The Sparrow (The Sparrow, #1) in Around the World in 80 Books

Oct 29, 2008 MichelleCH rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, scifi-fantasy, religious-tone-or-theme, own, end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it, mt-tbr

4.5**

I still feel changed by this book; I think about it constantly and the characters who annoyed, bonded with and scared me.

The story is almost secondary to the ideas expressed around faith and how our beliefs can either strengthen or destroy us.

Eight people leave Earth to explore the newly discovered planet of Rakhat. The story is told in flashbacks, this is the way in which the reader finds out about how each person endured the trip and their ultimate fate. This planet is discovered after m 4.5**

I still feel changed by this book; I think about it constantly and the characters who annoyed, bonded with and scared me.

The story is almost secondary to the ideas expressed around faith and how our beliefs can either strengthen or destroy us.

Eight people leave Earth to explore the newly discovered planet of Rakhat. The story is told in flashbacks, this is the way in which the reader finds out about how each person endured the trip and their ultimate fate. This planet is discovered after music is heard at a station on Earth. which all believe are welcoming messages; rather than engage in the United Nations debate that is sparked of who should man a mission to seek out the origin of the messages, the Jesuits set off ahead of everyone else. This all made sense to me, if anyone has the resources and capacity to man a trip to the planet, it would definitely be the Catholic church.

Father Emilio Sandoz is the central character and believes that this newly discovered planet will lead him to the meaning of life and his God. Unfortunately he finds that fate/his God/his faith have not aligned in this way. The novel's ending which describes what the songs actually mean is powerful and will last in your mind for some time to come - that I can promise.

Some readers thought it was preachy but I didn't see that at all, I think that Russell allows each person to decide for themselves what they want to believe. For me it also seemed somewhat critical of the Catholic church especially their system of hierarchy and the blind faith which can color decision making.

Why didn't I give it five stars then?

There were a few 'no you didn't' moments which distracted me greatly. The travelers are the best and the brightest, chosen specifically for this mission, and yet make some ridiculous choices that just were annoying. As the reader, you just knew it wouldn't turn out well, ie. trying plants/animals on another planet, meeting an alien race and not taking reasonable precautions, wasting fuel, and finally some standard and too-often done character profiles: the obligatory tough chick, mama hen and Mr. know-it-all.

It stil has me ready to read the sequel and to find if and when Father Sandoz will return to Rakhat.

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Nov 25, 2011 Kay Green rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy-scifi

This book was easy to read, but involved more complicated and challenging ideas than I have tackled in a while. I found that every few pages it would pose some new idea that I would want to just sit and think about. I am not used to science fiction but this was not what I imagine as the typical science fiction. The book is a story of first contact with a new world, but included many discussions of spirituality, one's purpose in life, and what is God. In that I found it more interesting than The ...more

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Nov 05, 2015 Rachel N. rated it really liked it

Emilio Sandoz, is the only survivor of a jesuit led mission to a recently discovered planet, Rakhat. Sandoz returns in discgrace. The story alternates between Sandoz's return and how the mission began and the time on Rakhat. Though the story involves space exploration it is mostly about faith. I really liked the characters who went on the mission to Rakhat. My main problem with the book is the ending seemed very rushed and it leaves the reader hanging. It takes a very logn time to get to what we ...more

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