The Galaxy, and the Ground Within

Five-Hop One-Stop is one of the destinations galactic travelers choose as their way station to pause in their journeys and take a break. Run by Ouloo and her child Tupo, the pair do their best to make it a comfortable and welcoming stop. But when an accident crashes the communication systems, their current guests, Pei, Speaker, and Roveg will have to stay over much longer than they originally planned.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is a wonderful tale of different cultures coming together during a crisis, learning from each other, and attaining a newfound sense of understanding. Taking a deep dive into each character’s culture is an eye-opening experience and continues to expand on the beautiful world Becky Chambers has created. There are great moments of representation woven within each culture. It grants readers various perspectives on how to process and understand others who do not share your beliefs or culture.

While there are many heartwarming moments, this novel is not without its share of conflict around beliefs and cultural past transgressions. Both sides of the story are told and the characters process their emotions in a way for readers to easily connect and understand. Sometimes there is no right or wrong answer, it is a matter of trying to see through another’s eyes to understand why and how they feel what they feel.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is the final installment of The Wayfarers series. Filled with themes of family, cultural learning, and collaboration it was a wonderful way to conclude the series. This book is for readers looking for a sci-fi focused on the characters and how their beliefs contribute to their actions and understanding of the world.