Becky Chambers

Wayfarers 4

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within

i can’t believe the series is over 🥺

mira lee

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.

A Novel

Becky Chambers what have you done to me, I have arrived at the end of the Wayfares series and once again this book was a masterpiece. I’m trying not to think that this is the final book as I really don’t want to leave this world behind, I don’t want to move on, and I just love each and every character I have been introduced to across these 4 books and as a first for me It’s been amazing to experience Sc-Fi and just escape this world!

5 Strangers find themselves stuck at a pit-stop station due to technical difficulties that ground them for a few days. With nothing to do, they interact and come to learn about each other. I will stop you there because if that sounds dry and boning it’s not as it seems. As I have come to expect over the last 3 books, I loved discovering the different characters their cultures and history, the way they differed, and ultimately how very relatable they all were. Chambers sets her stage in space with very different species, all so intricate and captivating, that somehow exemplify our own world and experience. Through her understated writing style, she lures you in to 'see' from someone else’s point of view.

Chambers has a way of creating characters that are so extremely different from each other from their looks, physical traits, background, politics, worlds, upbringing, society norms, and well, everything about them. But at the same time Chambers makes them so similar and relatable. These are going to be stories that stay with me for a long time to come and I know that I’m going to be recommending them for a long time to come!

Ian Brakspear

Becky Chambers what have you done to me, I have arrived at the end of the Wayfares series and once again this book was a masterpiece. I’m trying not to think that this is the final book as I really don’t want to leave this world behind, I don’t want to move on, and I just love each and every character I have been introduced to across these 4 books and as a first for me It’s been amazing to experience Sc-Fi and just escape this world!

 

5 Strangers find themselves stuck at a pit-stop station due to technical difficulties that ground them for a few days. With nothing to do, they interact and come to learn about each other. I will stop you there because if that sounds dry and boning it’s not as it seems. As I have come to expect over the last 3 books, I loved discovering the different characters their cultures and history, the way they differed, and ultimately how very relatable they all were. Chambers sets her stage in space with very different species, all so intricate and captivating, that somehow exemplify our own world and experience. Through her understated writing style, she lures you in to 'see' from someone else’s point of view.

 

Chambers has a way of creating characters that are so extremely different from each other from their looks, physical traits, background, politics, worlds, upbringing, society norms, and well, everything about them. But at the same time Chambers makes them so similar and relatable. These are going to be stories that stay with me for a long time to come and I know that I’m going to be recommending them for a long time to come!

Sometimes you're reading and you realise that a book is about to make you think deeply about an emotionally charged subject. Needless to say, depending on who you are, there are parts of this novel that may open some old scars.

Skyler Blue

Danny Werhane

4.5* this was so wholesome and hit a lot of important topics despite the lack of plot. It’s definitely my favorite in this series

Cheyenne Corty

Becky Chambers has done it again! I was in a reading slump for the last few weeks and it was unbearable. So I picked up the last installment of Chambers’ Wayfarer series, knowing she’s gotten me out of a slump before, and I was 𝘯𝘰𝘵 disappointed. 

Nothing “happens” in these wonderful sci-fi Solar Punk novels, but I cry every goddamn time. The things that do happen are emotional beats, heartfelt conversations, and errands/chores that really need to get done. Each novel is unique to a group of people, the narratives shift, ebb and flow. I love them dearly. 

This installment is from 2021, and focuses on a group of aliens stranded on a “hotel” planet after a catastrophe involving communication satellites stalls space traffic. 

Each alien is so fun to follow, but my personal favorite is Roveg—a giant bug alien. He is a political exile (not a spoiler) and loves to explore new planets and taste all of their foods! He’s just so goofy and I love him. 

The world Chambers created is so magical and comfy, I always feel like I’ve walked into a dnd campaign set in space. It’s hard to explain why Chambers’ writing resonates with me so much, but I think it’s the found family aspects to her work. Each book I’ve read by her perfectly encapsulates the need for connection, understanding, and “humanity” in groups of “sapients”. 

The central conflicts are tangible and make everything even higher stakes. Even when the task at stake seems to be minuscule. 

If you need a pick-me-up from the dower, please pick up Chambers and give her a shot. I’m sad that this is the last novel in this series, but I’m so happy to have read it. 

This book feels like watching Star Trek Next Gen for the first time in your pajamas, and it’s a holodeck episode. It feels like the time at sunset when you can see the stars ever so slightly while the sky is still bright. It’s a hug from a friend after a long day, letting you know it’ll be ok, because they just made you some tea in your favorite mug.

Amanda

Very, very enjoyable. Wonderful characters having interesting conversations. A delightful slice of interstellar life.

i am not typically the kind of person who enjoys novels that are nearly devoid of plot (i think this might be why i generally avoid the contemporary genre); i cannot even read domestic fanfics. however, i think it is absolutely fantastic when authors take the opportunity to explore foreign worlds and situate familiar concepts into alien dynamics.

few excel with so much warmth and empathy as becky chambers does. in the galaxy, and the ground within she uses the familiar scenario of strangers stuck in close quarters as an opportunity to show that maybe we are not so different after all, each with our hopes and dreams and struggles and seamlessly blend this with the cultural and biological particularities of literal alien species.

an overall heart-warming finale of a solid comfort series.

Cindy Lieberman

It’s the one year anniversary of George Floyd’s death at the hands of (under the knee of) a now-convicted Minneapolis police officer. And it’s just days into a tenuous cease fire between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Hate crimes and gun violence are on the rise in a divided America. 

This novel is just the tonic we need now. 

It’s about three strangers grounded due to an accident who, instead of fueling up and continuing their journeys from this Five-Hop “truck stop,” are by circumstances forced to turn to each other for assistance.

The owner/manager of the Five Hop and her child are the very best of hosts: wanting each guest to find things to their liking and to recommend and/or return some day.

It’s also the very best of science fiction: a very “human” story (featuring no actual humans, except in one hilarious bit about our love of cheese) about relationships and understanding. 

The galactic Five Hop makes accommodations that respect the needs and ideologies of all the different species that might visit the rest stop. Lots of lessons here for us human readers about being more curious, more open, and more respectful of each other. 

Great world- and species-building that enhances the stories of each character.

Jude Silberfeld

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet made me fall in love with Becky Chambers’ writing and with her imagination. I enjoyed the next two  Wayfarers books even if my excitement wasn’t always as high and my awe as all-encompassing as with that first book. Chambers’ writing is precise and meticulous, perfectly suited to world-building, with the right amount of details to feel complete without being dull or overwhelming.

Besides the fascinating universe Chambers has created, another aspect of her books continuously delights me, and that’s the characters. Every single character feels whole and they all still live in me months or years after I’ve read the book. Pei is one of those characters. She may not have been one of the main characters in The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet but I remember her very well, which, as you know if you’ve read my reviews before, doesn’t happen often. I loved the idea of getting to know her better and Chambers didn’t disappoint. The best part is, all the other characters were just as captivating and I enjoyed every second with each of them.

The premiss of The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is pretty simple: basically, it’s strangers stranded together “on a nothing planet in the middle of nowhere” (to quote Pei). Gora wouldn’t even register as a planet (its name means useless in Hanto) if it wasn’t perfectly situated between more interesting places. Think of it as a truck stop for spacers waiting in line to access the wormhole they need to get through to reach their real destination. One of the places where they can dock and rest, refuel and do whatever they need to do before getting back on the road – so to speak – is the Five-Hop One-Stop, operated by Ouloo and her non-binary child Tupo. All Ouloo wants is for her guests to be happy so when a technical incident stops all traffic, she’ll work twice as hard to make sure their stay is as comfortable as possible. Over the course of a few days, the hosts and their three guests will learn a lot about each other but also about themselves. They’re all different species: Ouloo and Tupo are Laru; Speaker is an Akarak with weak legs, whose sister Tracker stayed on the ship while she took the shuttle to Gora; Roveg is an exiled Quelin; Pei is an Aeluon, on her way to spend a few clandestine days with Ashby, the captain of the Wayfarer and the common denominator to all four books.

There aren’t any humans in this story, and it feels like a perfect choice to end the series, especially as book three, Record of a Spaceborn Few, was all about humans. It brings perspective to the universe and while reminding the reader of how tiny each of us is in the grand scheme of things, it’s also fascinating to realise how relatable these characters are. One might argue that Chambers failed to make them diverse enough, considering they’re all different species, but I like the idea of common emotions and reactions regardless of how dissimilar they are in other respects. Their bonding over their shared confusion as to humans’ love of cheese is probably the funniest scene of the book.

As I wrote before, there’s a deceptive quietness to the stories Becky Chambers tells. Stuff happens but most of it is not at the forefront. What matters isn’t so much events as how the characters react to them. The narrative may seem slow but there’s nothing boring about it. Chambers’ words envelop the reader whose only job is to let themselves be carried away. There’s something very poetic about the world(s) Chambers describes but – and that’s what I mean by deceptively quiet – that element doesn’t hide any of the ugly nor of the glorious.

The message I got from this fourth and final book is one of agency. Which is true for the whole series, come to think of it. (Re)claiming one’s power, whether it be on one’s body, one’s mind, one’s story. Deciding for yourself, making your own choices in a way that, in the end, benefits everyone.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within doesn’t feel like an ending. I’m not sure if it’s a bad thing or a good thing, whether it should feel more final. I’ll let the optimist in me take over: if Becky Chambers was to change her mind and add more books to the series, they could fit seamlessly. 

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

When a freak technological failure halts traffic to and from the planet Gora, three strangers are thrown together unexpectedly, with seemingly nothing to do but wait. Under the care of Ouloo, an enterprising alien, and Tupo, her occasionally helpful child, the trio are compelled to confront where they've been, where they might go, and what they might be to one another

Jennifer

Preliminary review: (final rating to be determine & full review to be written in the coming weeks)

brb while I'm still emotionally processing Becky Chambers' sublime closing novel of the Wayfarers series set in the outer space. This short and sweet novel is nothing short of diversity, thought provoking passages, and intricately written characters. 

I think The Galaxy, and the Ground Within strives a perfect balance between the resolution one tends to look for in an ending & an open-endedness that would warrant plenty of food for thoughts long after readers have finished the book.

N.B. I find this book pretty cozy to read but here are a few potentially triggering content: near death experiences, medical conditions, medical stuff, loss of loved ones, and accidents

(4.5 stars out of 5)

Moray Lyle McIntosh

A worthy conclusion to Chambers' wonderful series. Once again she introduces a new cast of characters peripherally related to those in her earlier books, bringing to life a variety of alien species with a deft descriptive hand and an absolute genius for creating fully-realised, distinct characters. That she can imbue the strangeness of her created creatures with such depth of feeling and utter believability is remarkable. 

In this case there's something very 2020-21 about a story that places its characters in an unknown situation where they are cut off from the world (I should say galaxy) beyond their immediate surroundings. Gora, a desert planet, is just a pit-stop, not a destination and not a place that anyone wants to stay, but the choice is taken away when an accident grounds all ships and cuts off most communication. The transitory visitors must band together with their hosts to deal with the emergency and as they do Chambers' uses their differences, biases and histories to dig deep into our human issues of discrimination, exploitation, xenophobia. 

As ever, it is enlightening, heart-warming and piercingly astute, just because this is "feel-good' sci-fi doesn't mean that its observations don't pack a punch. I have loved exploring the Wayfarer universe and I hope that Chambers will return to it, and take us with her.

Sunday Times bestselling author Becky Chambers returns to the Galactic Commons in the standalone sequel to her award-winning and critically acclaimed Wayfarer's series.

Nathalie Matsuda

how is it that a book without a big plot line, a villain or the mandatory climax can captivate you so intensely that you have no choice but to keep on reading until your done? And then you still crave more? The brilliance

Pam Sartain

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers (Wayfarers 4) is the last book in the Wayfarers series, and whilst we don't go back to the Wayfarer ship, we do have a character from that first book! This time it's Pei, who is the Ashby's lover.

This book is set on Five-Hop One-Stop, on the planet Gora, which is at a nexus of wormholes, and so is a popular stopping point for many travellers. 

Pei is on leave, and heading for Ashby on the Wayfarer, Speaker is an Akarak, travelling with her twin, and Roveg is a Quelin, heading for an appointment. They all stop at the Five-Hop One-Stop, and so are the guests of Ouloo, and her child, Tupo.

They all have to stay on the planet for longer than they had planned, and so have to rub along together, which means, as in the other books in this series, we learn more about the people, their motivations, and their fears. 

One of the things I've enjoyed about this series is that unless you know the person, you don't assume their pronouns, and in fact there are some people who use the gender neutral pronouns for various reasons. Instead xe and xyr is used. In this book, Tupo has not chosen a gender yet (and might not), and so is referred to as xe and xyr.

This was a lovely end to the series of books, which the description of quiet was really made for. Yes, they're in space, yes, there are aliens, but this is about characters rather than space battles, and it was very good.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers (Wayfarers 4) was published on 18th February 2021, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones (signed edition!) and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Becky Chambers on her website and Facebook.

I was given this book in return for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Hodder & Stoughton.

You can read my review for previous books in the Wayfarer's series:

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers 1)

A Closed and Common Budget (Wayfarers 2)

Record of a Space Born Few (Wayfarers 3)

Iween Suni

The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers centres on the planet Gora, where multispecies travel through, to and fro, to get to where it is they are really headed to. The day that the satellites break and travel becomes unprecedentedly suspended, three species of travellers find themselves stranded on one of the more quaint of Gora’s stopovers, The Five-Hop One Stop. This makes for the conclusion to the Wayfarers Series and is a character-driven entry and study that expands on the galaxy it inhabits and is fuelled as ever by the connections and dynamics between varied species. 

I have always had a soft spot for The Wayfarers series. I absolutely love The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet and I adore Record of a Spaceborn Few. The unique slice-of-life elements in between the broader scope of a world inhabited by diverse species (and cultures, customs, communication and ideals) paired with the kind of writing that pierces through you and makes you think, is the hallmark of the Wayfarers series. The idea that is the Galaxy and the Ground Within - multi-species encountering each other for the first time-ish and learning some of the more intimate things there is to learn about each other (as is the case when it comes to living in close quarters) - seems like the perfect recipe for what I’ve come to know and love about the series. But this one fell short of what I was expecting. 

Though I enjoyed learning about our characters and I admire the worldbuilding in that each of them are all so fleshed out in their respective histories, background and beliefs, there was little of their interactions that really stood out to me the way things always had in previous instalments of the Wayfarers. I was, in particular, looking to hear more from the host and owner of The Five-Hop One Stop, who was the one character among the others that was experienced and well-informed about multi-species’ needs and could have offered something new to table in a story that was otherwise centred on inexperience and lack of information about other species. There is a tediousness to every novel thing being novel, and I craved for something over and above this. There were few ideas and thoughts to wrestle with and few discoveries applicable to my own reality to mull over. By the end of this read, I felt that it was a pleasant one but I don’t feel quite so impacted by it as I had hoped.

Lewis John Fisher

If you know me at all, you know I've never been able to shut up about this series. There's something about the Galactic Commons that Becky Chambers created that is just so mesmerising and gorgeous I never want to leave. Even though everything ends, I will always still have the memories of the Wayfarer Crew, Pepper, Blue, Sidra, Tak and Owl, those aboard the Adrestia and now those brief stop-over guests of the Five-Hop

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.

Val B

Last book in The Wayfarer series. I really loved this book, and the series. I really like how nuanced the characters are and how they all come together and drive the story.

zilver 

3.5 | last book in the series and arguably the smallest one at that, scope-wise. it takes place in just about a single dome with a small array of characters, all from vastly different spaces (haha because they’re in space. get it?) i think all in all nice way to structure a series of books about the immensity of the universe.

Vida Koster

3.5 stars. I like Becky Chambers’ writing and loved her other books, but this one fell a bit short for me. The characters were great, and it’s an easy read, but just didn’t do it for me as much as her other books.

Ocean

This is a very character-driven book and I really enjoyed learning more about the different species in Becky Chambers' fictional universe. I particularly liked the POV from Pei, who is the partner of Ashby from The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. A few people were bought together during a crisis as they were stuck for a few days with no chance to leave. The characters were all well-written and I loved the young Laru, Tupo, xe was a boisterous and amusing character who spread joy and was very inquisitive. I would love to read a short story or a novella from xyr point of view! I enjoyed this book and would love to read more from Becky Chambers.

Joanna Rosenwink 

There is so much that I have loved about this series. And this conclusion was beautifully written.

The way that each book has been set in a different location, for the most part featuring different characters, but has kept a consistent feeling throughout has been wonderful. I will miss the Wayfarer’s universe and I’m sure it is a series that I will come back to time and time again.

I rate this book a 4.5/5. It was so close to being 5 stars (and did make me cry), but there were a few places where some of the author’s personal beliefs crept in that just felt a bit too clunky for me.

Overall a great conclusion to a fantastic series which I highly recommend.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a proof of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lisa Beasley

This was a bit of a bittersweet read really as Becky Chambers confirmed it was the last in the Wayfarers series.

I love how well Becky Chambers writes characters, and alien characters at that too. Her books never have overcomplicated plots, they are fairly straightforward and this one was too. The basic premise is a group of travellers get stuck at an alien waystation and discover new things about themselves and each other. It was a really interesting look at differences be it physiological, morals or ideals. I did like the overall feeling of hope and companionship this book gave me. 

I would highly recommend this book, whether you have read the previous ones or not, as all of the books in this series can stand alone. 

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.

I was sent this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within Wayfarers 4

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