The short way to a great book

By Jackie E

"No good can come from a species at war with itself". The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet  by Becky Chambers is a relatively new Sci-fi novel set far into the future. So far, In fact, that the war-torn Earth has been destroyed, and its inhabitants forced to flee to space. Most humans have either taken to living on Mars, or are spaceborn, living within one of millions of multi-species colonies floating in space. This story follows Rosemary, a Mars born and raised human, and her brand new crew throughout galaxies to finish a job their captain signed them up for. Rosemary is a clerk fresh out of college. The job she had studied year for included taking care of a crew's paperwork and helping with inter-species relations. Something that seems easy enough in a controlled environment while in school, but entirely something else when you're thrown out into space. Ashby, her new captain, hired her mostly to comply with new industry standards. After all, they got by just fine without one. But as she starts her new job on the Wayfarer, its became clear now much he had been missing without one. With his new crew member, the GC finds it fitting to offer Ashby a new job. A job that pays more than everything he signed up for last year combined. He was finally able to pay his crew what he believed they deserved. The only downside is they'd be on this work train non stop for a year, at least.

This is where the book shines. Having all your characters stuck together means you really need to have strong characters to follow, and that it does. When you get closer to the middle of the novel, the chapters stop feeling like one scene after another, and instead act like a character arch. You never know which character is going to get built upon in the next chapter, but you can always count on some character getting their recognition. The story stops following our main character in favor of showing off its entire cast, from the lovable Kizzy and her unique vocabulary, to Corbin, the only character who seems to hate everyone on board the ship, and only really sticks around for the pay.

Would I recommend this book? Without a doubt. All the characters were memorable, and the stakes they were all faced with seemed real. You become invested in the characters because of how much they develop. You stick around more for the cast than the plot, which is much better than it sounds. The book is able to talk through moral issues, as well. The good in someone, the bad in someone. What makes someone themself, and why good and bad is always a perpetual grey tone. Each chapter has a new lesson to teach its character, and its reader.

"We cannot blame ourselves for the wars our parents start. Sometimes the very best thing we can do is walk away"