The Wanderers by Meg Howrey

Reviewed by Kristin

For all of human history, people have looked toward the stars and imagined.  As technology has advanced, we have constructed and flown rockets upward to escape the bonds of earth.  Sometimes it seems as though the difficulty of space travel might not be so much the logistics of how to get there, but the adaptation of the human mind to face the psychological challenges.

Aerospace giant Prime Space is ready to send the first humans to Mars.  To prepare for their travel and taking the first steps upon an alien word, Helen Kane, Yoshihiro Tanaka, and Sergei Kuznetsov examine the lengthy isolation and multiple challenges they will face.  Prime Space places the three into a very realistic simulation of the trip; using virtual reality it will seem as though they are traveling from Earth to Mars, moving about on the red planet, then returning to Earth, all while never leaving the Utah desert.  All the while, Prime Space observers are watching their reactions to mechanical problems and emotional stresses.  For seventeen months, Helen, Yoshi and Sergei live as though they are truly making a journey where no one has gone before.

I read this book as part of the Book Bingo challenge: Read a science fiction novel.  I enjoy science fiction, although I don’t read it on a regular basis.  The idea that this was a scenario which could happen in the near future and that the main part of the action was psychological intrigued me.  Meg Howrey depicts the journey in a real and atmospheric way.  It really felt that they were in space, to the point where the characters even questioned whether or not they remained in the hot, dusty Utah desert.  Indeed, I was questioning whether Prime Space might have actually launched them in a trajectory toward Mars.

Helen, Yoshi and Sergei all grapple with their emotions, even as they try to keep any visible sign from each other and from the Prime Space observers.  They each want to prove that they can handle the upcoming real mission without psychological strain.  The characters are slowly revealed through their memories and the actions of their loved ones who are left “back on Earth” but are able to send periodic communications.  The stakes intensify as they move through the simulation.  When they complete their dress rehearsal, will they better understand how difficult and dangerous a trip to Mars will be?

A gripping and compelling novel, The Wanderers kept me reading late into the night.  BPL Book Bingo seems to be doing that to many of us here at the library.  We may be sleep deprived, but we have plenty of books to discuss and share with others.

Nevermore: Islam, The Risen, Iris Grace, Wanderers, Lost Woman, Hillbilly Elegy

Reported by Ambrea

Nevermore discussed The Islamic Enlightenment:  The Struggle Between Faith and Reason, 1798 to Modern Times by Christopher de Bellaigue.  Described on the jacket as “a revelatory and game-changing narrative that rewrites everything we thought we knew about the modern history of the Islamic world,” The Islamic Enlightenment is a thoughtful and absorbing work on the political, social, and cultural history of the Middle East.  De Bellaigue examines the great enlightenment of the Islamic world through the adoption of modern medicine, female empowerment, and the development of democracy and the subsequent backlash to modernization.  Our reader said he found The Islamic Enlightenment to be interesting.  He thought de Bellaigue’s arguments were found and his work contained a great deal of information.  Although it’s not hard to read, it’s a rather long book; however, he noted it’s a great book for showing the divisions and complexities of Islam.

Next, Nevermore shared Iris Grace:  How Thula the Cat Saved a Little Girl and Her Family by Arabella Carter-Johnson.  Iris Grace has autism:  she struggles with communication, avoiding social interaction and rarely smiling, never connecting with those around her—until she meets Thula, a Maine Coon kitten named for the Zulu word “peace.”  Arabella Carter-Johnson, Iris Grace’s mother, captures photographs of her daughter and Thula, telling their amazing story of connection and friendship.  Our reader absolutely loved Iris Grace, saying it was ideal for a Mother’s Day gift with its beautiful photographs and Iris Grace’s amazing illustrations.  It’s heart-warming and incredibly moving, offering an absorbing, intimate and insightful glimpse into a family dealing with one remarkable child’s autism.

Nevermore also checked out the latest novel from Ron Rash, The Risen.  Eugene and Bill were close as boys, but, during the summer of 1969, they were driven apart by a girl—Ligeia, a free-spirited redhead from Daytona Beach—and a terrible secret.  Now, decades later, Bill is a famous surgeon in their community, while Eugene is an inveterate alcoholic.  When a reminder of the past resurfaces, Eugene is plunged back into that fateful summer and the secrets that could forever destroy his family.  Our reader said she didn’t like The Risen at the beginning of the book, but, as she continued into further chapters, she found herself more entranced by the story.  “It’s a very good book,” she told her fellow readers.  “It’s definitely worth reading.”

The Lost Woman by Sara Blaedel followed next, continuing the story of Louise Rick, head of the Special Search Agency.  In this most recent installment of her series, Louise Rick is called onto a strange case.  A Danish woman is found murdered in England, except she went missing more than eighteen years ago—and she was reported missing by none other than Eik, Louise’s colleague and lover.  Caught in the middle of her most controversial case yet, Louise must solve the mystery before a killer gets away with murder.  Our reader found she didn’t enjoy Blaedel’s latest book.  It was interesting and had an unexpected twist for an ending; however, she didn’t think it was that great.  Mostly, she found it confusing.

Nevermore decided to take a detour into space travel—or, more accurately, simulated space travel—with The Wanderers, a new novel by Meg Howrey.  Helen Kane, Yoshihiro Tanaka, and Sergei Kuznetsov are going to be the first humans placed on Mars—if they can survive seventeen months in the most realistic simulation Prime Space, one of the top aerospace companies in the business, has ever created.  But being trapped in a small space of their simulation is just as dangerous as being caught in the endless void of outer space as they struggle to navigate their quarters and each other.  Our reader said she found The Wanderers to be odd.  Fascinating, but odd.  It’s an intriguing psychological examination of the human mind when put into an increasingly stressful situation, and she thought it took an interesting direction with the story.  “[And] it kept me reading to the end,” she noted.

Last, Nevermore revisited a recent favorite:  Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance.  Hillbilly Elegy is an insightful, searing memoir that dives into the struggles and triumphs of an Appalachian transplant family in Ohio.  Vance, who recounts his personal and family history, also delves deep into the culture and heritage of Appalachian families.  He examines drug abuse, poverty, education, and other social issues, taking a long hard look at the Appalachia he loves—and the Appalachia he sees slowly deteriorating.  Our reader absolutely loved reading Vance’s memoir.  Our reader admitted she was initially hesitant to begin reading Hillbilly Elegy—anything with “hillbilly” in the title automatically put her on guard, she said—and she worried how the author would portray Appalachia.  Vance, however, doesn’t berate or condemn.  He offers an honest, intimate portrayal of his family and his culture; he treats his history with compassion and views his heritage with affection, even the worst parts.  His memoir is carefully crafted, thoughtful, and incredibly honest, and our reader enjoyed every minute.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Reviewed by Kristin

Rosemary is glad to head out into deep space with the crew of the Wayfarer.  While the Wayfarer is not the largest or flashiest of spacefaring ships, its assignment is extraordinary.  Ashby, the Captain, has taken on the task of punching pinholes through subspace in order to create shortcuts for travel through the universe.  Wanting to get out of the solar system, Rosemary jumps at the chance to join the multispecies crew as Ashby’s records clerk.

From grumpy Corbin, the algaeist who takes care of the fuel for the ship, to engineer Jenks who has a special attachment to Lovey, the ship’s Artificial Intelligence program, the crew works together.  Rosemary is fascinated by Sissix, the reptilian feathered Aandrisk who is enthusiastic and much less inhibited than most humans.  Dr. Chef with his multiple arms, well, what is he?  A doctor?  A chef?  Trained to be both?  Rosemary clearly has a lot to learn about the various cultures represented on the Wayfarer.

Not everything goes smoothly, but what kind of boring book would that be if everything did?

This is a fresh new look at the possible ways that humankind might launch out into the universe in future generations.  What if we do overcrowd the planet?  What if we do destroy our atmosphere?  Who knows, maybe there are feathered Aandrisks out there somewhere, already interacting with shimmering Aeluons.  Perhaps extraterrestrials are out there observing—as did the Vulcans in the Star Trek universe—waiting to see when humankind might demonstrate the capability of traveling between the stars.  Or, perhaps not.  But as a science fiction fan, I’d like to think that life exists beyond our visible horizons, out in the unknown.

Chambers’ characters face big moral and ethical questions.  They grapple and fall down, find their footing, make life changing decisions, and go in new directions.  Even though there are inter-species differences and confrontations, the Wayfarer crew members seem to care about each other.  Perhaps they care too much, some to the point of interfering when their efforts might cross boundaries that cannot be reclaimed.

Beyond The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, Becky Chambers has also written A Closed and Common Orbit.  Taking a couple of characters from the first book in another direction, the second also could be read as a standalone, but I encourage you to read them in order.

*Recommended for readers who also enjoyed the “space western” television show Firefly.

The Martian by Andy Weir

Reviewed by Ambrea

As a part of the third manned mission to Mars, Mark Watney realizes he’s not the first man to set foot on Mars; however, he’s pretty sure he’ll be the first person to die there after a catastrophic accident leaves him stranded on the surface of the red planet—injured, alone, and unable to communicate with earth or his crew mates.

After repairing his suit, Mark tallies up his supplies and he realizes three very important things:  one, he’s stuck on Mars until the next Ares mission (i.e. three years), because he has no way to let anyone know he’s alive; two, his supplies are severely limited; three, his machinery was only made for a short term mission.  Which means Mark is surely doomed to die from starvation, lack of oxygen, exposure, or plain old bad luck.

But Mark, equipped with unexpected ingenuity, botany superpowers, and a grim sense of humor, is set on surviving his trip to Mars.  One way or another, he decides he will make it off the planet.

I loved The Martian.

I’ll be honest, I’m not the most avid fan of science-fiction.  I mean, I've really enjoyed the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, I respect H.G. Wells, and I'm quite a fan for alternate universes and post-apocalyptic thrillers; however, I don't read much in the way of science-fiction.   But I absolutely loved reading Andy Weir's novel.

Dubbed as “a castaway story for the new millennium,” The Martian is a battle for survival set on the surface of Mars, which seems incredibly far-fetched—until Andy Weir takes up his pen.  He puts so much detail into his work:  he gives you maps of real locations on Mars, he uses jargon and real theoretical physics, he explains chemical reactions, and, in general, he makes a hypothetical trip to the Martian surface seem like a legitimate venture.  Events, as they unfold, seem incredibly real and believable, like this could really happen—that Mark Watney could really exist!

Mark’s log entries are especially enjoyable.  Weir does an excellent job of conveying Mark’s character, giving him depth (as well as a sense of humor) that makes him that much more tangible to readers.  I also liked how Weir also gives readers glimpses into events on Earth and on the Hermes, where Mark’s crewmates reside for their trip home.  I loved these insights Weir offered; in fact, I loved the entire novel, how it weaved together the narratives of many different individuals and combined scientific fact and theory to create a seamlessly blended story that kept me captivated from cover to cover.