A Closed and Common Orbit

I see why this is everyone's favourite Wayfarer book. It is now mine as well. :)

(Clarification first: this is not a sequel to [b:Angry Planet 22733729 The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1) Becky Chambers https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1405532474l/22733729.SY75.jpg 42270825]. There's a connection, but it's tenuous at best. Don't expect any of the same characters or situations.)And, with that out of the way, squee again! Not at first — I was slow to catch feelings for these characters — but catch them I did, and it all just kept getting better and better up to the very end. In this book, Chambers speaks to the Broken Ones: those of us with physical and/or psychic trauma, different, weird, hurting. And she writes about grit, compassion, caring, finding one's tribe, one's purpose, one's self. There's a whole lotta love in these books, and okay it can be a little thick at times, but right now I'm A-OK with that.

Surprisingly comfy sci-fi. I enjoyed the self-sufficiency elements, kind of like the Boxcar Children in Space.

I think the most amazing part of Becky Chambers' work is the overwhelming empathy she communicates between the reader and her characters. You care for these characters in a way very rarely experienced in Sci-Fi novels.

I'd love to learn more about her world-building process because it is a Masterclass in itself. I saw a youtube interview with her and gleamed a hint of what could have produced such a talent. Becky is a dedicated D&D DragonLance player, and spoke briefly and with great affection of her groups campaign over many years.

Her books are social, deep, intelligent and brilliant. Highly recommended and will continue to be in your consciousness long after you've finished each tome. BRILLIANT

Wow, probably my most surprising read of the year in the best way possible. I gobbled up this audiobook in two days. It was beautiful, tragic, heart-breaking and heart-warming. This is the sequel to the Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, which read to me like an amazing episodic multi-species space crew show (read: Star Trek). This second book is not that, it's not even a continuation of the same story. This is a deep dive into two side characters' lives and it was completely unexpected. It stole my heart and A+++ for story-telling, world-building, themes and pulling on my heart strings.

A lovely, cosy, found family sci-fi focussing on the two characters we saw departing the Wayfarer at the end of [b:The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet 25786523 The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1) Becky Chambers https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1435140741l/25786523.SY75.jpg 42270825]: Pepper and Sidra (Lovelace).There are two narratives to follow in this book, the first immediately follows that departure from the Wayfarer and the other begins around 20 years (or, standards) earlier and shows us the story behind Pepper's comment that she was raised by an AI. As with the first book, this is a great story of misfits finding their place that is an inspiring, sometimes sad, tale set in a multispecies future space society. Just as beautiful as the first book but not a carbon-copy.

Was expecting further adventures of the Wayfarer crew, and was at first sort of bummed to be reading a mostly unrelated story featuring a minor character from the first book and a character that was literally born in the last few pages of that book, but got over that pretty quickly. You can't really call this a sequel, as it shares almost nothing with the first book other than being set in the same universe and sharing the original's fascination with characters who have non-human psychologies while still being fully realized persons.

I thought I loved the first Wayfarers book, but this is so much better! This book made me cry so so much, and I loved every minute of it

Awe yeah, I needed escapist space fluff and got some bonus feelgood feels about found families.

Enjoyed this story - it had a lot of warmth.

I have to admit, I was fairly upset to realise that Wayfarers book 2 did not continue with the characters I'd grown to love so much from Wayfarers book 1. I'm still secretly hoping to find the crew from the Wayfarer again in another book.

This story however, picks up right after the closing events from book 1 - but instead follows Pepper and Lovelace back to Pepper's adopted world to find acceptance both within and without.

The story focuses on the two characters and bounces back and forth between the two (and along two different periods of time). I didn't find myself laughing in this book (I did in the first which is what spurred me to immediately read this and the third) but it was a touching story of individuals trying to find their place in the world and the loneliness that comes before.

In a way, I felt like the book was a pair of stories about mother and daughter - and whilst I'm neither, I found lots to relate to. And as with Chambers' first instalment of Wayfarers, I find myself wanting this future for our own humanity.

There's something both charming and utterly beautiful about the universe that Chambers has created for us. It was nice to travel to a new place and follow new characters (even though I still want to hear more about Kizzy and Jenks, and Dr Chef and Sissex - I suspect their on their own journey).

Good stuff. Very sweet. Very warm and loving story.

Loved this. A book about... Becoming. Becoming yourself. :)

I liked The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet more than this one, I think. But once
I got into this one I loved it too.

I enjoyed this book more than the first in the Wayfarers series because it had a lot more focus. I absolutely loved the characters and the journey the reader takes with them.

I remember starting this immediately after finishing the first book a few years ago and just not liking it. This was completely different! Where were all the characters I'd loved so much in the first one? I dropped it because I wasn't really feeling like reading it, but finally picked it up again today.

It's easily just as good as the first book. An overwhelmingly optimistic character-driven book of identities. Loved it.

A deep dive into AI/human/sapient feelings, personal histories, and finding an implementation of self in the physical world that fits one's mind.

I kept waiting for this to grab me in the way the first book did, but it never happened :/

Very little plot or action. All about the characters. I guess this is the softer side of sci fi? Definitely works for me.

1: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet ★★★★★
#2: A Closed and Common Orbit ★★★★.5
#3: Record of a Spaceborn Few ???

4.5 ⭐️
This review can also be found on my blog.

After adoring The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, which planted Becky Chambers firmly on my auto-read list, I decided I better read the rest of her backlist (and continue the Wayfarers series). A Closed and Common Orbit picks up right where The Long Way leaves off and while it could be read independently, I wouldn't recommend it. The plot of this book relies heavily on the ending of its predecessor, so spoilers from the first book will be present here.

As before, my favorite part of reading this was the characters. The main character, Sidra, is the AI formerly known as Loveless, now present in a human-like body known as a kit rather than controlling a spaceship. I really liked Sidra and found her journey towards finally feeling one with her body to be quite compelling, although I'm sure it will resonate more with some than with others. Sidra goes through a lot as she struggles to integrate into a world she wasn't necessarily meant to be in, although she has plenty of support along the way.

Pepper and her partner Blue have taken guardianship of Sidra in order to protect her and help her find her place in the world. Pepper has a soft spot in her heart for AI, for reasons we soon discover through flashbacks into her childhood. I'm a big fan of the dual timelines when done well, which I feel Chambers has done here. And Pepper is such a fun character that I was happy to get more of her – and Blue!

Again, Chambers tackles a lot of futuristic moral issues: namely, are AIs people? As one would expect, the answer is a resounding yes but I think the way she demonstrates it is quite good. She also delves more into the cultures of other alien species, which is another thing I really liked about The Long Way. I think the aliens and the societies she creates are so fascinating and I just love learning about them. Rather than an info dump, we are taught by experiencing it all through the lenses of human (or human-designed) characters, which I think gives it a more authentic feel.

Basically, I'm just totally in love with Becky Chambers' writing and I can't wait to read the next book in this trilogy. I'm also quite excited about her upcoming novels. If you liked The Long Way, I think you'll also like A Closed and Common Orbit.

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What a fun book.

A gentle tale of kindness, growing up, accepting yourself, and love. Yes I am talking about a science fiction novel. Well Done Becky Chambers, Well Done indeed.

Becky Chambers specializes in cozy scifi. This lost the lovely family of choice of the first Wayfarers book, but I found the exploration of humanity between the AI and the clone pretty compelling. Equally homey is them slowly find their way to make a home, life and family with each other.

This one started out a little slower for me, but I really got into it by the end! Always love more discussions around AI rights.

Like the first book, [b:The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet 22733729 The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1) Becky Chambers https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1405532474s/22733729.jpg 42270825], this was a fun and (mostly) light read—thoroughly enjoyable. The plot follows two individuals, an AI given a “body kit” and a human who was bred to work in a factory, both of whom must find their way in a vast society which they were essentially designed never to partake in. It is very much a feel-good story, which we all need now and then.

I had the worst time getting through this. Part of it was, I no longer remember the events of the Wayfarer from first book. I was getting frustrated with the whole-should I know this character?? This is where series really should have a “previously on” beginning section. I know this is a companion novel and not a sequel, but still, I think the reader was expected to remember Pepper and Sidra from before-and I just didn't.
Second, I really didn't like Sidra's story. Could not have cared less, I hung in entirely for Jane. I almost wish this had been Jane's story. I found myself speed reading through Sidra's chapters to get back to Jane.
I'm not sure if I want to read the 3rd one. I feel pressured to reread A Long Trip....before I even attempt it and I don't know if I have the patience for that right now.
This is probably a case of me having to admit that I can no longer read series that are not completed.
I'm making this book sound awful, and it's not! The problem is all me here.

Nothing wrong with the story telling just not a good fit for me.