From the Bookshelf of Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge…

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1)

Becky Chambers

Start date: June 1, 2024

Finish date: June 30, 2024

Discussion: Current Monthly Group Read

Why we're reading this: Monthly Group Read for June 2024 (set in space)

previously ...
Monthly Group Read for July 2019 (set in spa…more
[close] Monthly Group Read for June 2024 (set in space)

previously ...
Monthly Group Read for July 2019 (set in space)

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Current Monthly Group Read

September Group Read Discussion: Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery
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What Members Thought

Jan 19, 2025 Sarah rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction, 52bookclub2025

52 Book Club 2025: Found family trope

Once I realized that this book was originally self-published, the super slow start made more sense. I could've done with a bit less worldbuilding and detail. But I enjoyed the story and characters, and I'll likely read more of the series. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 28, 2019 Lisa rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, 2019-popsugar-reading-challenge

I really struggled with this book. I was a reader with very little sci-fi interest and then to be dropped into space (my least loved setting for a story) with many different species,tons of technology that I don’t understand and plots that are as alien to me as the characters.
I quickly grew to love the characters so much so that I may continue the series just to see them again. I keep getting that this book has an agenda for making the problem of our real world transferred into fictional terms. ...more

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Nov 14, 2022 Debbie rated it really liked it

This was a wonderful read, with so much more world-building and depth than I expected going in. Chambers touches on issues of race, culture, religion/spirituality, gender, sexual orientation, economic philosophies, climate change, colonization, authoritarianism, intersectionality, and so much more as she introduces each new planetary specie and/or rest stop. Even the crew on The Wayfarer has several species that work together and respect each others' contributions to the work that comes with int ...more

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Nov 25, 2019 Joanna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019-read, fantasy-sci-fi, audiobooks, rws-2019-fall

This light science fiction novel is sort of like reading the science fiction version of Murder She Wrote. The plot isn't really the point and the main characters are all generally well-meaning nice salt of the earth folks (except here, they're well-meaning totally-different-from-humans aliens). A lovely crew is meandering about doing it's job (tunneling space connections) and blundering into inter-space political decisions.

I loved the world building and the characters in this book. So I could ov ...more

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Dec 26, 2020 Amy Ellis rated it really liked it

This book was fun. Rosemary, fleeing some drama on her home planet of Mars, gets hired on as a clerk on the Wayfarer, a spaceship with a motley crew. I really loved the creative worldbuilding of this book, and all of the characters were interesting and complex with dynamic relationships.

(Read for a challenge—Read a book with an AI/Robot character. Definitely not something I would have otherwise picked up.)

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May 29, 2023 Julie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

So good! I loved this sci-fi about a found family on board a ship, what makes us different and how we connect and show up for each other. Strong Firefly vibes, I really enjoyed this and can’t wait to read the next in the series.

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Jan 11, 2024 Cari rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-listened

Great world-building and a sci-FI story that is really all about how to be human - tech or no tech, space or no space, aliens or no aliens. Loved the crew of the Wayfarer, the dips into each character and the way the overarching plot focuses on what cultural sensitivity really means.

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