4 ms·

This book is one of my favorites ever. Both it and the sequel are amazing. My understanding is that Becky Chambers does not have any more books planned but hasn

by selykg 3y ago

This book is one of my favorites ever. Both it and the sequel are amazing. My understanding is that Becky Chambers does not have any more books planned but hasn't ruled out writing more. But I really really hope we see more books. This world just calms me, the characters are wonderful and reading these books is almost like meditation for me. It's really interesting how these books have captured my attention. If any of you out there have similar books you'd recommend I'd love to hear about them.

schneems 3y ago
I assume you’ve read wayfarers. There is more drama in that series but it’s still quite good. I’m in other recommendations as well. Robot and monk is a quick and easy read. I’ve already read it twice.
SamWhited 3y ago
> My understanding is that Becky Chambers does not have any more books planned but hasn't ruled out writing more. Ooh, that's really sad to hear; I had assumed it would be a trilogy with the city being the last one! If the first book typifies the climbing-the-mountain archetype (quite literally in the books case!) and the meaning crisis, the second is a great exploration of neo-luddism and being critical of new technologies effects on people (even if the technology by itself isn't bad), and I was really looking forward to her view of anti-car, utopian urbanism with a third one.
SamWhited 3y ago
> If any of you out there have similar books you'd recommend I'd love to hear about them. I don't know how similar they are, but someone recommended "Noor" by Nnedi Okorafor recently when I asked this same question and I really enjoyed it. It's less hopeful of a world, and less calming, but also has a lot of similarities in terms of being accepting of technology and how it can improve our lives while also being critical of its impacts on people and not just blindly using/creating it for the sake of "progress".
- disgruntledphd2 3y ago
  The Nine Worlds series by Victoria Goddard is pretty different, but similar in prose styling (at least to my untutored ear). Start here I suppose: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/43525897 https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/43525897
  - astrospective 3y ago
    I adore these, I’d agree there’s something of a similar vibe going on between them. Lots of optimism, but not in a saccharine way.
  - PhasmaFelis 3y ago
    I was about to say the same thing! Hands of the Emperor is a 950-page fantasy doorstopper with no action, no romance, not a whole lot of throughline plot, and it's the most gripping thing I've read in years. You just want to keep watching these people live out their lives, whether or not something objectively exciting is happening. It's genuinely changed what I want out of fantasy and sci-fi. It has a utopian vibe, like Monk and Robot. The world of Zunidh isn't perfect, but it's pretty damn good and getting better, mostly because of the determined, lifelong work of the protagonist and his friends. Kip is the most delightful bureaucrat I can recall seeing in fiction. Goddard's other books don't always follow the same formula, though they're rarely truly grim. There's more adventure, sometimes violence but not usually large-scale violence. Some are better than others, but they're all very charming IMO.
    - disgruntledphd2 3y ago
      The rest of them (particularly the Return of Fitzroy Aungersell) are also phenomenal. I started with Return (which is apparently a bad choice), and it was marvellous, even without the context of Hands.
aaomidi 3y ago
This book is seriously my #1.
ryukafalz 3y ago
I read both of them recently and agree with all of that. They drew me in instantly. Something about how peaceful the world in those books is, I think.
SamoyedFurFluff 3y ago
Have you considered Nghi Vo’s singing hills cycle novella series? Produced pretty consistently, about a monk who travels and collects stories with their photographic memory bird. I always found this fantasy series comfy and lush. I also recommend the Birdverse series by R. b. Lemberg (The Four Profound Weaves novella and The Unbalancing Novel), which is all about themes of emotional connection and community.

by selykg 3y ago

schneems 3y ago

I assume you’ve read wayfarers. There is more drama in that series but it’s still quite good. I’m in other recommendations as well. Robot and monk is a quick and easy read. I’ve already read it twice.

SamWhited 3y ago

> My understanding is that Becky Chambers does not have any more books planned but hasn't ruled out writing more. Ooh, that's really sad to hear; I had assumed it would be a trilogy with the city being the last one! If the first book typifies the climbing-the-mountain archetype (quite literally in the books case!) and the meaning crisis, the second is a great exploration of neo-luddism and being critical of new technologies effects on people (even if the technology by itself isn't bad), and I was really looking forward to her view of anti-car, utopian urbanism with a third one.

SamWhited 3y ago

> If any of you out there have similar books you'd recommend I'd love to hear about them. I don't know how similar they are, but someone recommended "Noor" by Nnedi Okorafor recently when I asked this same question and I really enjoyed it. It's less hopeful of a world, and less calming, but also has a lot of similarities in terms of being accepting of technology and how it can improve our lives while also being critical of its impacts on people and not just blindly using/creating it for the sake of "progress".

disgruntledphd2 3y ago
The Nine Worlds series by Victoria Goddard is pretty different, but similar in prose styling (at least to my untutored ear). Start here I suppose: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/43525897 https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/43525897
- astrospective 3y ago
  I adore these, I’d agree there’s something of a similar vibe going on between them. Lots of optimism, but not in a saccharine way.
- PhasmaFelis 3y ago
  I was about to say the same thing! Hands of the Emperor is a 950-page fantasy doorstopper with no action, no romance, not a whole lot of throughline plot, and it's the most gripping thing I've read in years. You just want to keep watching these people live out their lives, whether or not something objectively exciting is happening. It's genuinely changed what I want out of fantasy and sci-fi. It has a utopian vibe, like Monk and Robot. The world of Zunidh isn't perfect, but it's pretty damn good and getting better, mostly because of the determined, lifelong work of the protagonist and his friends. Kip is the most delightful bureaucrat I can recall seeing in fiction. Goddard's other books don't always follow the same formula, though they're rarely truly grim. There's more adventure, sometimes violence but not usually large-scale violence. Some are better than others, but they're all very charming IMO.
  - disgruntledphd2 3y ago
    The rest of them (particularly the Return of Fitzroy Aungersell) are also phenomenal. I started with Return (which is apparently a bad choice), and it was marvellous, even without the context of Hands.

aaomidi 3y ago

This book is seriously my #1.

ryukafalz 3y ago

I read both of them recently and agree with all of that. They drew me in instantly. Something about how peaceful the world in those books is, I think.

SamoyedFurFluff 3y ago

Have you considered Nghi Vo’s singing hills cycle novella series? Produced pretty consistently, about a monk who travels and collects stories with their photographic memory bird. I always found this fantasy series comfy and lush. I also recommend the Birdverse series by R. b. Lemberg (The Four Profound Weaves novella and The Unbalancing Novel), which is all about themes of emotional connection and community.