The Galaxy, and the Ground Within

A Novel

De: Becky Chambers

Narrado por: Rachel Dulude

Return to the sprawling, Hugo Award-winning universe of the Galactic Commons to explore another corner of the cosmos - one often mentioned, but not yet explored - in this absorbing entry in the Wayfarers series, which blends heart-warming characters and imaginative adventure.

With no water, no air, and no native life, the planet Gora is unremarkable. The only thing it has going for it is a chance proximity to more popular worlds, making it a decent stopover for ships traveling between the wormholes that keep the Galactic Commons connected. If deep space is a highway, Gora is just your average truck stop.

At the Five-Hop One-Stop, long-haul spacers can stretch their legs (if they have legs, that is), and get fuel, transit permits, and assorted supplies. The Five-Hop is run by an enterprising alien and her sometimes helpful child, who work hard to provide a little piece of home to everyone passing through.

When a freak technological failure halts all traffic to and from Gora, three strangers - all different species with different aims - are thrown together at the Five-Hop. Grounded, with nothing to do but wait, the trio - an exiled artist with an appointment to keep, a cargo runner at a personal crossroads, and a mysterious individual doing her best to help those on the fringes - are compelled to confront where they’ve been, where they might go, and what they are, or could be, to each other.

©2021 Becky Chambers (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

Beautiful as always

I cried listening to this book, like I always do the first time through a book by Becky Chambers. Reading her books are a great way to tackle complex grief. I love her rich, thoughtful stories where the badguys are things like ignorance and systemic inequality. I really want to visit the Five Hop. I also wonder how it is that no one has purchased a little dome like that and filled it with methane instead of oxygen. It seems fairly straightforward, if not exactly easy

Beautiful and heartwarming as always

Becky Chambers has done it again! A delightful character-driven story that both warmed my heart and got me thinking about inequity and cultural exchange. I enjoyed it thoroughly - great writing, plot, characters, and worldbuilding. It's also so refreshing to read scifi that relaxes me rather than stressing me out.

Another masterpiece by Becky Chambers!

I love discovering new characters and touching base with old. I can’t be leave how attached to the characters I got! It was no cliff hanger but I wish the stories to never end! I wish I could follow the lives of all the characters in the book and the whole wayfairer series! Hope there will be many more ❤️❤️❤️

Stars❗️ A-Mazing

For the science-fiction fan, this entire series is worthwhile. Becky Chambers is gifted. I read the first three books in the series before I chose to listen to this one on Audible. The performance made all the difference in the world . . . make that Universe. We absolutely get a chance to learn more about the non-human characters.

Give it a chance!

When I first started this book, I almost gave up on it after a couple of chapters, because I couldn't get into it. I'm so glad I didn't! After the initial character building, the story started to meld together and I fell into the story. I loved the characters and their interactions. Great listen! Give it time to build!

I love all of the GC Commons and Wayfarer Series

I love everything about this. the wayfarer series and GC Commons books are all great. My favorites that I can't stop listening to.

A great Fantasy; cute and cuddly

Well written, without reliance on explosions. Faithfully encapsulates notes from dozens of classes on culture and language and maybe science; or at least it tries to sound that way. The series would be a great orientation read for incoming students who are limited to familiarity with their own family and dating legacies. Ponder and choose.

A couple distractions for me. The AI element in the story seems more like a 1990 projection that in future centuries we will have phones in our pockets. And the fantasy-beyond-belief element is the fluent embrace and the outgoing, comprehending interaction between different species, going way beyond Roddenberry. Perhaps the author should try living in a totally unfamiliar non-western culture for a while. I spent most of my adult life there.

Feel good

Just a breath of fresh methane. Loved it. Brought hope and comfort to my darkening mind.

character-driven, slice of life, found family

This novel is a breath of fresh air for me. It’s not plot-heavy. A small group of strangers are stranded together for four days and become a family. It’s introspective as heck and leaves me with a calm, peaceful feeling.

Wokeness in space

I loved the other books in the series. I love the universe. I love the characters. I don’t love the ze zer zem agenda and it nearly ruined the book. There’s two genders. I suppose for aliens maybe there’s another but y’all…