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The Galaxy, and the Ground Within

Wayfarers 4

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The Galaxy, and the Ground Within

By: Becky Chambers
Narrated by: Patricia Rodriguez
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About this listen

 Sunday Times bestselling author Becky Chambers returns to the Galactic Commons in the final installment in her award-winning and critically acclaimed Wayfarers series.

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.

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

When a freak technological failure halts traffic to and from Gora, three strangers are thrown together at the Five-Hop. Grounded, and 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 might be to each other.

(P) 2021 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd©2021 Becky Chambers Adventure Fiction Science Fiction Space Opera Heartfelt Feel-Good

Critic reviews

*** Praise for Becky Chambers ***
[A] delightful, cozy novel. Devoted fans and newcomers alike will thrill with this imaginative sci-fi confection
Becky Chambers is a wonder, and I feel better for having her books in my life
In a word, brilliant
A quietly profound, humane tour de force
Chambers is simply an exceptional talent
Becky Chambers takes space opera in a whole new and unexpected direction
Terrific. . . a masterly exploration of characterisation and diversity wrapped in intensity, heartbreak and tension
An boundlessly imaginative and fantastical conclusion to a thrilling series of novels
A story filled with heart-warming characters and intriguing connections. Chambers once again creates an epic space setting with a detailed, personal view of some of its inhabitants. Humour and heartache weave through her insightful prose and diverse characters
For fans of character-driven science fiction who are interested in how differences can be a source of strength, not weakness
Becky Chambers writes aliens like no one else ... the only flaw in this series is you'll wish you could spend more time with all of them
All stars
Most relevant
Becky's words & imagination, with Patricia's voice; close to perfection.
This is how to make an intertwined, multilayered, combination of seemingly disperate characters, their species, and stories that span several extremely satisfying books...... and always be left needing/wanting to learn more about them and the Universe they inhabit.
More please dearest author. (a D&D 5e Source book would be awesome haha)

MORE PLEASE ♥️♥️

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I feel like I shld have paced myself more. just because I devour these books does not mean Becky Chambers writes them just as quickly

love this universe

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I loved this story and I am so sad this is the last that Becky Chambers will write in the series . I have to admit loving every character and race she ever brought to life but I have a soft spot for tupoloo and zir problems. Can’t recommend highly enough that you read this series. It will take you on a journey across the cosmos, which may yet exist .

Toopulo

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I think folks who are looking for an exciting plot are likely to be disappointed; it’s not really Chambers’ style. She’s a world builder, species creator and perceptive observer of behaviour. The interactions of the travellers trapped in a stopover spot are joyous, funny and poignant. I loved it.

One of her best

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When my best friend bought my a copy of The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet I wouldn't have believed how profoundly it would impact me. The Wayfarers series has fast become one of my favourite universes.

The series goes beyond the typical space opera trope to create a universe of characters that, whilst wildly different to our notion of humanity, bring to the fore what it is to be human. The series is beautifully portrayed through Patricia Rodriguez's narration, making it feel like a cosy peek into the lives of others rather than a voyeuristic.

With an entirely alien ensemble cast The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is no less relatable. It is a fitting, beautiful, bittersweet close to the series, and my hope is that Becky Chambers will one day revisit the Galactic Commons.

A beautiful, bittersweet goodbye to the Wayfarers

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