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Becky Chambers: Record of a Spaceborn Few (Hardcover, english language, 2018, Hodder & Stoughton) 4 stars

Centuries after the last humans left Earth, the Exodus Fleet is a living relic, a …

Review of 'Record of a Spaceborn Few' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Another wonderful installment in the Wayfarers series. This was an interesting change of pace which hyper focused on the human experience in this beautiful universe that Becky Chambers has constructed. The story follows a few different perspectives from a fleet of human ships that are largely self sustaining and permanently spacebound. This "Exoden" life is in contrast to the normal human experience of living on stations like most humans, independent colonies on terrestrial planets like pioneers, or back in the original Sol system like the wealthy and privileged. These stories are each an exploration of the unique culture of Exoden life, the challenges it brings, and the relationship to the greater galaxy.

Frankly I found some POVs to be more interesting than others, and I found the intersection of the POVs to take a while to get to. Related, the overarching "conflict" happened around 3/4ths of the way through the book, and the last quarter felt like falling action, making the pacing feel a bit awkward. But with that being said, you can expect many of the same feelings in this book as you have had with the previous two. Heartbreak, love, respect, grief, and a permeating kindness are all present in this new setting. I really love how each of these books is its own insular story that serve as one paint stroke in the artful construction of this universe. The last book is in the mail, and I don't think I'm emotionally ready to be finished with this journey.