Record of a Spaceborn Few

By. Becky Chambers

P. 368

Format: Print

Rating: *****

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Record of a Spaceborn Few is the third book in the Wayfarers series. The series is set in the same universe, but each book focuses on a specific section of the universe. While the books can be read separately, there is a connection between the books that may be missed if they are not read in order. Specifically, Record of a Spaceborn Few is the story of the sister of one of the main characters in the first book. I find it interesting that I still think of the characters in the first book as the main characters, especially since I feel just as emotionally invested in each character in every subsequent book.

Chambers has such amazing ways of making the characters become alive before your eyes. No matter how small an appearance they make, you are connected to them as a reader. This third book focus on the Exodus Fleet, a connected community that first brought Humans from the failing planet to the universe. The fleet is old and falling apart, but it has a strong community where everyone looks out for each other. As long as there is food no one will go hungry.

However, the story starts with an explosion. There is a tragic loss of life that the people of the Exodus Fleet are not ready to handle. Not only do they not have the technology to handle it, they emotionally are not ready. This book is ultimately the consequence of that explosion.