The Galaxy, and the Ground Within

Book 4 of the Wayfarer series

One of the best novels I’ve ever read; there’s nothing like it. It’s whimsical yet substantial, dynamic yet gentle, fascinating and profound. This is a masterpiece.

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The story takes place on a dead planet in the middle of nowhere, whose star system is a hub of wormholes to other more exciting places. The planet is populated by vendors selling their hospitality, under protected domes, to those who are waiting in the transport queues.

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He knew there would never be a point in his life in which he knew everything there was to know, and while part of him despaired at the puzzle that would never be solved, the rest of him embraced this truth fully, for what satisfaction could there be in having nothing else to ask? There was only one absolute in the universe, Roveg was (relatively) sure of, and that was the fact that there were no absolutes.

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This particular dome, the Five-Hop Hub Spot, is owned and operated by a Laru and her child. The visitors are an Auleon, an Akarak and a Quelin. We know, from the first 3 books in this series, what each of these species has a reputation for and what they look like. Very quickly we are reminded that individuals are not a true representation for an entire species.

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During what should have been a short lay-over, an error with the routine movement of the communications and power satellites that surround the planet causes the majority of them to crash into each other and fall to the planet’s surface. The previously scheduled landings and takeoffs are suspended for five days. During that time, the visitors to the Five-Hop Hub Spot get to know each other.

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He’d given up everything for it, and he would do so again. There was nothing that could make him do otherwise, even though he knew how much pain that choice had brought to others. How much pain he’d caused himself. It was worth it, in the end. It was worth seeing the universe as it was.

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I loved everything about this novel. There is no villain or battle, although there are moments of intensity when the reader is unsure what is about to happen. None of the characters are human, which is a fabulous perspective because it allows us to examine our assumptions without feeling threatened. And everyone in the dome is respectable and diplomatic, which allows wildly disparate species to learn about each other and become friends.

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The ideas behind this novel are excellent, but the writing is what makes it work. The author writes with a light touch which enables her to expound upon big topics in just a few paragraphs without the reader getting bogged down by it.

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Speaker looked at her for a moment. ‘Of course there is,’ she said. ‘You don’t want to.’

‘That’s not a reason. That’s a feeling. Feelings have to have reason.’

‘Since when?’

‘All feelings stem from something. Even if you can’t see it right away, there’s always something way down there at the root causing it to happen.’

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This book is about friendship, allowing disagreement while also holding respect for the other, recognizing that it’s important to examine our conditioning to discard what doesn’t feel right or match our experience, and the power of simple kindness.

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If I could give this novel more than 5 stars I would. It’s 100% recommended. It’s a quiet triumph.

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