The Galaxy, and the Ground Within: Wayfarers 4

This was absolutely everything I read Becky Chambers for. Imagine a bunch of people driving home for Thanksgiving and stopping at a quaint B&B on the way. An unexpected snowstorm strands them there and so they end up learning who their fellow guests are and some thorny cultural/political issues cause friction along the way. Except it's in space, they are all different species (note no humans/Exodans appear on the page this volume which was an interesting choice) and actually trapped on a trans-galactic stopover planet due to a technical failure in the transport system.Not much actually happens in this final instalment of the series but, as usual, we get to learn about how different species co-exist among each other on both an intergalactic scale and a "stuck unexpectedly together in this little space motel for several days" scale. Most of the cast range from a little unusual for their general species, to somewhat rebellious, to a literal outcast in one case. This produces interesting points of view on their own and each other's societal customs.One of my favourite things about this series is how it examines a human, heteronormative idea of family and how there are alternatives that are just as valid if not actually better. I certainly appreciate the idea of Aeluon fathers choosing to raise children as a profession and doing it together in a group. It seems terribly sensible as far as I'm concerned!Terribly enjoyable way to wrap up the series.

This is the the final book in Chambers’ Galactic Commons series, which focusses on personal problems of people (alien and human) trying to live their lives well in a complex universe. Here, for the first time, none of the characters is human.Three travellers stop off at the Five-Hop One-Stop, for what they expect to be a short stay. But a freak accident strands them. All have urgent personal reasons to be elsewhere, but there is nothing they can do but wait for the situation to clear. They learn about each other, their hosts, and themselves, in the process.Chambers’ universe is filled with civilised beings: they are not necessarily nice, but they don’t run amok when circumstances are against them. They press on, trying their best to achieve their goals whilst remaining relatively well-mannered. This makes for somewhat gentle narratives: the problems are crucial for the protagonists, but not universe-shattering. Even here, where one of the characters is basically an arms dealer, there is no violence, just difference of opinion.I have enjoyed this series, although I found this final entry a little disappointing. I’m not sure why. Maybe my expectations were too high? Maybe it is because although the characters learn and change, what they learn about each other doesn’t seem to affect what they learn about themselves. Maybe I was expecting something a little more complex. Even if the destination was a little more prosaic than in the previous books, I still enjoyed to journey.

I did really like this book but I'm still longing for a follow-up up to book 1, I was invested in those peoples lives and wanted more. Continuing to fall in love with characters that we'll never hear from again is quite heartbreaking and there's quite a lot of characters in this book for a 324 pager. It's another tickle of a story, a peek into another part of this universe.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is the final instalment of the Wayfarers series. Each book is a separate entity in its own right, but there are links to the others - occasionally characters from previous books pop up, and of course there is the world, or rather universe, building. So you don't have to have read the first three, but they're all great, so why wouldn't you?The planet Gora is the intergalactic version of a motorway service station. Ouloo runs the Five-Hop One-Stop, one of the establishments catering to visitors' needs such as fuel, food, tech repairs and a bathhouse. When the Goran satellite network suffers a massive failure, the travellers are temporarily marooned.Throwing a small number of different species into closer than usual proximity for several days gives Becky Chambers a chance to explore the differences and similarities between her characters. As they learn more about their different cultures they build bridges and earn each others' respect.It's a beautiful story, full of kindness and compassion. It might be a space opera, but there are lessons for us all about being more accepting and understanding of people who are different to ourselves.