Becky Chambers
Book 4 of the Wayfarers series
Chambers continues to impress with this final entry in the series. She has created a multi-species universe and is exceptionally adept at using this universe to illuminate the lives we live here on earth. The setting for this story is Gora, a lifeless, rocky planet with no redeeming quality other than it's location at a jump-point crossroads. It is that freeway stopover in central New Mexico with gas stations, a minimart and a motel 6. Three guests have pulled in to a local habitat/rest stop when there is a catastrophic satellite avalanche event that prevents all planetary launch/landings and all communication. So forced short-term down time for the visitors. In the habitat are the owner and her kid (both Laru - a snuffleuffugous type creature in my mind), an Aeluon (communicates via color), a Quelin (short segmented and shelled bug like creature) and an Akarak (a methane breathing tree dweller). As these complete strangers interact and converse, Chambers has created a setting to discuss colonization, war and pacifism, the meaning of home, immigration, gender development, all while exploring the mechanism of dialogue and discourse among disagreeing sentients. Must read...
4 stars (out of 4)
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