Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Record of a Spaceborn Few (Wayfarers, #3)” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

more photos (1)

Record of a Spaceborn Few

(Wayfarers #3)

Becky Chambers

4.10 · Rating details · 33,226 ratings · 4,510 reviews

Brimming with Chambers' signature blend of heart-warming character relationships and dazzling adventure, Record of a Spaceborn few is the third standalone installment of the Wayfarers series, set in the sprawling universe of the Galactic Commons, and following a new motley crew on a journey to another corner corner of the cosmos—one often mentioned, but not yet explored.

...more

Get A Copy

Kindle Edition, 368 pages

Published July 24th 2018 by Harper Voyager

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Record of a Spaceborn Few, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

Best Stand-Alone Science Fiction

258 books — 97 voters

Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold

Speculative fiction heroines who are 40+

111 books — 50 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 4.10 ·

Rating details

· 33,226 ratings · 4,510 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Record of a Spaceborn Few (Wayfarers, #3)

Oct 14, 2018 carol. rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Pollyanna

Shelves: meh, sci-fi

Here's the part where you think I'm going to eat my words. But I don't think I have to: think of it as being able to love Star Wars, and The Empire Strikes Back, but not Return of the Jedi. In fact, it's nearly exactly like that.

In this book, Chambers seems to think people are basically this:

description

hippie commune

Or, in my analogy,
description

Ewok village

But they aren't. People are basically beings with a variety of upbringings, chemical soups, and experiences. Which often suck. Except in this book, where they ...more

flag 343 likes · Like · see review

Jan 06, 2019 Emily (Books with Emily Fox) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-releases

(3.5) I found this book incredibly relaxing and comforting. Not what I would expect to say about a Sci-fi but Chamber's universe is so wholesome.

If you enjoy contemporary "slice of life" type of books, you need to give this series a shot. It's beautiful, not exactly my cup of tea, but enjoyable nonetheless. ...more

flag 201 likes · Like · see review

Dec 15, 2019 Mario the lone bookwolf rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: chambers-becky

Go eco- social in space if you can handle it and the devastating real life implications

The xenosociological exploration of human development, especially regarding the difference between isolationist habitats and the free, traveling spacers and the planet bound groups, are presented as entries into the research diary of an alien. It uses the conversations with a human scientist and the knowledge about human history to find many implications, connotations, and social criticism and that´s one of Go eco- social in space if you can handle it and the devastating real life implications

The xenosociological exploration of human development, especially regarding the difference between isolationist habitats and the free, traveling spacers and the planet bound groups, are presented as entries into the research diary of an alien. It uses the conversations with a human scientist and the knowledge about human history to find many implications, connotations, and social criticism and that´s one of the many ingenious ways sci-fi owns society.

Gaiaism and sustainability aren´t just practiced for ideological reasons, it´s more a question of needing to have a socialist, zero waste, as sustainable circular economy with as much recycling and fairness as possible. The irony lies in the fact that the human mind seems to be so twisted and sick, weird, and mad that, on a potentially endlessly self sustaining planet, greed, politics, and economy tend to destroy everything, while on a small ark ship or space habitat, the humans are far much nicer to each other because of the simple need to survive. Of course, this is highly depending on the sci-if subgenre, tone, and author´s intent of what kind of philosophy she/he wants to promote, but it comes close to the wise insight that a vast majority of rich people are rich, because, well, nothing nice to add, so I´ll better be silent.

The ultimate recycling consequence of integrating not just the usual waste such as garbage, feces, etc., (view spoiler) into the process of growth and rebirth, has something both romantic and somewhat irritating. It shows the strange, irrational, and often ideologically poisoned approach towards death, especially regarding instrumentalizing it for faith instead of making it part of the endless circle of life, celebrating and embracing it until it is defeated forever by technologically brought immortality. That would be much better than using it as a weapon of mass destruction in the form of genocides, resulting from close to any kind of indoctrinating, state approved, and taxless (cause almighty entities can´t handle money) or fully theocracy, cult.

Positive corruption of a not perfect system becoming anachronistic itself (view spoiler) shows the shadows in the paradise.

Some more topics, and thereby main storylines are childhood, work, research, and youth in space, making this a completely different reading experience than Chambers´first two novels that were arranged circulating around 2 to 3 main characters and a real red line of one main plot. This work is more of a collection of short stories/novellas that play in the same universe, but aren´t close as interconnected, emotionally impacting, and thereby captivating than the first parts. And I love that.

It´s an author's evolution towards more space opera, high social sci-fi, those main features include many, more or less interwoven storylines, social criticism, and a general more plot and less character driven execution of the art. It may irritate readers of the first 2 parts, but let´s one look forward to Chambers´ fourth work
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
(the setting sounds like a combination of great characterization with the backstories of the characters driving the plot dynamic and action compressed in one place like in a good crime novel)
with the knowledge that she can do all, character, worldbuilding, and plot, making her one of the most astonishing voices of 21st century female social science fiction.

Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph... ...more

flag 194 likes · Like · see review

Mar 15, 2019 Charlotte May rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: tear-jerker, sci-fi

"From the ground, we stand. From our ships, we live. By the stars, we hope."

3.5 ⭐️

Now, I went into this one with a bit of trepidation. Despite this technically being a series, only 1 character from book 1 made it into book 2, and none of them were in book 3 from the reviews I read. And I am a big character lover. So when I am reading a series I expect to follow the same characters as they grow and their stories expand - having to start from scratch at the beginning of each book is less appeali ...more

flag 145 likes · Like · see review

Feb 13, 2018 Kai Spellmeier marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, unfinished-series

If there was ever such a thing as cover porn then this series hit the nail on its head.

flag 140 likes · Like · see review

Sep 06, 2018 April (Aprilius Maximus) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

1.) The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet ★★★★★
2.) A Closed and Common Orbit ★★★★.5
3.) Record Of A Spaceborn Few ★★

-----------------------------------------------

I am soooooo bummed. The first book in this series is easily one of my favourite books in the entire world, the second book wasn't quite as good, but I still adored it. This one, however, I really struggled with :( I didn't care about any of the characters and I think there were too many POV's, and I kept confusing who was who. I feel l ...more

flag 129 likes · Like · see review

Jun 23, 2019 Samantha rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 stars and this may bump up to a 5 with some time to simmer.

Becky Chambers’ books are this wonderful, slice of life speculative fiction that is just as interesting as action packed sci fi. These books answer questions about how life would go for those that aren’t involved in high stakes war, violence, etc.

flag 127 likes · Like · see review

Apr 06, 2018 Kitty G Books rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: my-sff-faves

* I was sent this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review *

"From the ground, we stand. From our ships, we live. By the stars, we hope..."

This book isn't quite a direct sequel to the events of The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet, but it does start at the same time as the events in tLWtaSAP are finishing up. We follow a host of entirely new host of characters, all of whom are connected to, or interested in, the Exodus Fleet. One of these characters has a tie to Ashby from the firs * I was sent this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review *

"From the ground, we stand. From our ships, we live. By the stars, we hope..."

This book isn't quite a direct sequel to the events of The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet, but it does start at the same time as the events in tLWtaSAP are finishing up. We follow a host of entirely new host of characters, all of whom are connected to, or interested in, the Exodus Fleet. One of these characters has a tie to Ashby from the first book, she's his sister, but other than that, there's not a lot of connections between the characters, it's more about a new focus within the same universe.

The Exodus Fleet is the fleet of space-ships specially designed by humanity to blast their culture into the stars away from Earth and to never go back. It was built at a time when humanity was desperate, and the slow shift from lone voyagers to becoming part of the GC was a long time coming. We pick up the Fleet many generations later when they have been a part of the GC for quite a few decades, and we follow a variety of people who all have an interest in the Fleet.

What i love about Becky Chamber's writing is that it never feels like a big space battle, but more of a focus in on the everyday lives of those who live in this universe. She's very good at showing you a society where things are better, people are more open and accepting, and she can draw you into the narratives of the characters too. I really think her books are about people who just so happen to be in Space, as they are thought-provoking and honest and emotional.

Some of the characters we follow included:
- Isobel and her wife. They are some of the older members of the Fleet so they remember the time that was spent trying to convince the other alien races of the GC that Humans were a species worth inviting in. She works in the Archives, and she has a great understanding of what the Fleet stands for and what it seeks to protect. She also has a friend Harmaegeon (sp? - I don't have my copy of the book with me as I am writing this) who is interested in coming to examine the Fleet, and she brings xry in to the lifestyle there.
- Eyas is a young worker who works in the Fleet as a composter and burial expert. Her time is spent preparing corpses to return to the Earth and give back to the community as they are now in Space and have limited resources Her job is vital to the survival of the Fleet, and she sees her task as a monumental one which gives value to those who have left this life. She's proud of her job, and yet she seeks something more for her Fleet.
- Kip is a teenage boy who is bored with his lot in the Fleet. He's grown up here his whole life and he can't seem to find anything he particularly likes and wants to get involved in. He's a typical teen who does stupid stuff because his friends tell him to, and yet he learns a lot about his own heritage and place by the end of the story.
- Tessa is the sister to Ashby (a character from tLWtaSAP) and she has two kids, Ky and Aya. They are both quite young and she spends most of her time taking care of them when she's not at work. Her aspirations aren't quite clear at the start of the book as she isn't quite clear on them herself, but she has a strong motherly desire to protect her kids and when they are later put under pressure she has to think about whether the Fleet can offer what they need.
- Sawyer is an outsider to the Fleet, although he is Human and somehow generations back he's connected to them. He comes from Mushtullo which is a place of crime and hunger and he's heard that the Fleet will always feed everyone and always provide for their own. He wants to make a go of it, and so he travels to the Fleet to start a new life there.
- Gol'loloha (sp? - this for sure isn't the spelling of this, but I will correct it when I have my copy in my hands) is a Harmaegeon (sp?) alien who is interested in learning about the Fleet from another point of view. Xe is not overly familiar with Human ways, and so xe comes tot he Fleet to learn and to write about it and let the other people in the GC learn about them too. The Fleet is quite insular at times, and so not too much is actually known y those who aren't a part of it and so xyr job is to inform others.

What I love about this solar system is just how nice everyone is. Sure, there are plenty of bad things that happen and it's not all sunshine and roses, but the people and aliens know that the only way to survive is to be accepting and open and try to listen. I feel like the integrating of xe/xyr pronouns and same-sex couples was seamless and fit the universe. It makes perfect sense that these things would become completely 'normal' and beyond comment in a society such as the one Chambers is showing us. I love it, and I think she's done an excellent job.

Overall, this was brilliant. Each story opens up the character and the universe more, and with every book in this universe (and in my opinion she could go on writing in this universe forever and I would read them all) I feel like I am more enchanted and captivated. 5*s of course, and I will be eagerly awaiting the next thing she decides to write :) ...more

flag 96 likes · Like · see review

Aug 05, 2018 Michael Finocchiaro rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: american-21st-c, novels, fiction, feminism, series, sci-fi

Another beautiful spaceborn story from the talented Becky Chambers following her first two Wayfarer books. While I enjoyed this book, I appreciated it slightly less than the first book Angry Planet probably due to my more masculine taste for a voyage-type story whereas Spaceborn Few is more of an internal voyage. Humanity is adjusting to centuries of living in the Fleet (sort of like Battlestar Galactica’s fleet or Leia’s ragtag Rebel fleet) as the Exodans having escaped the collapse of Earth’s Another beautiful spaceborn story from the talented Becky Chambers following her first two Wayfarer books. While I enjoyed this book, I appreciated it slightly less than the first book Angry Planet probably due to my more masculine taste for a voyage-type story whereas Spaceborn Few is more of an internal voyage. Humanity is adjusting to centuries of living in the Fleet (sort of like Battlestar Galactica’s fleet or Leia’s ragtag Rebel fleet) as the Exodans having escaped the collapse of Earth’s viability as a planet. The book follows one curious alien who is writing about the Fleet for other alien species in the Galactic Commons (GC), a few Exodans on the Fleet, and one unfortunate Grounder who comes to the Fleet out of curiosity. These lives are all loosely intertwined during the book with insights about accepting difference, accepting change, and working for the common good. It is well-written with a little less tech than the first book (and less character development than the second one).

There are some concepts here for which one needs to have read the first two books: the gender- and species-neutral pronoun and term of respect, xyr and M respectively. Also, like the previous two books, there is a definite feminist bent to the story and characters which is both rare in science fiction and yet is neither overbearing or condescending- it feels natural and fluid under Chamber’s pen.

These ideas - as fundamentally human as they seem to this reader - may seem heretical to some of the knuckle-dragging Trumpists now disproportionately taking up media space. Chambers’ universe is one of inclusion. A futuristic Copernican universe where the Earth, its tech, its mythologies, and its destiny are not dependent on “God’s will”, where Earth is hopelessly behind on technology and cannot survive without alien help, and where all genders and sexual choices are equally valued. This is what strikes me as the most original element to the GC: its utopian inclusiveness. One would hope that the solutions that the Fleet creates for countering greed and grift would truly work, but the current state of humanity would leave one skeptical in the extreme.

I have to admit a little frustration from not hearing from Jinks and the rest of the Wayfarer crew (other than a side reference to Ashby since his sister Tess is a protagonist in Spaceborn and allusions to the events at the end of Angry Planet). I guess I'll hold on to some hope that Chambers will come back with a 4th volume to give me some closure :)

A breath of fresh air (from the spaceborn grass as it were), Spaceborn Few is an agreeable read about a distant utopia whose ideals we would be remiss not to value more in the present. ...more

flag 94 likes · Like · see review

Dec 17, 2020 Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

It took me a little over 2 years to finally get through this one, but WOW was it worth the wait. Becky Chambers has such a gift. This book was absolutely delightful.

flag 91 likes · Like · see review

Jan 26, 2018 ✨ jami ✨ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbtqiap, audiobook, 2018-reads, adult, gay-mc, f-f, favourite-covers, owned-books, completed-series, series

“From the ground, we stand. From our ships, we live. By the stars, we hope.”

Hey Becky Chambers .... if you're listening ..... *slides across a $5 note* .... write more of these

This entire series has been such a pleasure to read and I am so sad it is over. Although this is probably my least favourite of the three I still enjoyed reading it and even felt a bit emotional at the end with the thought of this series ending. Everything about this series is so wholesome. I love the simple message of ...more

flag 84 likes · Like · see review

Jul 31, 2018 Shaun Hutchinson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Each book in this series is beautiful in its own way, but RoaSF just really hit in me in a particular way that I can't explain. There's so much humanity in Chambers' books, and while very little actually happens in terms of plot, the stories of the character unfold in a way that never feels boring. ...more

flag 78 likes · Like · see review

Aug 21, 2018 Bradley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-shelf, sci-fi

Oddly enough, I had to revise my original rating on book 2 down to accommodate my feelings for this one.

Whoa, right? Well, I found I liked this one more than the second, but that's just the thing. I didn't fall head over heels for this one.

So I had to deal with that dissonance.

This novel is about as bucolic as you can get aboard a spacecraft. Totally pastoral. The focus is on ordinary people doing ordinary things and backing off the whole action schtick to get introspective and a bit aimless. ...more

flag 74 likes · Like · see review

Aug 03, 2018 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, favorites, review-copy, arcs-and-galleys, edelweiss

5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/08/09/...

Record of A Spaceborn Few might be my favorite Wayfarers novel yet. Structurally and thematically, it is quite unlike either of its predecessors, but these differences from book to book are what I love most about this series. First, readers got to explore the galaxy and encounter new alien species and civilizations in A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. In contrast, A Closed and Common Orbit was a smaller and more intimate 5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/08/09/...

Record of A Spaceborn Few might be my favorite Wayfarers novel yet. Structurally and thematically, it is quite unlike either of its predecessors, but these differences from book to book are what I love most about this series. First, readers got to explore the galaxy and encounter new alien species and civilizations in A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. In contrast, A Closed and Common Orbit was a smaller and more intimate affair, narrowing the scope to focus on the journeys of two outsiders who ultimately found home in each other. Likewise, this third volume in the series is a deeply personal tale, but at the core of its narrative, the novel also explores the evolution and development of human society, focusing particular attention on the shipborne descendants of the last people to leave a dying Earth.

Needless to say, the anthropology student in me couldn’t help but jump for joy. Chronologically, most of the events in Record of a Spaceborn Few take place right after A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, though the story itself is a standalone. This time, Becky Chambers welcomes us to the Exodus Fleet, a collection of ancient ships home to the largest population of humans found outside the Sol system. Since their departure from Earth, generations have been born and raised here. And while some have left for greener pastures, never to return, others have chosen to stay and carry on the way of life. The Exodans have long abandoned their original goal of finding the perfect planet upon which to settle, deciding on space as their permanent home. The many centuries, however, has taken its toll on the fleet’s deteriorating hulls. In the novel’s prologue, an accident aboard the Oxomoco causes a catastrophic breach and decompression, killing tens of thousands.

As the rest of the fleet rushes to provide aid, the aftermath of accident is related through the eyes of our main characters, who are still affected by memories of the horror years later. Tessa is an Exodan, sister of none other than Ashby who left the fleet years ago to captain the Wayfarer. Her daughter was just shy of five-years-old when the Oxomoco disaster occurred, the trauma of the incident etching itself onto the little girl’s psyche. Then there’s Isobel, a senior archivist who has dedicated her life to recording and preserving the history and memories of the Exodus Fleet. Whether they are happy or sad, all significant events must be documented for posterity. Another character is Eyas, a “caretaker”, the euphemistic name for a person on the fleet who handles the remains of the dead in a highly ritualized process. Nothing is wasted in space, including the bodies of those who pass. Next is Kip, a teenage boy who has no idea what he wants to do with his life, other than the fact he wants to leave the Exodus Fleet as soon as he graduates. And finally, there is Sawyer, a young man from the colony of Mushtullo who arrives at the fleet in order to find his ancestral roots—and maybe, just maybe, a chance at a new life now that there’s nothing left for him planetside.

This book touched me in a profound, beautiful way. Years ago, when I was in college, I read an ethnography for class about a society of island people whose traditions were rapidly disappearing in the face of modern technology and civilization. More and more, their old ways were becoming relics of another era, and young people were leaving in droves for jobs and education on the mainland. To preserve their history and culture, the islanders who remained were a closely-knit community who fought hard to preserve their customs and beliefs that were handed down from generation to generation. I was reminded of all this, because in many ways, I saw parallels in the Exodus Fleet. For some, who can’t imagine a home anywhere else, perpetuating life on the fleet was paramount, while others who felt trapped by it were drawn to opportunities in the wider galaxy beyond. Then there are those who felt obligated to stay out of a sense of duty of guilt, or simply because this was the only life they’ve ever known. Outsiders, even those who came to discover and learn, were not always welcome and were sometimes mistrusted. And when it came to aliens—most of whom saw the Exodus Fleet as a quaint oddity at best, a futile drain on resources at worst—the emotions involved were even more confusing and contentious. This perhaps was best illustrated by the interludes featuring Ghuh’loloan, a Harmagian ethnographer who came to work with Isabel to study and write about the Exodan experience.

Like the previous novels, Record of a Spaceborn Few is celebration of life, love, and hope. The antithesis to the new crop of sci-fi coming out these days featuring nihilistic themes and gritty stories and characters, the Wayfarer series honestly feels like a breath of fresh air. There is just so much heart here, the message being that the galaxy might be a big and scary place, but you can always count on the best of humanity to come out in a crisis. Once again, I’m simply astonished at the level of warmth and compassion found in the individual character’s stories. Each person is someone you can relate to, someone you can come to care deeply about.

What more can I say? Becky Chambers is probably one of the most remarkable talents to break out in recent years, and even with three books under her belt in the Wayfarer series, she’s showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, I think her stories are only getting better and better. Go and read this book. Read A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet too, if you haven’t already. And A Closed and Common Orbit. Read it all. You won’t regret it. ...more

flag 70 likes · Like · see review

Apr 29, 2019 Philip rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: author-woman, 2018-releases, sci-fi, hugo

Can't finish. Which is a shame because I loved the first two. I’m 25% through and still feel nothing for the too many characters there are, and I have no interest in what little plot there is. Can’t keep slogging through at this point. ...more

flag 59 likes · Like · see review

May 26, 2017 Justine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-read

I wasn't sure about this when I started, but it really grew on me. The story is much more understated than in The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and the sequel, A Closed and Common Orbit. What all three books do have in common, however, is that they are intensely character focused, and the characters are engaged in reevaluating their lives, and what it means to be a person.

Unlike many other books of this genre, Record of a Spaceborn Few doesn't use a central conflict to drive the story, but i ...more

flag 51 likes · Like · see review

Jul 25, 2018 Hiu Gregg rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I'm not sure if I wanna write a very long review for this one, as there are some books that you just wanna kinda... keep for yourself. Those books that you don't want to sit and analyse, because you'd rather just enjoy the fact that you've just read a great book that really got you.

Recor of a Spaceborn Few is a wonderful story that made me tear up a whole bunch of times. It's an exploration of humanity, and of what society could be... But on a very relatable level. It's a slice-of-life tale abou I'm not sure if I wanna write a very long review for this one, as there are some books that you just wanna kinda... keep for yourself. Those books that you don't want to sit and analyse, because you'd rather just enjoy the fact that you've just read a great book that really got you.

Recor of a Spaceborn Few is a wonderful story that made me tear up a whole bunch of times. It's an exploration of humanity, and of what society could be... But on a very relatable level. It's a slice-of-life tale about the lives of a small cast of characters, their struggles, and their dreams.

There's a kid trying to discover what he wants to do with his life. There's a young adult searching for a place to call home. There's a mother trying to care for herself and her family, and there's a woman who helps others grieve when the time comes.

All of this is set against the backdrop of a truly "equal" society. There's no need for money, as everyone is provided the same food and standard of living. Nobody needs to work, but they do it for the good of their community. This is the life of the Exodan Fleet, a group of humans that lives in a giant honeycomb-like system of spaceships around a star.

I'm making it sound like a perfect utopia, but the beauty of this setting is that it's anything but perfect. Resources may be allocated equally, but that just means that everyone has the same sparse lifestyle, without much in the way of luxuries. To the other species in the universe... the Exodan humans are almost seen as a charity case. Becky Chambers takes the time to explore the problems and challenges of the society she has created. She presents her world to the reader without judgement, and allows them to draw their own conclusions.

This is a beautiful, shining little gem of a book. It's wholesome, tragic, thoughtful, and uplifting. Somehow all at once. It took me a little while to forge a connection with the characters, but when I got it... Man, did I care.

This is a fantastic addition to the Wayfarers series, and if you're a fan of The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet or A Closed and Common Orbit, you should pick this up immediately.

My only complaint about Becky Chamber's books is that when they're finished... They're finished. I just want to read about these characters forever. ...more

flag 47 likes · Like · see review

Apr 12, 2019 Éimhear (A Little Haze) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-or-preordered

'By the stars, we hope'

This whole series is simply magnificent and this book is a fitting finale to a marvellous trilogy of essentially what are standalone novels. There are no madcap space adventures, no space battles with hostile aliens... None of what one normally thinks about when thinking of space set fiction but what there is is an innate sense of humanity. These books though set in some far flung future amidst the stars are more authentic and true to what it is we are as a society than an ...more

flag 43 likes · Like · see review

Apr 13, 2018 Joanne Harris added it · review of another edition

I was lucky enough to snag a copy of the ARC of this from my publishers, and I'll be buying the hardback version when it comes out. Yes, these books really are that good. I loved the two previous books in this (Series? Cycle?), especially the way in which the stories slot together in a non-linear fashion within an expanding fictional world, which means they can be read and re-read in any order, with equal enjoyment. And oh, how they are enjoyable - on many different levels. I have spoken before ...more

flag 43 likes · Like · see review

Aug 21, 2018 Trish rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

From the ground, we stand. From our ship, we live. By the stars, we hope.
(Motto of the Exodus Fleet)

This is the third installment in the Wayfarer series, a slow-burn science fiction series. I say "slow-burn" because there are no epic battles in space and even when a person is killed, it's more about the exploration of grief, how the community deals with the death as well as the local funeral rights, rather than the investigation and arrest of the culprit(s).

Here, we are on the "Osteria", one of ...more

flag 44 likes · Like · see review

Jul 15, 2018 Jenny (Reading Envy) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewcopy, ebooks, read2018, sci-fi-fantasy, 2018-laser

I loved the first two Wayfarers books, each for different reasons. This one follows several stories inside the Exodus Fleet, the people who left Earth but weren't rich enough to move places like Mars. They've continued living and building upon the ships they left in, and have slowly created a sustaining colony. The book starts with a disaster that sets a few stories in motion.

Like all Chambers books, I appreciate the focus on people and relationships, interesting aliens and their places in the u ...more

flag 44 likes · Like · see review

Apr 19, 2017 Sad Sunday (Books? Me?!? NEVER!!!) added it · review of another edition

DNF at 35%

I gave up. Because...

Nothing....

Ever.........................

Happens.....

The characters are scattered, there is no clear plot, just tons of mundane background and everyday life descriptions. But none of it moves the plot or characters forward. The tone and pace are meditative, relaxing, but it's just anthropologious study of alien-human life. The races and their lifestyle, appearance, culture were quite broadly introduced in the first two books, this one is once again a deeper look in ...more

flag 42 likes · Like · see review

Sep 12, 2018 Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller rated it liked it · review of another edition

[2.5/5 stars] Plot? What plot?

I found this book very difficult to rate. On one hand, I really appreciate Chambers’ unique perspective and fearless, unapologetic outside-the-box approach to storytelling. It’s so different than anything I’ve ever read, and I kind of love that. So I feel it deserved more stars. However, I also had to take into account my own expectations and how much I actually enjoyed reading it… which is significantly less than I’d hoped. I saw many missed opportunities to improv ...more

flag 41 likes · Like · see review

Aug 25, 2018 Claudia rated it it was ok

Shelves: utterly-disappointing, sci-fi

The first two in the series I loved to pieces. The sweetness, the writing, the message, all hit a spot. That’s why I eagerly awaited this last volume and what a disappointment turned out to be…

I read up to 20% before I abandoned it. It should be character driven but there are just mundane actions of people born in space from generations which fled Earth.

The beginning was promising, but after the catastrophe we advance 4 years in the future and the consequences of that event are left in the open. ...more

flag 40 likes · Like · see review

Jul 26, 2018 Benjamin Appleby-Dean rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbt

Honestly the most forward-thinking part of Becky Chambers' books isn't the convincing alien societies or the credible, well-developed technology but in daring to imagine a future society in which people are basically decent and caring towards one another. ...more

flag 38 likes · Like · see review

Apr 03, 2021 Allison Hurd rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fem-author, scifi

I think this series keeps getting stronger and stronger. This one was about belonging, colonialism and colonization, the rituals of life and death and the tapestry that weaves around us that we call culture.

I don't really know what to say about it other than it's heartfelt, contemplative and beautiful. ...more

flag 35 likes · Like · see review

Dec 30, 2020 Prerna rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: brilliant-badass-women, science-fiction, lgbtq, feminist-protagonist, philosophical-fiction

Now that I've read all the books of The Wayfarers series published so far, I can easily say that The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is my favourite of the three. While Record of a Spaceborn Few is definitely complex and nuanced (I've come to expect this from all of Becky Chambers' books,) it does not really pack a punch like the first book did.

One of the things that I love the most about Chambers' writing is the elegant depth of her characters. They often interact with each other and the plot ...more

flag 33 likes · Like · see review

Apr 17, 2020 Dennis rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, series-to-continue

First of all, all three books in Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series can be read as stand-alones. I did not finish the second book, but it doesn't really matter. What I like about this series is that it lets us see this huge universe through many different eyes, from many different perspectives. You get a sense of the whole, but for one novel you become part of something much more intimate.

This time around it is all about life in the Exodan fleet. That part of humanity that generations ago left Ear ...more

flag 32 likes · Like · see review

Jul 22, 2018 Peter Tillman rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, own-copy, stalled

OK, on my third try I finished this one. I didn’t like the structure at all — five parallel story-lines, five principal characters — but there’s a lot to like in the actual story. Except for being confusing, disjointed, and scattered... 😎

The structure makes the book very choppy, hard to follow, hard to get into the flow and really hard to get to know (and like) the characters. I finally did, mostly -- I could have used less teenage angst. The fake-ID bit to get into the sex-club was entertaining OK, on my third try I finished this one. I didn’t like the structure at all — five parallel story-lines, five principal characters — but there’s a lot to like in the actual story. Except for being confusing, disjointed, and scattered... 😎

The structure makes the book very choppy, hard to follow, hard to get into the flow and really hard to get to know (and like) the characters. I finally did, mostly -- I could have used less teenage angst. The fake-ID bit to get into the sex-club was entertaining ;-) The book ends well, with hooks for follow-ons. Overall, 2.5 stars, rounded down for being disjointed & boring.

The backstory is an interesting variation on the generation-ship thing: here, it’s a Fleet that gets to its destination, meets the Galactic Commons, but stays in space permanently, in their ship-habitats. Annoyingly, the infodumps are largely by the visiting alien academic — but the alien herself is pretty interesting. Minor spoilers for the backstory: (view spoiler)

The book opens with a terrible disaster: one of the ships is lost, with 40,000+ deaths. It wasn’t clear if this was accidental or sabotage. Not really a spoiler, as it’s the Prologue. Grim stuff. Oddly, this isn’t really followed up.

All the loose strands and structural flaws make me wonder if this was a trunk novel, unsold until after the success of the first 2. Certainly not an improvement from those! Overall, an interesting failure. 4 stars for ideas and characters, 2 for structure and flow.

Previous progress report: 18 days since I picked this one up, so you can correctly surmise it's not a gripping start. A surprise, since I liked her first two a lot.

Anyway, I picked it up again yesterday, struggled through another chapter or two -- then picked up a 1995 Tony Hillerman, "Finding Moon" -- which I bought a copy of, for 25c., at the library book sale -- & next thing I knew, I'm a third of the way thru it! So we can safely say, Chambers is WAY behind the Old Master in the "grab 'em by the short & curlies" from Chapter 1 on!

My copy is an ARC from a GR/publisher's giveaway. Thanks! ...more

flag 31 likes · Like · see review

Aug 06, 2018 Lindsay rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

Another more-or-less standalone in Becky Chambers wonderfully humanist space series. This one explores life in the Exodan fleet through the viewpoints of several inhabitants.

Tessa is a cargo worker and mother of two precocious young kids. Sawyer is a young immigrant to the Exodan fleet looking for something different. Isabel is an elder, an archivist in a society built in remembering. Eyas is a caretaker, basically a cross between an undertaker and a gardener. Kip is a rebellious teenager lookin ...more

flag 29 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
YA Buddy Readers'...: Record of a Spaceborn Few (Wayfarers #3) by Becky Chambers--Starting November 14th, 2021	2	8	Jan 12, 2022 06:24AM
SciFi and Fantasy...: Series: Wayfarers by Becky Chambers ("Record of a Spaceborn Few")	61	217	Apr 16, 2021 04:43PM
Cannonball Readers: Have you read Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series?	3	8	Dec 03, 2020 07:28PM
Fantasy Buddy Reads: Record of Spaceborn Few [June 2, 2020]	1	9	Jun 05, 2020 11:35PM

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Science Fiction

1,517 users

Fiction

524 users

Space > Space Opera

191 users

LGBT

166 users

Audiobook

152 users

LGBT > Queer

149 users

Space

143 users

Adult

123 users

Science Fiction Fantasy

118 users

Fantasy

84 users

See top shelves…

About Becky Chambers

Becky Chambers

10,863 followers

Becky Chambers is a science fiction author based in Northern California. She is best known for her Hugo Award-winning Wayfarers series, which currently includes The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, A Closed and Common Orbit, and Record of a Spaceborn Few. Her books have also been nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Locus Award, and the Women's Prize for Fiction, among others. Her most ...more