![]() ![]() ![]() This is known as a yegse, a change that rules all. Occasionally, an important new change - such as the emergence of the New Mothers, occurs. Different clans have different ideas on how the pattern works, which is one of the main causes of conflict within the species. This is believed to be the reason that they circle the Core. The Toremi believe that the entire universe follows a complicated pattern, and that they should match it. The species are generally dual-sexed, though parthogenetic Toremi (known as "New Mothers") have started to emerge in their recent history. The frequency of sound created by standard heat generators above 76.5 kilks is uncomfortable to the Toremi. Their thin heads loll as if heavily hanging from a socket and they have extremely sensitive hearing, able to pick out a single voice from a crowd. They walk on four legs with backwards-bending knees, and click their knees to signal agreement. However, if you enjoy rich worldbuilding, loveable characters, and light-hearted space adventures, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is the sci-fi novel for you.Toremi have hard, brittle-looking skin. Interested in a fast-paced, action-packed book? This isn’t the book for you unfortunately. While it was the latter for me, it’s understandable some would find this a bug rather than a feature. While there is a plot, it plays a secondary role to the characters. T he last 40 pages’ action and climax tread a slow pace that, depending on your taste, is either tedious or relaxing. The most common criticism of the novel is its lack of propulsive plot and action since it’s a character-driven novel rather than a plot-driven one. “The alien races she’s created are unique and interesting, with their own rich cultures and beliefs.” The aliens in Chambers’ fictional galaxy, however, are varied and unique in believable and fascinating ways – They have different views on subjects like religion, sex and sexuality, gender, and free will, and the culture clashes that occur between members of the Wayfarer crew are engaging to read. Often in sci-fi, I’m disappointed when the aliens are just brightly coloured humanoids or have the exact same outlooks as their human counterparts. Chambers has created a layered, vibrant world (or, more accurately, galaxy) that is so easy to fall in love with. The worldbuilding in this book is phenomenal. “Ĭhambers’ strong and imaginative worldbuilding is one of the most praised aspects of her novels (not just in The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet), rightfully so. “Each of the characters are given time to shine, so, despite being a fairly large cast, no-one feels underdeveloped or flat. I can’t name all the dynamics I enjoyed, but I particularly loved the sibling-like friendship of eccentric engineers Kizzy and Jenks, and the tentative, sweet romance between human file clerk Rosemary and reptilian pilot Sissix The relationships between the crew members are essential to the story, abundant with heart-warming themes of family and connections. Chambers gives each character time to shine – despite a fairly large cast, no one feels underdeveloped or flat. The plot takes a backseat in a fascinating world, focusing on a character-focused story that explores the crew’s personal lives and relationships with each other. The n ovel follows a small and rundown spaceship the Wayfarer, and its crew – a cast as loveable as it is colourful, a diverse mix of humans, aliens, and AIs, with well-handled representations of LGBT+ people, people of colour, and disabled people. The ‘doom and gloom’ rhetoric is not necessarily a bad thing – But it can get admittedly dull after a while, which is why Chambers is such a breath of fresh air to the sci-fi landscape. The book’s optimism is a true glowing light in a genre of dark, dramatic stories. It’s a feel-good and worldbuilding-rich space opera novel that delighted me from start to finish. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is Becky Chambers’ debut science fiction novel and the first instalment of the Hugo Award-winning anthology series Wayfarers. By Jessica Clifford-Jones | Review Editor
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