Earth boarded the Exodus Fleet in search of a new home among the stars. After centuries spent wandering empty space, their descendants were eventually accepted by the well-established species that govern the Milky Way.
But that was long ago. Today, the Exodus Fleet is a living relic, the birthplace of many, yet a place few outsiders have ever visited. While the Exodans take great pride in their original community and traditions, their culture has been influenced by others beyond their bulkheads. As many Exodans leave for alien cities or terrestrial colonies, those who remain are left to ponder their own lives and futures: What is the purpose of a ship that has reached its destination? Why remain in space when there are habitable worlds available to live? What is the price of sustaining their carefully balanced way of life—and is it worth saving at all?
A young apprentice, a lifelong spacer with young children, a planet-raised traveler, an alien academic, a caretaker for the dead, and an Archivist whose mission is to ensure no one’s story is forgotten, wrestle with these profound universal questions. The answers may seem small on the galactic scale, but to these individuals, it could mean everything.–HarperCollins blurb
I love Becky Chambers! I had read the first two books in this Wayfarers series and loved them so I bought the third as soon as it came out. I was not disappointed. You don’t need to have read the other books in the series to enjoy this one, though I do recommend them because they are great.
What did you like about this book?
This book is good scifi. By that I mean it ponders big questions without feeling too heavy, has great characters, and a incredibly well-drawn world. You could describe this book as a character study of a civilization. One in which humanity screwed up, big time, and had to pick up the pieces. A civilization with cooperation and kindness at its core because when humans picked up the pieces of their civilization they chose a new way. A society that has to contend with outside influences just as all societies do and is struggling to maintain its sense of self in the face of that challenge. People within the society who feel like real people with wants, needs, preconceptions, and flaws.
Who would you recommend this book to?
Anyone who is looking for a vision of the future that is hopeful instead of the super depressing fare that seems to be so popular these days. Also, science fiction fans and readers who like great characters and world-building in general.
What would you pair this book with?
I would pair this book with the other two books in the series. In addition, it would also go well with a few episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (my favorite Trek series). Meanwhile, Battlestar Galactica is contraindicated as a pairing with this book for being too dark and having the same fleet name.
