It was a master class in writing. I have read it yesterday for the first time. Go read The Sparrow. On the other scale of mastery I would put Blindsight by Peter Watts. Those two books are fore me like yin and yang ;) What one lacks the other delivers.
This is my all time favorite book which I coincidentally read in 2019 that it takes place and it was written in 1996 that I was born. Ever since I sporadically search for reviews so I can feel through others how I felt when I first read it. Your review just did it for me and by the way my favorite character is John Candotti.
Cool. Thanks for the recommendations! I'm a little less than half way through Sparrow right now and didn't know there was a sequel. It was recommended by my pastor actually, who pitched it as a sort of exploration of Columbus. What do you think of that? I'm no Columbus student myself, so I can't really say, but maybe you know more than me? As for the book itself, I'm enjoying it, but I find the characters less endearing. Maybe I'll appreciate Sandoz more as the book goes on?
Oh, you could definitely see it as an exploration of Columbus in a way-Jesuits going to a foreign place in hopes of spreading the Word (altho in the sparrow their goals are also academic and scientific). Sandoz has even been compared to St Isaac Jogues, a 17th century Jesuit who went to North America to spread Christianity among Native Americans. I don't agree that the Sandoz mission was as bad as Europeans colonising America and murdering countless innocent people and taking their land, but in this future Russell has created, colonisation was also cultural (like it is today, don't you think?) as well as scientific. The sequel, Children of God shows the impact of colonisers on the alien planet. As for your opinion of Sandoz, I cannot tell you whether you'll grow to like him more. I do hope so! I liked him from the start, tho. It was the languages. Anyway, enjoy the journey as a first-time-reader of this amazing book! (and tell me what you thought once you finish!)
@@AStarlessReader I think I liked Sandoz more at the beginning, before he seemed so sexually frustrated and broken by trauma. But I'm finding his theological journey endearing. Annie however... I don't think I ever liked her haha. She's a little too focused on appearances, and seems to lack any true interdependence (even with her husband). Her "feelings are facts" line had me cringing a bit, haha, although I understand what she meant. Overall, the book seems to be getting sadder as it goes along. From what I know of A Little Life, your comparison seems valid, haha.
@@AStarlessReader Well, I finished it. Brutal book. Not surprised to learn the author converted to Judaism, I suppose. For all the "Society of Jesus" stuff, the guy is virtually never mentioned, haha, and I think the theological bits really suffer from the omission, if I'm honest. In the end, The Sparrow probably frustrated me more than anything else, but it is a fascinating book in its own rite, for sure. I enjoy picking through the bones of books like this. I think Supaari was probably the most interesting character. That said, I liked Jimmy the most. Unfortunately, I feel like the author treated him like a background character, except at the beginning maybe. Over all, I think I agree with others that it might've been better as a historical fiction or fantasy novel, rather than sci-fi. I'm not sure the space aspects contributed much more than a setting for first contact, which is unfortunate, as I might've enjoyed an exploration of why the Son of God showed up on Earth rather than Rakhat, what evangelism looks like between predator/prey species, etc. There were a lot of misses for me, honestly. Maybe if the author had talked less about sex and made fewer clever jokes, there would've been more room for some interesting religious exploration. But I realize most readers probably want more sexy humor and less theology, so I'll take what I get, haha.
It was a master class in writing. I have read it yesterday for the first time. Go read The Sparrow. On the other scale of mastery I would put Blindsight by Peter Watts. Those two books are fore me like yin and yang ;) What one lacks the other delivers.
This is my all time favorite book which I coincidentally read in 2019 that it takes place and it was written in 1996 that I was born. Ever since I sporadically search for reviews so I can feel through others how I felt when I first read it. Your review just did it for me and by the way my favorite character is John Candotti.
Also thank you for the recommendations I too am looking for my next favorite.
This was the same for me, born in '96, and only now found the book that brought me so much joy! 🖤
Cool. Thanks for the recommendations! I'm a little less than half way through Sparrow right now and didn't know there was a sequel. It was recommended by my pastor actually, who pitched it as a sort of exploration of Columbus. What do you think of that? I'm no Columbus student myself, so I can't really say, but maybe you know more than me? As for the book itself, I'm enjoying it, but I find the characters less endearing. Maybe I'll appreciate Sandoz more as the book goes on?
Oh, you could definitely see it as an exploration of Columbus in a way-Jesuits going to a foreign place in hopes of spreading the Word (altho in the sparrow their goals are also academic and scientific). Sandoz has even been compared to St Isaac Jogues, a 17th century Jesuit who went to North America to spread Christianity among Native Americans. I don't agree that the Sandoz mission was as bad as Europeans colonising America and murdering countless innocent people and taking their land, but in this future Russell has created, colonisation was also cultural (like it is today, don't you think?) as well as scientific. The sequel, Children of God shows the impact of colonisers on the alien planet.
As for your opinion of Sandoz, I cannot tell you whether you'll grow to like him more. I do hope so! I liked him from the start, tho. It was the languages. Anyway, enjoy the journey as a first-time-reader of this amazing book! (and tell me what you thought once you finish!)
@@AStarlessReader I think I liked Sandoz more at the beginning, before he seemed so sexually frustrated and broken by trauma. But I'm finding his theological journey endearing. Annie however... I don't think I ever liked her haha. She's a little too focused on appearances, and seems to lack any true interdependence (even with her husband). Her "feelings are facts" line had me cringing a bit, haha, although I understand what she meant. Overall, the book seems to be getting sadder as it goes along. From what I know of A Little Life, your comparison seems valid, haha.
@@theschmidy oh yeah, Annie is Russell’s self-insert and it shows. a lot.
@@AStarlessReader Well, I finished it. Brutal book. Not surprised to learn the author converted to Judaism, I suppose. For all the "Society of Jesus" stuff, the guy is virtually never mentioned, haha, and I think the theological bits really suffer from the omission, if I'm honest. In the end, The Sparrow probably frustrated me more than anything else, but it is a fascinating book in its own rite, for sure. I enjoy picking through the bones of books like this. I think Supaari was probably the most interesting character. That said, I liked Jimmy the most. Unfortunately, I feel like the author treated him like a background character, except at the beginning maybe. Over all, I think I agree with others that it might've been better as a historical fiction or fantasy novel, rather than sci-fi. I'm not sure the space aspects contributed much more than a setting for first contact, which is unfortunate, as I might've enjoyed an exploration of why the Son of God showed up on Earth rather than Rakhat, what evangelism looks like between predator/prey species, etc. There were a lot of misses for me, honestly. Maybe if the author had talked less about sex and made fewer clever jokes, there would've been more room for some interesting religious exploration. But I realize most readers probably want more sexy humor and less theology, so I'll take what I get, haha.
PЯӨMӨƧM 🍀
Rated it 1 star. Cheesy writing and myopic philosophy.