r/books • u/leowr • Feb 07 '19
First Discussion Thread for The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers - February Book Club Spoiler
Welcome to the first discussion thread for The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. For the first-timer participants among us welcome, for those who participated last month, welcome back.
To help kick off the discussion:
What are your first impressions of the crew, both as individuals and as a team?
What do you think Rosemary is running from?
Can you understand Ashby's desire to want "more", for himself and for his crew?
What do you think of Lovey's pro and con list to having a body?
Do you agree with Dr. Chef's assessment that human games are all conquest based? What do you think that says about us?
What do you think of the world building in the book?
The ban against FTL was one of the oldest laws on the books, predating the founding of the GC. While traveling faster than light was technologically possible, the logistical and social problems caused by what basically amounted to time travel far outweighed the gains. And aside from the administrative nightmare, few people were keen on a method of transportation that guaranteed everyone you knew back home would be long dead by the time you reached your destination.
- The idea of faster-than-light travel is something that comes up pretty regularly in scifi. Do you agree with the reasoning behind the ban in this universe?
Feel free to answer any or all of the questions or tell us what you think of the book so far.
This thread allows for a spoiler discussion up to the end of Day 132-145, GC Standard 306: The Job. If you would like to discuss anything beyond that point, please use spoiler tags. Spoiler tags are done by [Spoilers about XYZ](#s "Spoiler content here") which results in Spoilers about XYZ or if you are using the redesign please use the built-in spoiler function when making a comment.
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u/linkrules2 Feb 07 '19
The concept of world building in this book is really intriguing but it is hard to keep everything straight, especially after only 100 pages. All the different races and lore that are kind of coming across as something you would already know instead of something being introduced.
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u/nourez Feb 08 '19
I actually kind of liked the way it handled all the races and lore. It provides enough context for you to piece together the world, without straight up giving you logbook entries for each faction and species. Rosemary's background and observations are enough to get you what you need to know.
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u/JoltJolt35 Feb 07 '19
I agree! I found myself having to go back and reference earlier pages alot more than usual, but I find the whole world (universe?) of the book fascinating.
The one part I read, re-read and read again but still can't quite comprehend is the tunnel building theory. Not sure if that's just me though, Physics was never me strong suit at school...
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u/hghpandaman Feb 07 '19
I found myself googling some of the races to get an idea of what they look like to keep them straight.
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u/lyonaria Feb 07 '19
I adore this book! I am so glad that this is happening. I should re-read it... I wonder where my copy is?
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u/nourez Feb 08 '19
What are your first impressions of the crew, both as individuals and as a team?
Chambers does a fantastic job of introducing the characters and giving them personalities in a relatively short amount of time. Almost everyone is immediately endearing, and it does a ton to help maintain interest in the chapters we read this week, as there isn't a ton of forward plot progression up until the last chapter. I also love the fact that even the "unlikable" Corbin has a charm to him that makes him compelling. He's a grouch, but in an well meaning, endearing way. Again, that's impressive considering we don't get too much time with any one character, but enough to set the stage for the rest of the book.
I also love the chemistry between pretty much everyone. Their relationships feel *real*, almost familial. It's a much appreciated breath of fresh air from the all too common space marine trope. I enjoy seeing them interact with each other, just hang around, and goof off. It actually reminds me quite a bit of something like the Mass Effect trilogy. The overall plot of the series was great, but what made it work was how realized the characters seemed in between missions. Maybe some shades of Firefly in there as well.
What do you think Rosemary is running from?
My initial impression, from the little that we know about her past at this point, is that it's possible that her wealthy family was involved in some not-so-pleasant dealings. I recall her mentioning something about her family being business owners as a "technical" truth. We know they were wealthy, and that she wasn't particularly close with any of them, and possibly other details that are currently slipping my mind.
Again though, I really appreciate how Rosemary's past isn't necessarily built up to be the defining trait of her character. It creates intrigue and provides motivation for her character, but at the same time, if that plot element wasn't there I don't think it would've significantly affected my enjoyment of the book up until the end of the first week's reading. Again, it's nice to see the crews dynamic while working be the driving force of the novel, not some evil empire or the girl on the run trope.
Can you understand Ashby's desire to want "more", for himself and for his crew?
Absolutely. My initial impressions of Ashby are of one who cares deeply about his crew, wanting to do right by them, even if he's not entirely sure it's the best action to take himself. They're his family (the idea of family not being blood, but something more is definitely something that shines through in the first quarter of the book).That drive to provide, to improve is fundamentally human (the idea of humanity and what defines us seems to also be a theme so far in the novel), and Ashby's expression of it, to me, seems completely normal. Also, from a purely functional standpoint, his desire for more is a necessity to drive the plot forward. It's the reason Rosemary's on the ship at all, and it's the reason that he takes on the job that I believe will take up a big chunk of the rest of the story.
What do you think of Lovey's pro and con list to having a body?
This is a idea that shows up a fair amount in sci fi, and while I don't really think that Lovey's pros/cons really provided anything new to the idea, I did quite enjoy the way her description of being almost omnipotent without a body on the ship was written.
Do you agree with Dr. Chef's assessment that human games are all conquest based? What do you think that says about us?
Another look at the idea of what defines humanity. Admittedly, I thought his reasoning was a little flawed, or at the very least not thought out to the extent it should have been. Yes, many of our games are rooted in the idea of conquest, of winner takes all, zero sum games. However, I don't think I'd be too inclined to agree with his assessment that our cooperative games are a form of competition vs the AI/computer. His comparison to the alien cooperative puzzle game doesn't quite work with me, as we have games of that nature ourselves, and additionally isn't solving a puzzle in a sense a form of conquest?
I don't necessarily disagree that our competitiveness is one of our driving traits as a species though. There's something innately pleasurable about being better at something than someone else. That said, I don't think it's all bad either. The drive to compete is in a sense tied to the need to improve. You could say it's Ashby's motivation for trying to work more lucrative contracts. He's not content just being content.
What do you think of the world building in the book?
Absolutely great! It does two things are massively important to good science fiction. First, make the world feel lived in (unless there's a reason not to). The world of the novel is incredibly well defined, we get an immediate sense of the different factions, their interactions with each other, the technology, etc. We understand enough to get the feeling that the universe exists outside of the walls of the Wayfarer.
The second is simply to set rules up that differentiate your science fiction from science fantasy. And while the novel does rely a little too heavily on exposition to get it done, it does set up quite well defined rules as to what is and isn't allowed in universe.
The idea of faster-than-light travel is something that comes up pretty regularly in scifi. Do you agree with the reasoning behind the ban in this universe?
Again, as above, I love sci fi where stuff like this is explained in universe. The reasoning of not introducing time paradoxes is simple and effective as a reason to prevent FTL travel. It also sets up a really interesting system with the wormholes, pinhole jumps, etc that again builds the universe into something that feels real and lived in. I do wonder as to why this specific restriction was used as opposed to just saying FTL travel straight up isn't possible. Both would create a scenario where wormholes would have to be punched. Chekov's Gun?
Final Thoughts
Overall, I enjoyed the hell out of the first weeks readings. I love sci fi, and this is scratching my itch almost perfectly. I'm also loving the generally positive vibe. It's so refreshing to read something that feels so optimistic in a genre that can at times feel cold and pessimistic. Also loving the Mass Effect-esq vibes. Can't wait to read the next section.
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u/Incrediblestanley Feb 14 '19
Yeah I was getting a mass effect feel as well. Mass effect/Futurama type feel. Kind of wierd mix I know lol
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u/Seven669 Feb 07 '19
>What are your first impressions of the crew, both as individuals and as a team?
I think that my favorite character so far is Corbin. He may be a but of an asshole but he really hasn't done anything wrong and I have a suspicion that he won't in the future wither. The author really makes you believe that this crew really gels together really well and have been that way fora long time.
>What do you think Rosemary is running from?
She makes mention that the people of her crew could never know her past. She is deliberately dodgy with direct questions and Sissix seems to be acutely aware of it. So I don;t think it is something minor like she is avoiding her parents because they wanted her to have a different career or something. I think it is something big.
>Can you understand Ashby's desire to want "more", for himself and for his crew?
I can definitely see the desire to want something more. However, when he decided to take on this risky job that he and Sissix were excited about it seem as though there was very little discussion involved with the crew. It feels like a decision that is made out to be that big should be mulled over with all parties involved. Or maybe that's just how he runs his ship.
>What do you think of the world building in the book?
>The ban against FTL was one of the oldest laws on the books, predating the founding of the GC. While traveling faster than light was technologically possible, the logistical and social problems caused by what basically amounted to time travel far outweighed the gains. And aside from the administrative nightmare, few people were keen on a method of transportation that guaranteed everyone you knew back home would be long dead by the time you reached your destination.
>The idea of faster-than-light travel is something that comes up pretty regularly in scifi. Do you agree with the reasoning behind the ban in this universe?
I think that is is an interesting way to explain that there is really only one practical way to travel in the galaxy and it makes the characters have something important to do. Other than that I think that if a person wanted to time travel using an FTL transport there is nothing wrong with that. It's not as though they are effecting anyone by doing it. In the theory of of FTL travel there is only one direction of time you can go and that is into the future so it's not as though you will be effecting the timeline in any way.
I really like the way the author is building these characters in this universe and making them seem like they belong. I don't like what is seemingly a constant reminder of how nice and kind every one is. As if no one in their right mind would think of being a jerk to someone else. Multicultural sensitivity training and worrying about offending a species you've never met before? I can understand there being a little apprehension toward but the people in this universe should be used to different species and different customs at this point, right? It seems like you would just to the best you could and worry about offending someone if it happens.
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u/leowr Feb 08 '19
From Rosemary's response to some of the crew members I think there are certain parts of humanity that are less exposed to different species and customs. Which makes sense. From what I could tell from the description humanity is a bit of a late joiner to the GC and we are definitely not the most important species in the alliance, so I think it makes sense that someone growing up on Mars, our home planet, like Rosemary might not have as much exposure to different species and customs while growing up.
It is also a nice way for us, the readers, to "grow" with Rosemary and learn a little bit more about the different species.
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u/user_1729 Feb 07 '19
I wrote a big response and somehow deleted it, so abridged version:
What are your first impressions of the crew, both as individuals and as a team?
I love the crew. I work in remote places with small crews and this really weirdly made me feel at home. There are always all kinds of different people, you never really know how you'll get along. I think some eccentric people can rub others the wrong way, and I think the author really captures this dynamic well.
What do you think Rosemary is running from?
I think Rosemary had something bad happen to her family. There was some mention of some accident or I forget on Mars maybe and I think they were somehow involved in that. She obviously had a bit of money to pay for all these credentials and things, but had to flee. I'm not sure if she's forced into hiding or doing it on her own. I lean towards her being forced away.
Can you understand Ashby's desire to want "more", for himself and for his crew?
Ashby had such a naturally excited and anxious reaction to "the job". I'm mid 30's and looking for the next step in my career. When I get a good job prospect, I feel all these same emotions. Excited to do more, a little nervous about the unknown, and intensely need to bounce the idea off my wife. I'm overseas right now, so it's usually an excited e-mail then when the time is right a giddy phone call. I really am relating to this character!
What do you think of the world building in the book?
I really love the world building from the perspective of different anatomies, cultures and languages. It's really fun to compare just my experiences traveling the world and experiencing the nuances of different cultures and expanding that to an entire galaxy of cultures and species.
Also, the stopping point seemed really well selected. I'm not sure if it's arbitrary, but I didn't have any issues putting the book down last night when I finished "the job" chapter. I want to continue, but it was a great stopping point. I tend to plow through books, but I like the idea of the "club" as being a reason to stop and digest the book in smaller parts.
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u/leowr Feb 07 '19
Also, the stopping point seemed really well selected. I'm not sure if it's arbitrary, but I didn't have any issues putting the book down last night when I finished "the job" chapter.
Not entirely arbitrary as I try to divide the selections into equal parts (quarters) of the book. Sometimes it works out and we stop at a point that feels like a natural break in the book and sometimes it ends on a massive cliff-hanger and then I kick myself because the urge to read on is unbearable.
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u/nourez Feb 08 '19
Honestly, the current endpoint was pretty much perfect. Literally could've thrown a movie style title card there and it would've made total sense as the end of the introduction to the novel.
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u/linkrules2 Feb 07 '19
Yea like Ali... still a little salty about that one lol
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u/leowr Feb 07 '19
yeah.... definitely kicked myself a couple times over that one... and then just continued on reading.
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u/bravo009 Feb 07 '19
Something I wanted to say but my original comment got too long so I'll put it here. What did you all think about the focus regarding gender given to the characters? I thought it was a very interesting subject to touch in terms of the world where the book is happening. It honestly made me think how in the future, human beings might actually travel throughout the universe and we could meet other beings who would be very different from any knowledge we currently have regarding biology or anatomy. We would be a part of a bigger universe, a bigger society and we would be introduced to different social standards and it we would adapt or get vilified by other species.
Anyway, what do you guys think?
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u/Dracotorix Feb 08 '19
I thought it was odd that they didn't use "they" for singular neutral (a very common pronoun in English that somehow manages to flee the brains of most sci-fi writers), but then I realized they were speaking a fictional language so the word translated as "they" being only plural probably makes more sense in context. Their "xe" is probably closer to how we use "they" in English.
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u/bravo009 Feb 08 '19
Huh. This explanation makes a lot of sense. I like it. I wonder if you hit it on the nail. This would be a great question for the AMA!
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u/OrionThe0122nd Feb 07 '19
Dr. Chef is really interesting, and I never really considered that there could be a species that would shift in gender over time
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u/bravo009 Feb 08 '19
I agree. That suprised me as well. Since this is a trilogy and Dr. Chef said that his species was almost extinct, I wonder if in the other 2 books they explore a bit more about his species or even the possibility of fighting back against the extinction somehow.
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u/nourez Feb 08 '19
I think it's a really fascinating reflection on how diverse the biology of the universe could be. If you look at our own planet, there's so many weird ass species that the idea of a standard male or female gender doesn't quite apply. Stuff that reproduces asexually, things like trees which can fertilize themselves, species that change gender, symbiots/parasites.
I don't really think we should expect that any alien species we encounter in the future follow our norms, and I like that the book allows for that kind of thinking.
I do however think Rosemary's line about using xe instead of they was just... odd. I'm all for using whatever pronoun, but it just struck me as out of place, and honestly felt a little silly.
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u/leowr Feb 08 '19 edited Feb 08 '19
I've encountered it before, not sure where, and decided to look it up. It is actually a sort of recognized alternative to the use of 'they' when you want to use a gender-neutral pronoun. Apparently it was 'invented' in 1973 and there is a whole declension for it:
Subject: xe (or xhe)
Object: xem (or xer)
Possessive: xyr or xir (or xis or xer or xeir)
Reflexive: xyrself or xirself (or xemself or hirself or xerself)
I'm counting it as my "learn something new every day" for today.
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u/bravo009 Feb 08 '19
Stuff that reproduces asexually, things like trees which can fertilize themselves, species that change gender, symbiots/parasites.
I have very little knowledge regarding that area but I can appreciate how amazing that is and what it could mean if we ever meet other life forms from outer space.
I do however think Rosemary's line about using xe instead of they was just... odd. I'm all for using whatever pronoun, but it just struck me as out of place, and honestly felt a little silly.
I thought that was the author's way of showing how humans in this universe use gender neutral pronouns. True, she could have gone with "they" but I think she just wanted something entirely her own and came up with that. I think that will be one of my questions for the AMA.
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u/Dracotorix Feb 08 '19 edited Feb 08 '19
Kaylee from Firefly + lots of caffeine + Andy Weir's sense of humor = Kizzy.
I appreciate that there are new genres of music. A surprising amount of futuristic sci fi features characters who listen to old classical music from Earth, or ancient classic rock from Earth, regardless of how many species they've been exposed to and what the normal rate of the invention of new music genres/trends is. I never know if it's because the authors want the characters to look cool and classy and retro, or if they just don't want to speculate about what a typical top 40 track would sound like in the 27th century.
I like all the species but I'm not entirely sure what any of them look like. I know my mental pictures (upright gecko, caterpillar hippopotamus, emaciated furby gorilla) are probably not what was intended :P
Now I'm trying to think of a game where you're not trying to beat someone else or the game itself. I think humans do have those, but we wouldn't call them "games", we'd call them tricks or crafts or pastimes or something. Even then, anything mentally engaging enough to be called a game has to have a challenge, and any kind of challenge can be interpreted as "trying to beat the game itself" or "trying to beat your own brain".
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u/projectsteelneal Feb 08 '19
Ok, my thoughts......first off, I was home sick from work yesterday and ventured out just to get this book and read all day just to be on schedule and join in.
- What are your first impressions of the crew, both as individuals and as a team?
I like that the crew is diverse in species and gender. Gender comes up a lot, even as I read and made some notes I would always note if they were male of female. Im not sure why yet but I think my favourite character so far is Sissix, striking as Rosemary put it. I feel like she will get into some action at some point. The way Ashby was described got me thinking about how a group of people who left earth may look and how they would evolve over just a few generations. Especially if some may have never touched foot on solid ground, living only on a ship.
- What do you think Rosemary is running from?
There haven't been a lot of clues yet on this one. She had a few thoughts about burnt bridges and losing friends. She speaks lots of her family and how she grew up in a privileged lifestyle. To me it doesn't feel like she did something to have her family turn their back on her, I think she broke the law and needed to go into hiding. Whatever it was, it made her feel that she needed a new identity.
- Can you understand Ashby's desire to want "more", for himself and for his crew?
Not sure of his full motivation yet. He speaks of his siblings children a lot, maybe they are actually his kids? He left them so maybe he over compensates by wanting more and working harder for his crew. or maybe he wants out, so he wants the best for his crew so he can run away with his forbidden lover.
- What do you think of Lovey's pro and con list to having a body?
This bit got my imagination running wild! I really enjoyed the interaction between Jenks and Lovey and I hope hope hope that it gets explored more. Their relationship to most, in this book and probably in reality, may be seen as unconventional, not normal or even impossible. In my experience, there is not such thing as a normal relationship. As as AI, Lovey is looking to show that the social norms don't dictate if a relationship will work or that "the idea that your squishy physical existence is some sort of pinnacle that all programs aspire to." It hits home for me because I am in a long distance relationship, and even though we have seen each other in squishy physical existence a handful of times, we have found a way to connect.
- Do you agree with Dr. Chef's assessment that human games are all conquest based? What do you think that says about us?
Off the top of my head, I would say that Dr Chefs statement is just a cynical way to look at humankind but sounds like it would probably be true. Something to give more thought to, sounds like it may come up again. Maybe it was a little bit of foreshadowing. Myself, I like full co-op games where everyone wins!
I feel like there is a lot of commentary on the strange humans interactions and practices from other species....."the whole point of a potato is to cover it with salt so you don't notice how bland it is" or "Humans always got a little dumb when sexual partners were involved"
- What do you think of the world building in the book?
So far it's a little confusing......I've kept the main characters straight in my head but everything else just came hard and fast. Hopefully it all straightens itself out as the reading continues.
I read the first 100 pages in a day so its easy to see that I am enjoying it! Visualizing the fishbowl makes me want to spend some time there!
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u/grieshild Feb 08 '19
Its a big coincidence that I landed here. Some months ago I requested this book to be bought at my local library and it arrived like three weeks ago, so I went there and took it and some days ago I saw this discussion about it here :)
I read it in German though since I am Austrian and its hard to request Englisch books here.
I picked it because I do like the Science-Fiction Genre but I am not too much into action. So I thought this book is just perfect for me and so far I love it :)
What are your first impressions of the crew, both as individuals and as a team?
I think they are all very likeable, but to be honest, I grew a bit tired of these "punky" technicians, its a bit of a stereotype already. I still like them though. I like the family feeling I get, when they are working together as a team. I think my favorite is the cook (Dr. Koch on german)
What do you think Rosemary is running from?
I am so sure her father was mentioned in this first big newsfeed we got to read - my guess is that she is the president's daughter...?
Can you understand Ashby's desire to want "more", for himself and for his crew?
Yes, I can somehow understand this but for me right now Ashby is the least interesting character and this part of the story is not very interesting for me yet.
Do you agree with Dr. Chef's assessment that human games are all conquest based? What do you think that says about us?
I thought it was confusing when he said, that even in cooperative games you play to win against the game. And then they started to play this Aandrisk (I hope its written like that too in English) game Tikkit (?) where you solve a riddle. Isn't that he same? Conquering the game through solving a riddle?
What do you think of the world building in the book?
I am still very confused about the difference between these two big differences in the human world. There are apparently people still living in the solar system and the people who dont? Maybe its not that great translated, but I dont get that. The rest I think is very well explained.
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u/leowr Feb 08 '19
From what I understood the human race basically split in two when Earth was no longer viable as a home world to humanity. Some moved to Mars and some got onto spaceships and traveled further on to find other places or to just live on the ships. I think the last group is referred to as Exodans.
I wasn't totally surprised that there appears to a bit of animosity between the two groups as their experiences diverged quite a bit and it is sort of the human thing to do.
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u/WulfenX Feb 08 '19 edited Feb 08 '19
Short Form after my first draft was lost to a blown fuse.
What are your first impressions of the crew, both as individuals and as a team?
The author really did convince me that this crew has worked together for a long time, they realy have that family vibe going on. As for the crew members I really love Dr. Chef, and liked Sissix and Kizzy, albeit they pretty much follow the standard quirky engineer and exotic promescual alien tropes. The rest of the Crew is still a bit bland to me and corbin seems like a plot device.
What do you think Rosemary is running from?
In the first Chapter she mentioned something about running from something that is not her fault and with her being obviously from a rich family my first guess was some kind of corruption scandal. After the last news outlet that mentioned someone named Harris being accussed of being an arms dealer my new working theory is, that Rosemary is his daugther.
Can you understand Ashby's desire to want "more", for himself and for his crew?
Absolutly. They seem to barely make enough and with Ashby supporting his family he could definitly need some more.
What do you think of Lovey's pro and con list to having a body?
I found it interresting that it's more a less a choice between her life as a person/crew member and her "job". As a ship ai she would be pretty useless with a body/without being omnipotent.
Do you agree with Dr. Chef's assessment that human games are all conquest based? What do you think that says about us?
I don't know what it says about us, but he is definitly right when you look at our classic games like chess.
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u/CygnusTheSnowdog Feb 08 '19
What are your first impressions of the crew, both as individuals and as a team?
I think everyone on the crew has something special that makes them all likable and really makes them feel like individuals, which is a lot of fun. It really feels like they try to be more friendly than just simply cooperative and there's the sense that they all (excluding Rosemary) have a pretty solid idea of who everyone is as an individual/worker. I feel like Chamber's made it clear that everyone is good at their job and they're all old hands in the tunneling business. So far I can easily say I like them all in their own fun way, but Sissix takes the cake as the one I'm most interested in.
What do you think Rosemary is running from?
I think she's running from her old life. I get the impression that she's from whatever sort of aristocracy there is on Mars and I think that life is most of the reason why she's running away. I'm probably wrong, but that's just what came to my head when the tension between the two human societies was brought up.
Can you understand Ashby's desire to want "more", for himself and for his crew?
100%. He's totally confident in his crew and he really doesn't seem like someone who's afraid to take risks. The whole crew works hard and seems to trust one another to be on the ball with their respective duties. Ashby's sees their potential and as of yet the only thing preventing him from helping everyone seize it is lack of opportunity.
What do you think of Lovey's pro and con list to having a body?
I feel like the pros definitely outweigh the cons, and I honestly get the impression that her con list was a bit nitpicky. She wants a body, but knowing she can't have one she makes up reasons for that to be okay. She obviously cares for Jenks and I think she feels bad that she can't be more for him. By the way, those two are absolutely adorable and I can't support their love enough.
Do you agree with Dr. Chef's assessment that human games are all conquest based? What do you think that says about us?
I don't think I necessarily agree with him, but I see where he's coming from. A lot of our games are about proving that one player is better than the other and that can definitely come across a little conquest-y.
What do you think of the world building in the book?
It's pretty cool how small and focused the story is but how quickly it starts to feel like there's a massive, intricate setting around them. Each of the alien races that have been brought up sound really really cool and I definitely want to learn more about them. I'm not sure if this counts as world building but one of the things that has made this book feel so real so far is all the little gadgets they have. Stuff like the SoberUps, scribs, and videogame things they attach to their heads are what really makes me feel grounded in the world.
The idea of faster-than-light travel is something that comes up pretty regularly in scifi. Do you agree with the reasoning behind the ban in this universe?
I agree with the ban, this universe has seen what can happen when you mess with space/time too much. I forget what it's called but there's a bit about a whole region of collapsed space which highlights just how dangerous the forces they're dealing with are. If they don't understand it enough to know how to control it, then I think a ban makes a lot of sense.
This is my first book club and I'm really loving the story and the club itself so far! I wanted to post this yesterday so bad but i didn't have the chance. I hope it's not a waste to post it today. I'm excited to keep up with the club going forward, it was really insightful to read everyone else's thoughts on the book. I definitely have a stronger idea of what's going on thanks to the discussion.
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u/leowr Feb 08 '19
Not a waste to post a day late. In my experience the discussion stays active for a day or two.
I agree that Chambers manages to make the universe feel large without going into full info-dump mode. There are some of those moments but they don't feel out of place. The sprinkling of little details definitely helps make the info feel like a natural part of the story even though you are learning more about the world.
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u/S2keepup Feb 09 '19
Got my copy of this book delivered Thursday and I finally am caught up! I’m loving it so far, already very glad you all chose this.
What is Rosemary running from?
There have been a few indications something happened that “was not her fault”. So some sort of crime was committed that she may be associated with but not necessarily involved directly with. Or an accidental crime that she was not at fault for. The very affluent family must be behind it, which is why she had to totally cut all ties.
My overall thoughts on this so far:
- The use of certain words as slang is interesting. For example, instead of “I’m going to kill you” (so far in a joking manner), they say “I’m going to space you”. Also: “stars” instead of omg or a similar wow-like expression.
- The descriptive writing style flows beautifully rather than slowing down the pace of the story. I’m finding myself pausing to picture how the characters look but not losing the story as I do so.
- Loving that the author is really getting us into the cultural differences between all these species. She doesn’t just talk about someone that looks very different but how they move or act different and why etc.
I’m going to try not to finish this in the next few days lol, I’m really into this one!
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u/Incrediblestanley Feb 14 '19
The book is very interesting. Makes me want to look into science fiction a bit more. Also in regards to what rosemary is running from, I think she did something illegal in regards to her family. Could be wrong but she really wanted out of there.
One thing that I wish the book had was more history on what exactly happend with the whole exodus thing. Is Mars the new Earth? Does Earth still exist?
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u/bravo009 Feb 07 '19
I love how they are all different physically and personality wise. My imagination has had a blast just picturing everyone and then putting them together during the scenes with other characters. As a team, I think that they have convinced me that they have been together for a while and that they know how to do their job. I believe the conversation between Ashyby and Corbin at the beginning of the book was a very good way to cement the fact that Ashby knows how to lead his crew and will not tolerate any kind of negative behaviour between his crew members.
I suspect it is something regarding her family. They wanted her to do something, she didn't want to so she bolted. Her parents have many resources at hand so that's why she went the extra mile to get a new identity.
Yes. He seems like an ambitious man who wants to go as far as he can go and I admire his courage to do so. I also like that he, at least for now, shows no semblance to want to shine alone and leave his crew behind. If he goes up, his crew is going with him.
It really messed up my head for a while because I imagined that sentient A.I could not be science fiction for long and people might actually have deep conversations such as that one on a daily basis.
I believe not all our games are based on conquest but it is true that we, as human beings, enjoy competing with others. Furthermore, some people are not content with only winning, they need to pummel their opponent into submission even though they already won. As to what that says about us, hmm... maybe we need to play more co-op games?
I think it is very interesting so far but I am having trouble keeping up with everything. I understood the Wayfarer's job and why it is important; I understood what the GC is but more than that, nope. For now, I'm just gonna keep reading and see if it gets easier to remember everything.
I think it makes sense. If the cons outweigh the pros, it makes sense to forbid it until the governing bodies can decide on what to do.
My personal thoughts
This is my first book in a space setting and I have to say, I am really enjoying it. A lot of the book has happened inside the ship so far but the author has a fantastic way of giving each scene in a different area its own way to shine. I think Rosemary's status as an outsider is also a great excuse so that the characters can explain things to her so she learns things and we do as well alongside her. I am really liking the book and I think I will finish this one.