Play Book Tag discussion

I'm sad that this is the final book in this series, because each one has been such a wonderful experience. Each has been different, with the only commonality between them that they are set in the same universe. In this book, we have three different species of space travelers stuck on a waystation planet for several days due to a problem with the communications satellites of the system.

Chambers just puts the reader right in the story alongside the characters, and in their minds. I just loved learning about the different alien species, and here they have to deal with each other and the prejudices that go along with their histories. Some readers may find it a bit slow-paced and at times preachy, but I thought she struck just the right note. I found myself heavily invested in each of the characters, and loved watching their development. My rating is 4.5 stars, rounded up. Now that this series is supposedly over, I can hardly wait to see what she will come up with next.

I'm really looking forward to this book. I love the depth of her characters, the alien species and cultures. She gets creative with things like gender. (Why limit a species to two genders?) Somehow creatures from different species can communicate, but like on earth, that doesn't necessarily mean they will get along.

I saw her books on a list of female friendly science fiction, along with the Binti series, Octavia Butler, and many others.