The Sparrow

It felt like it took way too long to get to anything interesting, with it being more than 200 pages before there's even contact. Somehow it seemed like there was in-proper(?) world building and it isn't until you understand the story structure that it flows a tad bit better. The prose is actually beautifully written, but with unnecessary turns of phrase, description, or sidebar. The science and religious themes are extremely clear throughout, but the conclusions and reveals could be a letdown after 80% of the book is arguably a run-of-the-mill story about discovering and inhabiting an undiscovered culture.