Record of a Spaceborn Few
Written by Becky Chambers
Narrated by Rachel Dulude
4/5
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About this audiobook
Return to the sprawling universe of the Galactic Commons, as humans, artificial intelligence, aliens, and some beings yet undiscovered explore what it means to be a community in this exciting third adventure in the acclaimed and multi-award-nominated science fiction Wayfarers series, brimming with heartwarming characters and dazzling space adventure.
Hundreds of years ago, the last humans on Earth boarded the Exodus Fleet in search of a new home among the stars. After centuries spent wandering empty space, their descendants were eventually accepted by the well-established species that govern the Milky Way.
But that was long ago. Today, the Exodus Fleet is a living relic, the birthplace of many, yet a place few outsiders have ever visited. While the Exodans take great pride in their original community and traditions, their culture has been influenced by others beyond their bulkheads. As many Exodans leave for alien cities or terrestrial colonies, those who remain are left to ponder their own lives and futures: What is the purpose of a ship that has reached its destination? Why remain in space when there are habitable worlds available to live? What is the price of sustaining their carefully balanced way of life—and is it worth saving at all?
A young apprentice, a lifelong spacer with young children, a planet-raised traveler, an alien academic, a caretaker for the dead, and an Archivist whose mission is to ensure no one's story is forgotten, wrestle with these profound universal questions. The answers may seem small on the galactic scale, but to these individuals, it could mean everything.
Reviews for Record of a Spaceborn Few
734 ratings56 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is more of the same by which I mean it's a very good yarn about people. There are no carried over characters from the earlier books, although the captain from book1 Ashby gets mentioned. We see a bit more of the galactic commons this time the human fleet. As before there are no spear carrying villains just a bunch of people being people and living with the consequences. I enjoyed this almost as much as book1 and I prefer it to book2
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It turns out all this book series was missing was space libraries.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Great. I liked the previous book better in terms of plot and pacing, but the characters, world-building and writing style were all still fantastic.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is not a book of adventure, though its foundation is a desperate adventure of survival. Nor is it really a drama, though there is personal drama involved. What one essentially has here is a portrait of a human community that was forged when there was no other choice and the question that has risen is whether this community is really worth persevering with now that there are new opportunities. By this point it's clear that you read Chambers for her consideration of what the every-day order of business looks like under extraordinary circumstances and how individuals cope with this state of affairs.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A fascinating book. You could argue that it has no plot per se, it's more of a sociological unfolding as the subtle impacts of different events gradually unfold.A large portion of the surviving human race as members of the Exodan fleet, born in space, just as their ancestors for many generations were.Now, the Fleet is under different pressures. They have a safe place for the fleet and there are planets where people can go (albeit pretty poor planets), but the social pressures of external trade, emigration and alien contacts are testing their culture and their way of life.What does the Fleet itself have to offer?The answers are subtle, but still meaningful. I definitely recommend this book - it may even make you think about your own way of living.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5While a bit more disjointed than the previous two books in the universe, I enjoyed this addition very much. It's more of a snapshot in time of the Exodus Fleet than a traditionally narrative book and it's very good at what it is - but you have to accept it on *its* terms and not try to force your notions of what a novel should be onto it.