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The Galaxy, and the Ground Within

(Wayfarers #4)

Becky Chambers (Goodreads Author)

4.43 · Rating details · 19,033 ratings · 2,938 reviews

With no water, no air, and no native life, the planet Gora is unremarkable. The only thing it has going for it is a chance proximity to more popular worlds, making it a decent stopover for ships traveling between the wormholes that keep the Galactic Commons connected. If deep space is a highway, Gora is just your average truck stop.

At the Five-Hop One-Stop, long-haul space ...more

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ebook, 336 pages

Published April 20th 2021 by Harper Voyager (first published February 19th 2021)

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Apr 21, 2021 K.J. Charles added it

Shelves: blubbed-like-a-baby, sf

Extraordinary.

This is virtually plotless. It's about a small group of people from different species who happen to be at the same interstellar truck stop when a tech failure leaves them all stranded for a few days. They talk. they eat. They come together in an emergency. There is no enemy. Not much actually happens. I couldn't stop reading and I was sobbing like a child at the end.

Because this is about how people are different and strange to one another, and how hard it is to communicate and shar ...more

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Sep 04, 2021 Mario the lone bookwolf (is on a longer vacation) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: chambers-becky

Again, a commonly seen sci-fi trope is described from a new, fascinating perspective of which no other author had the ingenuity to see the potential.

Back to the roots of the ingenious first novel, this completely character focused part again deals with social, sociological societal, and psychological topics by using the good old “putting people that will certainly have interesting debates and conflicts together in a small space they can´t escape from“ trope.

In contrast to older social sci-fi th Again, a commonly seen sci-fi trope is described from a new, fascinating perspective of which no other author had the ingenuity to see the potential.

Back to the roots of the ingenious first novel, this completely character focused part again deals with social, sociological societal, and psychological topics by using the good old “putting people that will certainly have interesting debates and conflicts together in a small space they can´t escape from“ trope.

In contrast to older social sci-fi that sometimes had a lecturing and biased undertone that lead to less identification with the characters, Chambers uses permanent character povs to construct intensive, credible, and deep pictures of future worlds, adding much philosophy, social criticism, and depth in the best way possible. By integrating it into the main red plotline, character motivations, and fractions ideological goals, letting it explode in mostly nonviolent, still very thrilling ways that leave the reader with thoughts about many important issues, Chambers shows how social sci-fi can flex its muscles and own the genre with innovative, progressive ideas.

Adding the suspense, mysterious backstory element to the show makes it even more thrilling than Chambers´other works, following the tradition of luring crime and thriller fans into sci-fi lands, Asimov and Lem loved to use in their works. Again, without violence and action by fully focusing on internal thought processes, dialogues, inner monologues, using some of the most difficult to write styles like a boss.

Just as Octavia E Butler and Nnedi Okorafor, Chambers goes fully subtle against discrimination, prejudices, and racism, putting the bad human habits into future scenarios where only the tech is shiny and new, while the ideology of tribalistic Stoneage idiocy is still big in many species. It´s opening the fascinating question if the superficiality and xenophobia of the human, and other alien, species will someday really be the reason for not just hate crimes, but wars and xenocides as first acts of galactic or intergalactic first contact diplomacy. If every technological development and physical discovery has been successful and just the ape, squid, insect, or whatever instinct, to attack and kill everything new and foreign, is the reason for unnecessary suffering.

I wish I would remember more of what I´ve read, and of course have generally read more, sci-fi to get all the hidden easter eggs and innuendos, because I have a kind of intuitive, subjective feeling that Chambers is the kind of person that likes to put extra hidden inside jokes besides all the underlying social criticism. Or I´m just projecting too much into it because I´m fanboying and glorifying too much, who knows.

What I´ve noticed the most while reading groundbreaking, ingenious, social, female sci-fi is how much more accessible, and especially more entertaining it is, for all other readers who aren´t used to the genre and prefer to go with the protagonists or not too complex worldbuilding. Too detailed descriptions, technobabble, dozens of page long fights and terraforming projects, author ego driven hypercomplex philosophical, technological, and societal concepts, and especially hard sci-fi and too grimdark dystopias making it difficult for readers to enter the future worlds. And that´s where female sci-fi writers rock, taking great characters with everyday, relationship, and all kind of gender identity problems and letting them live in future worlds with some grains of tech and action, but mostly character development. It´s so good and so different from what I am used to read from mostly male, white WEIRD
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychol...
STEM writers. They´re great, but have created a kind of monoculture where other cultures and especially the feminine perspective are completely underrepresented, just as in real life.

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

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May 16, 2020 Charlotte May rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi

This series though! 🥰

Another wonderful addition to the Wayfarers series. Although I don’t think any of them have topped A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, I’ve enjoyed continuing nonetheless.

Book 4 is set at a truck stop in space. For all your fuel, food and relaxation needs. But when a technical malfunction means that 4 very different characters are stuck together, things get tricky. 3 visitors plus the woman who runs the shop and her child.

Becky Chambers’ world building is so intricate, wit ...more

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May 03, 2021 Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2021

My heart!!!!!!! What can I say about Becky Chambers that I haven't already said a thousand times before? I just absolutely adore the Wayfarers series and this book was no exception. The characters in this wrapped themselves around my heart in all the best ways and I cried my way through the last 10% of this one because I just cared for all of the characters so damn much. If you love character driven stories and haven't yet checked out this series, YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO RIGHT THIS MINUTE. It is ...more

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Dec 10, 2020 Éimhear (A Little Haze) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-gifted-review-copies

And so with this novel Becky Chambers completes her Wayfarers quartet... and honestly, it was the perfect ending. It’s a book that manages to feel incredibly expansive with its cast of characters, but also beautifully intimate.

If you haven’t read any of the Wayfarers novels before now I completely recommend that you rectify that promptly. Each book is set in the same universe but have their own unique storyline so technically can be enjoyed in any order.

As with any Chambers’ novel the emphasis ...more

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Feb 13, 2021 luce ❀ wishfully reading ❀ semi hiatus rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss, disappointing-reads, 2021-reviews, lgbtqia-side, almost-and-former-dnfs, skimmed, v-so-so-reads

❀ blog ❀ thestorygraph ❀ letterboxd ❀ tumblr ❀ ko-fi ❀

This basically was The Breakfast Club but with aliens.

Die-hard fans of the Wayfarers series will probably appreciate The Galaxy, and the Ground Within. While I loved The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet I was not as taken by its sequel nor by this rather anticlimactic conclusion. The Galaxy, and the Ground Within follows a somewhat basic premise: a bunch of strangers from vastly differentiating backgrounds are forced into close quarters due ...more

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Apr 24, 2021 Jenny (Reading Envy) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read2021, netgalley, 2021-laser, reviewcopy, ebooks, sci-fi-fantasy

At this point, the last book.in the Wayfarers series, if you know, you know. Nothing much happens, just a handful of aliens trapped for a few days on a boring planet that's mostly a galactic gas station, and the friends (and children) they made along the way.

There is this one section where the (all non-human) characters discuss humans and their weird obsession with cheese, and how it's made, and how they eat it, it is hilarious.

I'm looking forward to what Becky Chambers does next but I'll be sa ...more

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Apr 20, 2021 Rachel (Kalanadi) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, 2021-releases

3.5 stars, rounding up because sometimes you just want to read about people being nice to each other.

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Mar 24, 2021 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sci-fi, 2021-shelf, space-opera, fantasy

Chambers does it again with her character-driven warm-fuzzies-in-space-opera fiction.

I've enjoyed all of these books for exactly what they are. Not a traditional space-opera in any normal sense of the word except in the dodads, alien species, and space-travel, but while we DO have all of these bits, the story is always down-to-earth, small, and focused on getting by, developing relationships, and sometimes even a taste or three of a few universals.

You know, like being upset with governmental stu ...more

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Mar 24, 2021 Trish rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The Lovers' Farewell

Think of home when you are far from here.
Let it be your comfort.
Think of us when you are alone.
Remember always our bright days,
Remember song,
Remember joy.
Remember the purple sky.
Remember dark faces, old and beloved.
Remember children, their shells still white.

Cheese! And an embarrassingly out-of-their-depth government agency that very much reminded me of governments and how they are (not) handling this pandemic. Just two very hilarious / poignant details in this 4th volume of the Wayfarers series and yes, there is a direct connection to the characters of the first book. :)

We’re on the planet Gora, a barren world known only because it happens to be situated closely to more popular worlds, making it the perfect stopover for ships traveling between the wormholes that keep this series’ galaxy connected.
At the "Five-Hop One-Stop", spacers can get fuel, transit permits and assorted supplies. But when something happens (what exactly is quite unimportant), three such spacers (all different species) are suddenly stranded with the alien running the place and her offspring.
The actual story is about who these individuals are, where they’ve been and where they want to go from here.

As is usual for this author, the story is not about explosions and action scenes, but about the character studies and developments. This results in a very colorful and interesting story but one that isn’t "loud". Either one likes that sort of thing or one doesn’t. I happen to appreciate both, depending on the execution.
Especially since the "quietness" of this series doesn’t mean no deep and complicated matters such as (class) warfare, intercultural expansion, physical disabilities or other socio-political problems are being addressed.
I also liked the setting in which the topics where explored. I mean, what do you do if you can’t just walk away? If you can’t just call emergency services in case of an actual emergency? When you’re stranded and shut in?

While I did like volumes 2 and 3 of the series a lot, volume 1 will always be the best - but this 4th volume is a very close second!

The writing style was once again wonderful, the descriptions rich and conveying the necessary gravitas of certain events while also highlighting emotional impacts, letting the events flow as smoothly as any conventional, action-packed adventure story.
Moreover, there were some nods to the other books and a strong bond with the first that had me laugh in delight (including a serious "d’aw"-moment). :D

The series is a bit different from the usual sci-fi stuff out there, but truly great. ...more

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May 28, 2021 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-5-stars, hardback-own, machalo-tbr-challenge-2021, sci-fi, own

The creatures 💕💕💕💕

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾 ...more

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Dec 13, 2020 Katy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, scifi_2020

Once again Becky Chambers has restored my faith in humanity. This novel feels like the perfect remedy to the shit show that was 2020 and honestly could not have come at a more perfect time. Her writing has this captivating quality that takes you in it's arms and makes you feel like everything is going to be okay with the world.

The Galaxy and The Ground Within is a very quiet yet profound novel and personally I think it's such a refreshing change from a lot of the high octane sci-fi thillers we Once again Becky Chambers has restored my faith in humanity. This novel feels like the perfect remedy to the shit show that was 2020 and honestly could not have come at a more perfect time. Her writing has this captivating quality that takes you in it's arms and makes you feel like everything is going to be okay with the world.

The Galaxy and The Ground Within is a very quiet yet profound novel and personally I think it's such a refreshing change from a lot of the high octane sci-fi thillers we get nowadays. The major theme of the book is a contemplation on what it means to accept both others and yourelf, to me this is such a beautiful thing to explore and definetly a lesson I think a lot of the world needs, on treating people who are different from you with respect, grace and kindness.

In terms of plot and characters, we follow a small group of characters (who I absolutely adore, they might be my fvaourite cast of the wayfayers books, although I do also adore the wayfayer crew in the long way), who are all strangers at the start of the novel, but due to unforseen circumstances they are stuck together planetside on Gora. Gora is a planet which doesn't have its own indiginous species, but instead has become a sort of stopover port, in the middle of a wormhole gate system.

The main charcaters we follow are:

Ouloo - Ouloo is the owner of the one stop five hop, a sort of resort for travellers to take a rest on their way to where they are going next, whilst waiting for their turn in the wormhole gate crew. Ouloo is mother to Tupo and is very passionate about making her guests feel welcome and accepted.

Tupo - Xe is Ouloo's child and is one of my favoruite characters ever. Becky chambers perfectly captured the spirit of a pre-teen/teenager who wants to be xyr own person but also very much still needs xyr parent. Tupo is sweet yet mischivous and so curious about the world.

Pei - Another one of my absolute favourites, we have actually met Pei before, as Ashby's love interest. But seeing her on her own and discovering her character as an indivual, her wants and goals, as well as her struggles (paticularly about her relationship with Ashby - which she feels a lot of guilt about) was such a pleasure to read. Her storyline is so beautiful, coming to terms with what she wants for her life and standing up for herself to herself (idk if that makes sense but it's the best way I can describe it!). Also some of the choices she maes towards the end of the book were so impactful and I think will resonate with a lot of women.

Roveg - Roveg is a Quelin, an species which has ostracised themselves from the rest of the GC, who is exile and is very much the glue who holds this fledgeling group together (Pei and Speaker have very strong perosnalities and Roveg is the perfect balance to this). Keeping his own secrets and anxieties about the situation is character arc is very interesting to watch unfold throughout the novel. I also love how respectful and interested he is in other cultures and how fundamentally tied to his character this is.

Speaker - She is another character who I just feel head over heels for, part of the Akarak race, a species we don't know much about, nor do the rest of the GC, Speaker has made herself into someone who is almost an ambassador for her species, however she often feels this burden and wants people to just accept her for who she is rather than who she presents to the world. She is also seperated from her twin sister at the start of the novel and you truly feel her anxiety and love for her sister and wanting to get back to her.

We watch as the characters grow closer in their forced proximity, but also how they clash with one another and their differing world (galaxy?) views. Also how the characters are forced to take a break from their everyday lives and just spend a few days doing very little, just looking after themsleves and the others they are stuck with. This is a very important takeaway, especially with the current work climate of work yourself to death, as well as a reflection on how COVID has forced a lot of us to take a break and maye reflect a little on what we truly want from life.

There are so many beautiful quotes in this book, as well as some really emotional character moments, paticularly around themes of parenthood (which I am always a sucker for). Also some really sweet and wholesome moments, especially around the sharing of food and how that can help bring people together - another theme which resonated deeply with me. Finally there is an element of medicine/healing care which of course I also loved!!!!

In conclusion The Galaxy and the Ground Within is probably tied with the Long Way to a Small Angry Planet for my favourite Wayfayers book, a beautiful novel about where you've been, where you are and where you are going. ...more

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Aug 02, 2021 Philip rated it liked it

Shelves: 2021-releases, sci-fi, author-woman, hugo

3.5ish stars.

Different ingredients, same flavor - just a little watered down. Coke Zero perhaps.

I loved book 1, (TLWTASAP), but whereas book 3 (ROASF) lost me with Chambers doing too much, I like that this one (TG,ATGW) returned to the simplicity of book 2 (ACACO). And then again, while book 2 was powerful in its simplicity, #4 is just a little too slight.

The draw of the Wayfarers series itself is that it's inclusive and hopeful and makes people feel good. Which is solid, and this book fits th ...more

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Dec 07, 2020 Ash rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: fans of The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

Shelves: 4-stars, arcs, science-fiction, lgbt-side-character, read-2021, top-2021

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To say I was excited to get a Becky Chambers ARC would be an understatement. Becky Chambers has quickly become one of my favorite authors of all time, and I will read every single thing she publishes until the day she stops writing or the day I die, whichever comes first. In particular, her Wayfarers series never fails to transport me to this amazing world she’s developed.

Something I really en Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To say I was excited to get a Becky Chambers ARC would be an understatement. Becky Chambers has quickly become one of my favorite authors of all time, and I will read every single thing she publishes until the day she stops writing or the day I die, whichever comes first. In particular, her Wayfarers series never fails to transport me to this amazing world she’s developed.

Something I really enjoyed about The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is that, unlike the previous books in this series, which were very centered around the Human experience in Chambers’ world of the Galactic Commons, none of the point-of-view characters were Human. We have Ouloo, the Laru owner of the Five-Hop One-Stop and single mother of Tupo; Speaker, an Akarak traveling with her sister, Tracker; Roveg, an exiled Quelin artist; and Pei, an Aeluon captain we originally met in The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet.

As a result of finally focusing on more than just the Human perspective, Chambers really shows off her worldbuilding skills in this book. Almost the entire book takes place in one location, and yet I learned so much about different species, different worlds, different cultures, some of the political issues within the Galactic Commons, and more. I spend so much time in my reviews praising Chambers for her characters, and I truly do love her characters, but I wanted to add some praise for her worldbuilding up front because it’s honestly just as good as her character development and deserves the attention.

Now back to the characters. A Close and Common Orbit was my favorite book in the series so far in part because of how much I related to one of the main characters, Sidra. I’ve always enjoyed Chambers’ characters, but there’s something special and validating about a character who’s going through something you’ve been through. I was able to get that experience again in The Galaxy, and the Ground Within with Pei.

Pei is in a relationship with Ashby, the Human captain from The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, which they have to keep a secret because Aeluons have a strong taboo against interspecies romance. Pei’s internal struggle between not wanting to keep this secret any longer but also not wanting to damage her career by telling everyone the truth was very similar to the internal struggle I went through when I was in the closet. Not for the first time reading one of Chambers’ books, I felt seen.

I fell in love with the other characters as well. Ouloo and Tupo were so wholesome, especially their efforts to make all their guests feel welcome. Roveg was impossible not to like, and his budding friendship with Speaker was heartwarming. In typical Chambers fashion, The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is an extremely character-driven story, maybe even more so than any of the previous books in this series. If you like that about this series, you’ll probably like this book too. If you didn’t, you probably won’t.

My one complaint about this book – other than the lack of plot, which I more or less expected – would be that the characters felt more introspective than in previous books, to the point where I sometimes felt I was being told and not shown their personalities and emotions. But overall, as always, the characters were great, their relationships were great, and the worldbuilding was spectacular. ...more

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Jan 24, 2021 Andreas rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2021, science-fiction

Unpopular opinion incoming:

Synopsis: Three aliens are stranded at their hosts for a few days on a backwater planet due to global technical reasons:
Pei gives a comeback from the first novel. She is an Aeulon and a military cargo runner who won't make it to the rendezvous with her human lover. Roveg, an exiled lobster-like Quelin, is a creator of vacation simulations who needs to make a vital appointment. Speaker, a methane-breathing Akarak in a mechsuit, worries for her sister in the orbit. These ...more

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Oct 18, 2021 Prerna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: brilliant-badass-women, science-fiction, characters-close-to-my-heart, feminist-protagonist

In her writing, Becky Chambers is remarkably adept at exploring any conflict through a compassionate perspective that sometimes verges on the overly-sugary but also just happens to be something we all need in this capitalist hellscape.This book in particular, focuses on a planet-wide crisis that leaves its characters stranded, isolated and reliant on strangers. Had I read the blurb, I would have been sure it wouldn't work because it's too soon. We aren't desensitized enough to read pandemic insp ...more

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May 04, 2021 Gabrielle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, own-a-copy, read-in-2021, reviewed, ongoing-series, speculative-fiction

Parting is such sweet sorrow, isn’t it, Becky? At the same time, my nerves were frayed and my spirit low, so a Wayfarer novel was just what the doctor ordered when my pre-order was finally delivered – even if it’s the final tome of this beloved series.

Gora is a little planet with no natural ecosystem or natural resources, but it happens to be located at the juncture of several wormholes managed by the Galactic Commons to facilitate long-distance space travel; in other words, it’s the perfect spo Parting is such sweet sorrow, isn’t it, Becky? At the same time, my nerves were frayed and my spirit low, so a Wayfarer novel was just what the doctor ordered when my pre-order was finally delivered – even if it’s the final tome of this beloved series.

Gora is a little planet with no natural ecosystem or natural resources, but it happens to be located at the juncture of several wormholes managed by the Galactic Commons to facilitate long-distance space travel; in other words, it’s the perfect spot for a rest stop that will give travelers a chance to stretch, rest and have a snack during a layover. This is precisely what three aliens of different species had planned to do: a little stop at the homely establishment of Five-Hop One-Stop to refuel before moving on. But alas, when a freak accident seriously damages the planet’s satellites and brings down all comms for an indeterminate period of time, the travelers are stranded.

Chambers works with a classic crossroads metaphor with this book, as all of her characters have a personal choice to make in order to go forward when they end up stranded at the Five-Hop. The personal and the political are subtly mixed, because they do remain closely intertwined, even if we like to pretend otherwise (and even on other planets, I assume).

As usual, she gives us wonderfully fleshed out, multi-dimensional characters, incredibly imaginative aliens species and cultures and fun, intriguing settings to explore. Ouloo and her teenage child Tupo have made their little hostel as comfortable as possible for any alien species who might drop by, and frankly, it sounds like the rest stop I would love to find on my next roadtrip: a little garden, a spa room and endless cake? Yes, please!

But as usual, where Chambers really shines is with her amazing character development. Rovek (a Quelin – a crustacean-like species with multiple legs and a hard keratin shell) might have been my favorite, and it was great to reconnect with Pei, the Aeluon captain (and girlfriend of Captain Ashby https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) but I was both fascinated and saddened by Speaker’s story, and I felt deeply for Ouloo, who gave herself no small task when she decided to raise her child in as diverse an environment as possible. Exile, parenthood, survival in a world that is simply not build for you, the loyalty to one’s culture while understanding that its flawed… Those things are not easy to deal with, and different cultures have different ideas about them, but under the shell or fur or scales, we are not as different as we might think, as these five aliens find out during the outage. (I must add that as an unrepentant cheese-addict, I have to tip my hat to Chambers for describing cheese in a way that made me go "oh god, that IS fucking weird!" in this book. I'm still going to shove brie in my face, but I definitely see why aliens would find that upsetting.)

I love the way this series’ books are connected, because it draws a wonderful picture of the interconnectedness between people, even when they are from different planets, and that even when they don’t agree on everything, they are still part of each other’s lives. It makes me happy to think that her characters are better off for having known each other, even if they could never have imagined such a thing. While I wouldn’t say her books are didactic, Chambers is clearly an advocate of compassion, tolerance and open dialogue, something the world could use a bit more of, and as I said in my other reviews of her books, sometimes, it’s just nice to imagine a world where people get along better. It may feel too cutesy for some, but I needed the warm and fuzzy hug of this book.

A series that I am sad to leave behind but already look forward to revisiting! ...more

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Apr 09, 2021 Jude in the Stars rated it really liked it

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet made me fall in love with Becky Chambers’ writing and with her imagination. I enjoyed the next two Wayfarers books even if my excitement wasn’t always as high and my awe as all-encompassing as with that first book. Chambers’ writing is precise and meticulous, perfectly suited to world-building, with the right amount of details to feel complete without being dull or overwhelming.

Besides the fascinating universe Chambers has created, another aspect of her boo The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet made me fall in love with Becky Chambers’ writing and with her imagination. I enjoyed the next two Wayfarers books even if my excitement wasn’t always as high and my awe as all-encompassing as with that first book. Chambers’ writing is precise and meticulous, perfectly suited to world-building, with the right amount of details to feel complete without being dull or overwhelming.

Besides the fascinating universe Chambers has created, another aspect of her books continuously delights me, and that’s the characters. Every single character feels whole and they all still live in me months or years after I’ve read the book. Pei is one of those characters. She may not have been one of the main characters in The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet but I remember her very well, which, as you know if you’ve read my reviews before, doesn’t happen often. I loved the idea of getting to know her better and Chambers didn’t disappoint. The best part is, all the other characters were just as captivating and I enjoyed every second with each of them.

The premiss of The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is pretty simple: basically, it’s strangers stranded together “on a nothing planet in the middle of nowhere” (to quote Pei). Gora wouldn’t even register as a planet (its name means useless in Hanto) if it wasn’t perfectly situated between more interesting places. Think of it as a truck stop for spacers waiting in line to access the wormhole they need to get through to reach their real destination. One of the places where they can dock and rest, refuel and do whatever they need to do before getting back on the road – so to speak – is the Five-Hop One-Stop, operated by Ouloo and her non-binary child Tupo. All Ouloo wants is for her guests to be happy so when a technical incident stops all traffic, she’ll work twice as hard to make sure their stay is as comfortable as possible. Over the course of a few days, the hosts and their three guests will learn a lot about each other but also about themselves. They’re all different species: Ouloo and Tupo are Laru; Speaker is an Akarak with weak legs, whose sister Tracker stayed on the ship while she took the shuttle to Gora; Roveg is an exiled Quelin; Pei is an Aeluon, on her way to spend a few clandestine days with Ashby, the captain of the Wayfarer and the common denominator to all four books.

There aren’t any humans in this story, and it feels like a perfect choice to end the series, especially as book three, Record of a Spaceborn Few, was all about humans. It brings perspective to the universe and while reminding the reader of how tiny each of us is in the grand scheme of things, it’s also fascinating to realise how relatable these characters are. One might argue that Chambers failed to make them diverse enough, considering they’re all different species, but I like the idea of common emotions and reactions regardless of how dissimilar they are in other respects. Their bonding over their shared confusion as to humans’ love of cheese is probably the funniest scene of the book.

As I wrote before, there’s a deceptive quietness to the stories Becky Chambers tells. Stuff happens but most of it is not at the forefront. What matters isn’t so much events as how the characters react to them. The narrative may seem slow but there’s nothing boring about it. Chambers’ words envelop the reader whose only job is to let themselves be carried away. There’s something very poetic about the world(s) Chambers describes but – and that’s what I mean by deceptively quiet – that element doesn’t hide any of the ugly nor of the glorious.

The message I got from this fourth and final book is one of agency. Which is true for the whole series, come to think of it. (Re)claiming one’s power, whether it be on one’s body, one’s mind, one’s story. Deciding for yourself, making your own choices in a way that, in the end, benefits everyone.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within doesn’t feel like an ending. I’m not sure if it’s a bad thing or a good thing, whether it should feel more final. I’ll let the optimist in me take over: if Becky Chambers was to change her mind and add more books to the series, they could fit seamlessly.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more

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Feb 26, 2021 Emma rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The entire Wayfarer series has been absolutely awesome, each entry wonderful in its own right, every one my new favourite. I adored all the characters in this story and found it very moving. Gave me the warm and fuzzies. Recommended.

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Jan 23, 2022 Starlah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, 2022, queer

Becky Chambers' ability to craft such a lush and beautiful, queer world that feels like a giant, warm hug is incredible.

Even though book one, The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, is still my favorite in this entire series, this was still a great last installment. I loved the characters that we follow in this! One of whom is someone we met in book one, Pei, who was my favorite to follow in this. Everything about the world is just so beautifully diverse and this book was just so wholesome. This ...more

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May 01, 2021 TS Chan rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-review-copy

ARC received from the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within concludes Becky Chambers' wonderfully charming science fiction series with another heartwarming story that is so characteristic of all the Wayfarers books.

This final volume harkens back to the themes that I've read and loved in the very first book, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. In most science fiction stories, there's always some form of study of the human co ...more

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Mar 15, 2021 Alex Bright rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Oh, but how my heart needed this book! I know a lot of you don't have access to Becky Chambers' newest release, so I'll keep this short and spoiler free. If you enjoyed the first three in the Wayfarers series, you'll enjoy this. Her characters and compassion are so lovely and she has definitely become one of my "comfort read" authors. This particular outing is focused on a sort of "cultural exchange" between an all-alien (non-human) cast, shedding more light on the universe (galaxy) which she ha ...more

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May 05, 2021 Shaun Hutchinson rated it it was amazing

I just adore this series, though I'm sad that this is the final book. ...more

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Jan 20, 2020 Giulia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: the-good, the-lgbtq

"And sometimes fear is good. Fear keeps you alive. But it can also keep you from what you really want."

TW: xenophobia, mentions of gore, mentions of war

I have been tended. I have been taken care of. I have been loved. I have been nourished. I have been nurtured. I have been cocooned. I have been blessed.

Basically, I have read yet another masterpiece written by Becky Chambers.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within – just like all the other books in the Wayfarers series – has been like a lovely a ...more

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Feb 21, 2020 Tyler rated it it was amazing

Please please please let this story bring us back to our first spaceborn crew from book 1.

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May 26, 2020 Taylor rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, lgbtqia, 2021-books

4.5 stars

A delight, as always. Becky Chambers can do no wrong in my eyes!

RTC.

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Sep 12, 2021 Peter Tillman rated it liked it

Shelves: friend-recos, science-fiction, on-reserve, at-slo-paso-bg-pa

Windup book for the series, which was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Series. An award that I never knew existed, until now.

A good book, but not a gripping one. At the moment, I'm giving it a 3.5 star rating, and wobbling between rounding up or down. Not her best work, and I wouldn't start here -- though it is a standalone. Another of her trademark "found family" stories, this one recycles old stories of travelers stranded in a temporary refuge, while a natural disaster is sorted out. As yo ...more

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Mar 28, 2021 Kitty G Books rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The final one in the Wayfarers series does not disappoint, and once again I thoroughly enjoyed this universe Chambers has created. In this particular book we focus on one planet, particularly a port with a little shop called the Five-Hop which is visited frequently by travellers for layovers. The owner, Ouloo, is kind and considerate and always tries to make the best situation for her guests, and along with her child Tupo (xe/xyr pronouns) they welcome aliens of all types.

We pick up the story w The final one in the Wayfarers series does not disappoint, and once again I thoroughly enjoyed this universe Chambers has created. In this particular book we focus on one planet, particularly a port with a little shop called the Five-Hop which is visited frequently by travellers for layovers. The owner, Ouloo, is kind and considerate and always tries to make the best situation for her guests, and along with her child Tupo (xe/xyr pronouns) they welcome aliens of all types.

We pick up the story when a few guests have docked at the Five-Hop, and are waiting to take off again. Normally there would be little interaction between the guests from different ships, but whilst they're all waiting to depart a power outage on the planet leaves them stranded and forces them out to socialise and learn from one another.

Pei, a character we know from previous books within the Wayfarers series, is a captain on leave on her way to visit her lover. It was good to see her as a character and find out some of her own POV as previously I don't think we really say her as a major character, and I have always been curious about her and the way she communicated through colours and a voice box.

We then have Roveg who is an exile from his home after he made some political simulations. He is travelling back to his home world after many years in the hopes of being given a temporary visitors permit to see his family. He is a caring individual who wants to learn about the world's of others and their lives too, and I really liked a few particular scenes where he bonded with another character (such as Tupo at the museum or Speaker over the breakfast he sends to her).

Speaker is the next character, and she wears a suit to survive as the outside air and world which many aliens thrive in doesn't work well for her species. She normally travels with her sister, Tracker, but she goes down to the planet alone in this instance as it is always easier for her to communicate with other aliens. When Comms go down this leaves her worried about what is happening to Tracker and she takes some convincing to come out of her shell.

Each of these aliens, along with the hosts, has their own paths and beliefs, cultures and adventures and I really liked getting to understand them through their interactions and conversation with one another. Once again Chambers creates a story where although something has gone wrong it actually brings everyone closer together and they all learn a lot about others and themselves, leaving a lovely message behind.

I am sad that this is the end of the Wayfarers but also excited to see what Chambers does next. I'll certainly be on the lookout for her next work, and in the meantime I highly recommend you all trying this story out and the rest in the Wayfarers series, each is a standalone with a few small cameo characters to ties them very loosely together.

4*s ...more

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Dec 10, 2020 Lauren James rated it it was amazing

Shelves: aliens, space, epistolary, solarpunk, closed-environment, reproductive-technologies, body-positivity, found-family, lush-food

[Gifted]
This was fascinating. It's definitely one for the zoologists out there - there aren't any human characters for most of the story. Instead, four different alien species with incredibly different physiologies are stuck in a small habitat dome together with no communications for a week. All of them have their own desperate reasons for leaving as quickly as possible, but despite their impatience they find themselves fascinated by the differences and similarities between each other's bodies a ...more

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Apr 23, 2021 Montzalee Wittmann rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction-fantasy, favorites, top-books-of-2021

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within
(Wayfarers #4)
by Becky Chambers

This is a brilliant and well thought out book! It's a book I requested from the publisher and NetGalley and the review is my own opinion. Thanks so much for letting me read this wonderful book!

Chambers has a way of creating characters that are so extremely different from each other from their looks, physical traits, background, politics, worlds, upbringing, society norms, and well, everything about them. But at the same time Chamber ...more

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Fantasy Buddy Reads: The Galaxy, and the Ground Within [Feb 23, 2021]	34	55	Oct 03, 2021 09:13AM
Play Book Tag: The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers - 4.5 stars	2	9	May 31, 2021 10:57AM
Play Book Tag: The Galaxy and the Ground Within - Chambers - 4 stars	1	10	May 21, 2021 11:30AM