Not my favorite book in the series but it was a good read and enjoyable.

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‘Record of a Spaceborn Few’ is a mosaic novel, a structure notably used in [b:China Mountain Zhang|836964|China Mountain Zhang|Maureen F. McHugh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1346669090s/836964.jpg|1607617]. The cast is therefore sprawling and does not interact during much of the narrative. The novel is set on a fleet of interstellar spaceships known as the Exodus Fleet, built from the resources of Earth’s cities once the planet itself became uninhabitable. Generations later, humans have been admitted to the Galactic Commons and given access to alien technologies and inhabitable planets. Yet many choose to remain on the (parked) Exodus ships, which have a rich culture and strong traditions. Here, as in the two previous Wayfarer novels, Chambers excels at cultural world-building. It tickled me to read this, a sci-fi novel about anthropology, after [b:Less Than Angels|587597|Less Than Angels|Barbara Pym|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348070499s/587597.jpg|172510], a literary novel about anthropology. Through the wide cast, Chambers explores the choices facing those who live, have lived, or want to live in the Exodus fleet. Oddly enough, the highlight for me was the examination of Exodan funeral customs. These get considerable space in the narrative, to moving effect. Chambers doesn’t conveniently assume that the hard sci-fi technology starter pack (FTL travel, AI, etc) includes immortality. Indeed, she treats the cycle of life and death as a key commonality between alien races that otherwise struggle to understand each other.

While there is undoubtedly much to praise in the world-building, I enjoyed ‘Record of a Spaceborn Few’ less than the two previous wayfarer instalments. There were too many narrative points of view, which allows the reader a broad view of the society at the expense of individual involvement. I think [b:China Mountain Zhang|836964|China Mountain Zhang|Maureen F. McHugh|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1346669090s/836964.jpg|1607617] managed the balance better by focusing more tightly on a smaller cast. Moreover, the plot is episodic, fragmented, and rather lacking in tension. While I very much like the concept of cosy, non-military sci-fi, in this case the mundanity was taken a little too far. A future world can be comfortable while still being weird too; there wasn’t much weirdness here. On the other hand, this is a novel that really brings home to you how much anxiety and conflict simply disappears when everyone has unquestioned access to the means of subsistence. The moneyless barter economy of the Exodans is shown cleverly and I liked the consideration of how the introduction of external currency caused problems. Thus the economics were great, although the politics remained mysterious. The Exodus Fleet evidently had a police system, so I wondered where their laws came from and how their democracy worked.

Overall, a deftly written thought experiment that didn’t work quite as well as the two other rather brilliant wayfarer novels, [b:The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet|22733729|The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1)|Becky Chambers|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1405532474s/22733729.jpg|42270825] and [b:A Closed and Common Orbit|29475447|A Closed and Common Orbit (Wayfarers, #2)|Becky Chambers|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457598923s/29475447.jpg|48620653]. 'Record of a Spaceborn Few' was intellectually interesting, but did not surprise me enough. ( )

it took me awhile to remember what character was which cuz tbh the author was a little too overbearing with all the new people. it was decently overwhelming. but, once i got past that, i really enjoyed the narratives being told. they were a tad fluffy? i guess? but the life lessons within them were valid and realistic. i especially liked the bit of talking about all the bias against humans in the universe because they destroyed their world and had to have their hand held (and still get their hand held) in staying alive by using other species’ technology. that yeah they didn’t necessarily do much for the other species, they took and didn’t give. but, what did the other species do in order to be where they are? get lucky? destroy other planets instead of their own? kill a bunch of people to take their resources which caused their scientific superiority get even higher? it all sounds rather familiar. i like how the author uses pitting humanity against the other species to show actual human issues. also, using post-earth humans to display present world problems - political, environmental, personal, etc. she’s rather good at it.

still got one more in this series (unless the author decides to keep adding in the future), but i gotta wait on it. alas ( )

This one is a deep dive into the culture of "The Fleet" and follows several characters around in their day to day lives. It's a character study - not much plot to move the story along. Did not enjoy this one as much as the two prior books. I appreciated the extended world building. ( )

Für mich bisher der schwächste Band. (Zu) viele verschiedene Personen und Handlungsstränge... ( )