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Is Becky Chambers the future of SF? A Psalm for the Wild-Built review
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- čas přidán 1. 02. 2023
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Book details/Content warnings:
Title: A Psalm for the Wild-Built | Author: Becky Chambers | Publisher: Tor | Pages: 160 | Publication date: 1st July 2021 | ISBN: 9781250236227 | Source: Purchased
Content Warnings: None, it's lovely
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Music: Who's Afraid of Halloween by Alfred Grupstra from Pixabay
Don't you have recommendations for a preteen. She loves reading but has never seen any r rated movies or negative music. She loves reading I'd like to gift her some unique titles.
In the SF space? Not really I'm afraid, but will pin this comment for a bit to see if anyone else does
The Hobbit seems the most obvious response to this! not Science Fiction but hey, I'll think about it and get back to you!
@@Paul_Bond. great choose but she's most likely read the hobbit. Trying to find unique books. I guess you guys are in the UK that's why everything recommended seems so fresh and better than things marketed in the states
How about 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' by Ian Fleming? Or the Tiffany Aching novels by Terry Pratchett? 'The Phantom Tollbooth' by Norton Juster?
A favourite from my childhood is 'The Little Grey Men' by B. B. (1942) - "The last four gnomes in Britain live by a Warwickshire brook. But when one of them decides to go and explore and doesn't return, it's up to the remaining three to build a boat and set out to find him."
@@parlabaneisback she's 12 a very advanced reader. Reads more than I do. But I do think want to expose her to anything sexual violent or immoral. Trying to find a gem that's not main stream. Thanks.
I’ve been on a Becky Chambers binge. I just love her voice and her perspective. So glad to see this video!
She's just wonderful
I adore that series so much. Becky Chambers is fantastic and it's all done so well. Simple, yet complex, and gentle, and just, GORGEOUS.
YES! All those things!
Excellent. It's always nice to have a little optimism on the bookshelf, to cut through all that despair.
Amen!
This was my first Becky Chambers and it was hugely enjoyable. You were spot on about the Studio Ghibli vibe is spot on. As I was reading the book it felt familiar in some way that I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Go well Olly.
Cheers Nathan, and thanks again for sending it to me. Really appreciate it!
As you were describing the book, I was reminded of the 1985 film, "Enemy Mine" where two soldiers - one a human, one an alien - are stranded together on a planet and learn to co-exist and ultimately become life friends after learning about each other. I never read the novella written by Barry B. Longyear that the movie was based on, but it was one Sci-Fi film that defied everything I knew or expected from Sci-Fi. This book sounds like it may be in the same vein. Not your typical Sci-Fi story, but one worthy of our attention. I appreciated your review, and I will look into the book more.
That was a great movie! One I need to watch again. I think I read the novella too, back around the time the film came out
@@CriminOllyBlog - I should watch it too. I know I have a copy of it floating around here somewhere
It maybe the future of a certain type of Science fiction Olly, but hopefully not all Science fiction. Granted, I have only read the first two Wayfairer books and I did enjoy them but for me they were very cosy and everyone was far to nice to each other. For me they were just...nice. I suppose that says something about me.
I guess maybe a better way to put it would have been to say it feels like a new type of science fiction
@@CriminOllyBlog Or maybe a kind of reactionary Science Fiction, which of course is no bad thing, but certainly not new. I think that Science Fiction changes and fluctuates, especially in the time that it is being written. Maybe Becky Chambers Science Fiction is a direct response to the hostility that certain communities feel from mainstream society. Science fiction has a history of being all white, all male and all colonial, this however has not been true for many many years. Becky's Science Fiction is not new or different but it is a voice that I am more than happy to hear, and I certainly hope it brings more diverse people to this wonderful genre.
@@Paul_Bond. Well said!
I've read 'Long Way..." - but it was too twee for me.
I may read more Chambers in future; but I prefer SF painted on a much broader canvas, and I thought the sociological aspects were a bit on the nose. More soap opera than space opera?
I'm not sure I'd call it soap opera - I think she uses SF tropes to explore topical questions about identity and relationshios
Solarpunk !! Initially I thought you said sodapunk 🤣 When I read her first Wayfarer series book, I didnt like it, it was safe, tame and too nice. I wasnt used to optimism I suppose. But then I did a buddy read of it a few years later and really liked it. She's a very good writer. Her books have a good plot and characters, and they're not needlessly long. Do the robots have scones with their tea ?
Yes - they are the perfect length!
And no spoilers - so I can't answer your scones question
Becky Chambers has been established as an SF bestseller for quite a few years now- the worry I have regarding the idea of her being 'The Future of SF' (she isn't the future, being already established because her brand of feelgood low-concept soap opera skiffy has already infected many other contemporary and nascent writers) is that she is writing what Philip K Dick would have said isn't SF: Dick said that these kind of space adventure narratives without anything new in them aren't really SF. To me her work is SF, but it's not good SF as it doesn't upset the applecart of expectation that new readers have of the genre when they come into it from TV series and films. Her work is basically too safe to fulfill what the best SF achieves - mindblowing paradigm shift.
Incidentally, as you covered 'The Room' recently, I'd strongly recommend 'The Demon', which I covered on my channel some months back and first read decades ago. It's a book I think you'd really enjoy.
That's an interesting take, and I do kind of get it, but personally I love this kind of SF that is so much about the impact of tech on individuals and society. Given the amount of (often fractious) debate about identity politics at the moment and SF feels a good place to explore that kind of thing.
Hoping to get to The Demon soon
Thanks Steve. It's a relief to know that I'm not a lone voice amongst all this inexplicable Becky worship. 🙂
@@davebrzeski -I did reply to Olly last night- or I was doing so, but the Video Widow pulled the plug on the internet hub, thinking I was in bed reading. I like Olly's stuff and will be engaging with him further on the Chambers issue later!
@@CriminOllyBlog Hi Olly, good to hear from you, enjoying the channel since I like a bit of Crime myself.....anyway, I'd say all good SF shows the impact of tech on individuals/society (take PKD's 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?', a story of on day in the life of an ordinary man and his wife in a future blighted by atomic war, mass extinction and rampant androids). Also re BC's 'broad representation', this began in SF notably in the 1950s with gender/sexuality issues with Sturgeon and Farmer and expanded in the 1960s with LeGuin, Russ and Delany- who of course being black by default showed that there wasn't extensive racism in SF or its fanbase (he won many awards then). It seems to me that BC's 'broadness' is fairly light and cosy compared to these, but it does reflect many contemporary mores, again which all good SF does. I'm sure you'll enjoy 'The Demon'...-Steve
Ooooo, exciting. I read her first book a couple months ago. I was struck by how kind everyone was to each other on the ship. I felt like I got to watch therapy every episode. It's tingling to know that her future books are so optimistic as well. Thanks for the recommendation.
Yeah I really think her books are all equally excellent
I am not going to lie. I was worried you wouldn’t like it 😬…but am so happy you loved it! 😊This was a 2021 fave book of mine - so much that so that I gave it a reread last year. I simply love the sweet, yet powerful and meaningful messages laced throughout the book. The second book is just as, if not, more endearing. I hope you enjoy A Prayer for the Crown Shy. 🫖 - 📚MJ
Yeah I really did love it. Very glad to have read it
Becky Chambers is one of my favourite authors, the wayfarers series and to be taught if fortunate are so good. I love the way she writes about society and gender/sexuality and how her stories are very much character driven and are very hopeful, even when humanity is heading towards its last legs. And I like how the technology is very... every day technology. Like technology that is the kind that everyone uses as opposed to technology that is only available to governments/military and rich people (if that makes sense) like you see in stories that are "harder" sci-fi. I kinda think of her stories almost as being "cozy sci-fi" because as you said, they don't feel like those bleak sci-fi stories with big messages that are pretty common nowadays, and I hope calling it that isn't a disservice, but they just give me warm cozy feelings when I read them. I haven't read Psalm for the Wild yet, but it is on my TBR list to pick up very soon.
Cosy SF is definitely a good way to define them!
Good review and it sounds like a really good book. I'll have to read it sometime soon. I do miss the more optimistic science fiction so I’m glad to hear it coming back. As far as the future of SF, one of the great things about the genre is the incredible variety of writing. I don’t think that will change anytime soon, so I think this is just one of many tracks the genre will follow into the future, and I’m glad for that.
Yeah agreed, there has always been decent variety to SF
I fell in love with her writing style
Sounds good. Just ordered. I know that Britta Bohler had mentioned it too.
Hope you enjoy it!
I’ve read her long way to a small angry planet a number of times and I just love it
It's so good!
Your book reviews are so insightful and thorough that I always know if I’ll like it without having to do further research myself. I’m very excited to read this one.
Hope you enjoy it! And thanks for your kind words!
Recommended. Downloaded. Thanks.
Enjoy!
I loved this one too.
Given where the second one ends I have a feeling this might be a longer series.
I hope that's the case!
I have yet to read this author, but I do love sci-fi. I’ll have to check it out!
I think you'll love her!
The story is is on a moon called Panga. I absolutely love both books. If I am feeling a little down I put the audiobook on. Sibling Dex and Mosscap are wonderful characters.
Yeah I always wonder with things like that if it's supposed to be Earth. But you're right that it's very clearly named as not Earth lol
@@CriminOllyBlog - though it is not stated in the book, my opinion is that this story is set way into the future and in the very distant past the moon was terraformed, or else humanity found a very Earth like moon. It seems that Sibling Dex is definitely human and there are Terran animals are mentioned.
@@Zozette27 that makes sense!
Life can be a dream if you play your cards right.
Got her tetralogy but havent started yet. Read some non spoiler reviews and it seems promising!
I think it's fantastic!
I have A Long Way to a Small Planet on my Kindle , but I haven’t read it. I have the impression that it is lighthearted and so I have always pushed it down the TBR possibilities.
It's definitely more lighthearted than Hogg
Do you think your recent intensive diet of disturbing fiction influenced your view of 'Psalm'?
Perhaps our current reads are always influenced by memories of our recent ones, and they contribute to the inevitably subjective evaluations we make.
(Having just come off a very good read, I'm struggling with a book from a series I normally enjoy more than I currently am.)
@@parlabaneisback Entirely possible, I do think our reaction to a book is influenced by exactly who we are at the time we read it. But then I've read 5 other books by her at different times and loved them all too
Nice video full of insights! Love your reviews. Still haven’t read much in the way of sci-fi… but I heard about this sci-fi author called Delaney, so I picked up his book Hogg. Can’t wait to try out sci-fi! 😅😂😂😂
LOLLLLLL!!!!
Waiting for "A Papal Bull For The Info-Dumpy" by Chambers. And "Dub of the Tesservilles" by Hardly Thomas. And "Life Against Poop" by Norman O. Buzzard, a psychoanalytic history of poop.
You could make a tag for people's favorite fake book titles. Just an idea.
I think I have to give Chamber another chance again. The one book of hers I read was A long way to a small angry planet and about mid I started to have issues with it. Listen to this review makes me think that I did not have the right mind set when reading it.
I think mindset/expectations can make a big difference. If you do try it again I hope you enjoy it
I've been wanting to read this book/author for a while cause I keep hearing good things 🤗
You should definitely try her1
So nice review !
Thank you!
I am currently listening to the second Wildfarer book right now. I listened A Closed and Common Orbit first because the first book seemed really shouty and I was getting a headache! I am really on an AI kick after rereading the Murderbot Séries by Martha Wells and the Imperial Radch Series by Ann Leckie and I am enjoying Pepper and Lovey's journey so far.
I think the second one was my favourite of the series!
I need to read more of the Murderbot books - really enjoyed the first one
I love the wayfarers series, this one less so but only slightly. I have to say I let out a little cheer when The Books of Blood were mentioned. I've read the first omnibus and the second is on my to read pile. I love Barker.
The Books of Blood are soooooo goooood!
The thing I really loved about the Wayfarers books was how each one was so different from the others
I've read A Long Way... awhile ago and remember liking it quite a bit. Guess it's time to finally dive back into the series, though these new books sound awful intriguing.
You should read them all!
I've read the first book of the Wayfarer series, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. It was a joy to read, I definitely will continue the series. And then maybe more :)
I really do think her books are lovely!
Should I start with this one ? I have never read anything by Chambers .
Entirely up to you! Either this or The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet
🖤💚
Was that sober-punk or solar-punk? I didn’t quite hear it.
Solar :)
Is Becky Chambers the future of science fiction? No!
I really don't understand the fuss. At best, her work is ok. 😉
Thankfully we agree on Barker's Books of Blood.
LOL As my gran used to say, it'd be boring if we all liked the same things
@@CriminOllyBlog I do have to be careful how I put things, though. It's not that I think her work is rubbish, I just don't think it's anything special in SF. As I said to you privavtely, I think she's really popular with people who didn't read a lot of SF before, which is a good thing if it's getting them to dip their toes in. It's all the stuff about her wonderful characterisation that amuses me. The first thing my other half said to me, when she read the first of the Wayfarers series (before I did) was that it was full of stock characters.
This phenomenon of readers seeing things as stand-out, when us ancient grinch's have seen it all before was probably best exemplified by the Harry Potter books, which (at least the first, as that's as far as I got) are about as derivative, and unoriginal as it's possible to get. I'm almost pleased that my dislike for Rowling predated her coming out with dodgy views. :)
I never found the time to try her adult crime fiction.
My main point here, though, is that I'm not saying Chambers is crap, and people shouldn't read her work. It's too easy to be more negative that one intends when talking about authors one thinks are overrated.
On the other hand, neither Chambers, nor Rowling should have even been in the running for a Hugo award.
For recommendations for women in SF, I would put forward Louise Carey, Jaine Fenn, Elizabeth Bear, Nnedi Okorafor and digging into the past, the wonderful Zenna Henderson.
@@CriminOllyBlog I forgot to mention... I'd have to watch again to clarify how you actually put it, but I'm sure you realise that SF didn't start out positive. Wells' The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine etc. and Shelley's Frankenstein are clear proof that this was not the case. Most of the very early SF was very dystopian, in fact. It was only later on that the more positive side took to the fore, and I do wonder if that wasn't partly the influence of films.
Something I'm sure @Outlaw Bookseller will make a video about, if he hasn't already.
@@davebrzeski That's a really good way of thinking about it. I think that's why I think she's important - because she has a really broad appeal - but I also get that might be something that turns off hardcore SF fans
@@davebrzeski Good point!
It was too cozy for my taste
Fair enough! Thanks for watching :)
I cannot get enough people to read this book ❤ all the tea 🫖 and robots are needed in my life
7:25 am and I drinking my second tea of the day
@@CriminOllyBlog what is your favorite tea? 🥰 I’m always down to try new flavors and brands!
@@storytimewithsyd8791 90% of the tea I drink is English Breakfast - Yorkshire Tea is my preferred brand
I remember waiting to read The Murderbot series by Martha Wells, I am a big SF fan ( started with Dan Simmons - Hyperion ) but I had to DNF the series at book 6, all the modern woke stuff was killing the story. Non-binary not modified humans, communist like societies where depicted as good societies, all wariors where female ( acted very manly btw), the straw that broke the camels back was in book 6 when in the book one guy said "our grandperson was stationed there", could not take it anymore. I do agree with you, we need positive SF stories, lets just hope editors do not modify them to be "modern", and let the authors write the story.
I do need to read the Murderbot books - read the first one and really liked it.
I'm personally all for broader representation, but I get that some people don't like it
I adored all Becky Chambers books. Almost all, but this one. On the contrary to your thought, I found the messages were so in the face, which was unlike her previous ones which sent messages through story telling. This one was too preachy in my opinion. I felt bad not liking this one at all.