'To Be Taught, If Fortunate' by Becky Chambers is a novella that follows a crew of four astronauts on a scientific mission to explore distant planets that may contain life. The book is written in the form of a diary, providing insights into the narrator's experiences and thoughts as they navigate through different planets, facing moments of jubilation and crisis. The story delves into themes of space exploration, human adaptation, and ethical considerations in encountering alien life forms.
Chambers' writing style in this novella is described as compelling, philosophical, and thought-provoking. The narrative focuses on the crew's scientific exploration, their excitement about discoveries, and the ethical dilemmas they encounter while maintaining communication with Earth. The character development, particularly of the narrator, is highlighted, providing a personal touch to the story as the crew grapples with the vastness of space and their own place in the universe.
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From The Publisher:
National Bestseller!
A Hugo and Locus Award Nominee!
"Extraordinary . . . A future sci-fi masterwork in a new and welcome tradition." - Joanne Harris, author if Chocolat
A stand-alone science fiction novella from the award-winning, bestselling, critically-acclaimed author of the Wayfarers series.
At the turn of the twenty-second century, scientists make a breakthrough in human spaceflight. Through a revolutionary method known as somaforming, astronauts can survive in hostile environments off Earth using synthetic biological supplementations. They can produce antifreeze in subzero temperatures, absorb radiation and convert it for food, and conveniently adjust to the pull of different gravitational forces. With the fragility of the body no longer a limiting factor, human beings are at last able to journey to neighboring exoplanets long known to harbor life.
A team of these explorers, Ariadne O'Neill and her three crewmates, are hard at work in a planetary system fifteen light-years from Sol, on a mission to ecologically survey four habitable worlds. But as Ariadne shifts through both form and time, the culture back on Earth has also been transformed. Faced with the possibility of returning to a planet that has forgotten those who have left, Ariadne begins to chronicle the story of the wonders and dangers of her mission, in the hope that someone back home might still be listening.
Ratings (46)
Incredible (16) | |
Loved It (16) | |
Liked It (11) | |
It Was OK (3) |
Reader Stats (95):
Read It (47) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (38) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (8) |
2 comment(s)
Great character development and thoughtful detailed alien cultures
I'm on the fence about how I feel about this short story. On one hand, I found the concept of rapid physical evolution to survive in new worlds fascinating! On the other hand, as another reviewer so accurately put it: it is basically like reading field notes of a research team. There wasn't much of a plot here. Instead—an intriguing concept, fleshed out to the minimum of what was necessary.
I might've liked this story better had the author decided to create a more expansive telling of it, but who's to say for sure. When deciding to use a concept as a novel or a short story, there's usually a good reason an author chooses one or the other.
Let me end my brief review with this: Chambers piqued my interest in a concept and world that I am almost 100% likely never to encounter again, and I don't think I'm satisfied with that.
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To Be Taught, If Fortunate?
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