A conversation about Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow

In this video episode of Geek 4, I'm presenting a conversation between Brenton Dickieson, Emily Strand and myself, Michael Boyce about Mary Doria Russell's 1996 novel, The Sparrow. The three of us were all featured in Refuge 31's The Science Fiction Makers, talking about science fiction writers Victor Emmanuel Rousseau, CS Lewis and Madeline L’Engle. Since the film’s release, we have connected over Twitter. At some point, we decided to start a science fiction reading group and chose The Sparrow as our first novel. And this is our first conversation. We've already agreed to set up another of these, when we'll be talking about Russell's 1998 sequel, The Children of God.
Goodreads.com summarizes the plot of The Sparrow thusly: "In 2019, humanity finally finds proof of extraterrestrial life when a listening post in Puerto Rico picks up exquisite singing from a planet that will come to be known as Rakhat. While United Nations diplomats endlessly debate a possible first contact mission, the Society of Jesus quietly organizes an eight-person scientific expedition of its own. What the Jesuits find is a world so beyond comprehension that it will lead them to question what it means to be 'human'."
You can follow Brenton on Twitter @BrentonDana and follow his blog , A Pilgrim in Narnia
You can follow Emily on Twitter @ekcstrand and follow her website (emilystrand.com) or her blog LiturgyandLife.com
You can follow Michael on Twitter @mwboyce and Instagram @mwboyce and follow my website michaelwboyce.com

[@pamelatarajcak5634]

I always see the two books as symbolic of the Gospel.
The first book is the mission to the Crucifixion. Emilio's it is finished moment is when he admits to what happened. At the very end, he is in the grave.
The second book is the Holy Saturday quiet mourning to the a new Pentecost almost. Not giving anything away though.