From the Bookshelf of Apocalypse Whenever…

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

Becky Chambers

Start date: July 15, 2020

Finish date: August 1, 2020

Discussion: AW BOOK CLUB (spoilers)

Discussion leader: Gertie

Why we're reading this: Read anytime, discussion opens August 1st. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...…more
[close] Read anytime, discussion opens August 1st. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

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AW BOOK CLUB (spoilers)

* What is a good book for AW discussion? (Nominations pool)
By Gertie · 65 posts · 218 views

last updated Oct 18, 2025 05:31PM

* AW Book Club: what we've read
By Gertie · 16 posts · 1826 views

last updated Dec 10, 2019 09:01AM

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What Members Thought

Aug 15, 2016 Mitchell Friedman rated it it was amazing

Shelves: library, liked-reviews, published-2014, science-fiction, fiction, favorite-book-read-in-a-year, five-star, author-c, bc-powellssfgroup, favorites

Another read through on this one. It is not a fast read. And as a third read I knew not to rush it. This read again felt like a Firefly knockoff. But with aliens. The book just builds and hits and repeats.

This book is far from perfect. It comes off as being completely unoriginal. In fact way too often it resonated as being as life on the Serenity in the Firefly universe. But with the travel mechanisms of Gateway. And it's got the runaway heir. And a Mos Eisley knock off. And it was a travelogue, ...more

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Feb 10, 2016 Donna rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: didnt-finish

I got twenty percent through this and couldn't muster the interest to read any more. The setting is detailed and it's fairly well written, I just keep getting bored and putting it down.

One thing that didn't work in its favor for me was that the influences were apparent to the point of becoming a distraction. Maybe I'll try picking this up again later when I'm in a more forgiving mood. ...more

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Jul 12, 2017 Chris Sachnik rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, sci-fi

Some really good sci-if here. Most of the book is divided up focusing on the characters, so character development is covered very well. There is a good bit of casual humor In the book, which is aimed at the modern reader, but I guess snark won't change that much in time and space. I sort of think of this book as a series of well-connected vignettes. Lots of time is skipped, but that's ok. The characters are the story, and they shine. They stay true to themselves and they really do come alive. So ...more

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Dec 19, 2018 Aimee rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sf-fantasy, fiction, 2018

I get why most people love this book, but for me it was just slightly better than okay. Quick read with interesting aliens, but not a lot of change/growth for the main characters. The most interesting character of the book (in the dramatic sense) got the least attention.

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