Reviews

To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers

tasarla's review against another edition

inspiring

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

Never have I read a book that has such incredible world building to the point that the plot is in the background. Fantastic quick read, got me out of a reading slump!! Finished it feeling inspired 

bookitchewie's review against another edition

4.5

This was such a simple story, but told with so much heart. I loved the details, from the

worlds they visit, the highs and lows of morale, to the very simple and heart-wrenching ending, which was also extremely open-ended. I was never bored or feeling my attention wander. Part Star Trek, part millenial-life crisis, I found the characters to be the real gem. I could see myself as each of them, and only hope that I would handle stressful situations as well. The ending made me cry, and that does not happen often.

bo_ran's review against another edition

hopeful

3.75

katiemall's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

4.5

amimafotak's review against another edition

4.0

4/5

fedak's review against another edition

4.0

A science fiction novella that simply follows one of the first small manned missions to explore the exoplanets in a neighboring solar system.

No guns or space battles, no real conflict. Just a tale of frontier exploration and a very rare take that focuses on space travel as a scientific/research endeavor rather than one of colonialization/resource mining

(The title is a line from the recorded message included with the Voyager 1 probe: "I send greetings on behalf of the people of our planet. We step out of our solar system into the universe seeking only peace and friendship, to teach if we are called upon, to be taught if we are fortunate")

bookgraphy's review against another edition

4.5

SPACE TRAVEL TO RESEARCH LIFE IN OTHER PLANETS? YES,  PLEASE!!!! 

I had no idea I needed this book in my life until I read it, it's beautifully written and has a nice end.  I usually love a good story packed with action, so this was a bit different for me but  there's just something about getting to follow these scientists in their day to day while they research life in other planets that's so excitiiiing and my nerdy side is very much happy thanks to this!!

diarmuid's review against another edition

3.0

I thought I'd like this a lot more than I did. I'd heard that Becky Chambers wrote uplifting, cool, solarpunk scifi, so I thought I'd give this a try at a nice novella length. But to be honest, it was just meh. It didn't tell an interesting story, the characters were bland, and the writing wasn't amazing. What was the point of even reading it? It could have been a nice short story or something half the length, but it goes longer than needed. We don't need to visit 4 planets doing the same thing on each! Could have easily been cut down to two planets and half the length and it would be better. It very much subscribes to the gay vegetarian view of the future, with all four characters on the mission being LGBT+ and literally shaking and crying over the prospect of killing an alien squirrel. You know, good for them, glad they are writing and reading representation for themselves, but this book was very much aimed at a target audience that is not me.

gvin's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

viciousrey's review against another edition

slow-paced

2.0