To Be Taught, If Fortunate

"To Be Taught, If Fortunate" by Becky Chambers is a breathtaking novella that takes readers on an unforgettable journey through the cosmos. This science fiction masterpiece follows the adventures of a team of astronauts as they embark on a mission to explore distant planets and the potential for life beyond our solar system. The novella is a compelling exploration of humanity's curiosity and resilience in the face of the unknown, with each member of the team bringing their unique perspectives and strengths to the forefront. What sets "To Be Taught, If Fortunate" apart is its remarkable storytelling and evocative prose. Becky Chambers' writing weaves a tapestry of emotions and wonder, immersing readers in the awe-inspiring beauty of the universe and the complexities of the human spirit. The characters are brilliantly crafted, with their personal journeys and experiences adding depth to the narrative. This novella beautifully captures the essence of exploration and discovery, reminding us of the boundless possibilities that lie beyond the stars. If you're a fan of thought-provoking science fiction with a focus on the human spirit, "To Be Taught, If Fortunate" is a must-read that will leave you contemplating the mysteries of the cosmos long after you've turned the last page.

This well-written novella grabbed my attention from page one and held it right through to the end. I read the author's debut novel, A Long, Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet after I finished this one (liked it as well) and can safely state that both share some common thematic elements that I can't do without in my Scifi. These are: 1. I need the characters in my SciFi fiction to be consummate professionals with an unmatched expertise in their fields of specialty. I really can't tolerate books or movies that depict crewmates on scientific expeditions as incompetent, or worse, psychotic. Really. Does anyone think that a mission to space to save mankind, something that, say, took a decade to prepare, would be manned by crew members with personality disorder? 2. Duty. Crews aboard space ships that travel at relativistic speeds have to be unquestionably dedicated to their mission. There is no room for doubt. 3. Sacrifice. Every man and woman aboard ship must put the needs of their fellow crewmen and the mission first. 4. Camaraderie. Everyone must get along. It's a prerequisite to success. I find that a lot of SciFi writers manufacture drama between characters serving on starships because it's easy, and they're too conditioned to the cliche Hollywood formula to write a story without personality conflicts between characters. If you want to write about conflict between crew members on a Starship, you need to make it entirely plausible. For example, in this novella, an…

This book felt like it was written just for me. I finished it in a day, and reread it the next, letting the words etch themselves into my mind. In a word, this book was stunning. Chambers takes a look at what humanity can achieve, can become, if we shift our focus to what we humans have always been best at: our curiosity. Send four astronauts on a long and arduous mission to explore and discover everything there is to see on four aliens worlds. And all the while, no space opera drama: no 'who's sleeping with who' or 'isolation psychosis' which we see in other books of the genre. Just four professionals doing their jobs and loving every minute of it (until they don't. But they don't take it out on each other). The author is an actual genius. The way she describes the scientific method in an almost romanticized way; the incredible diversity of alien creatures she populates the worlds with... heck when she got to the part about invertebrates I thought my head might explode. Sheer and utter brilliance! The whole time, I wanted to be on that crew. To be with these people. While my family doesn't understand how I could possibly want to leave the earth behind just to discover a new world, the author not only knows that feeling but resonates with it. She knows. And this is what made me just break down into tears when reading. She has captured the essence of what draws mankind to the stars. She has described exactly the person I want to be. It's all laid out in front of me.

The real conflict does not start until half way through (literally) and it felt fluffy to me for the astronauts to have a polyamourous sexual relationship with no internal conflicts for that much of the story. Still, Chambers' talent shines through in well-researched, accessible descriptions that are hard SF without requiring that you yourself have read hundreds of space travel stories. The ending is unique and would provide great discussion at a book club. I suggest reading this at the beach--without the daily pressures of life. If you prefer faster setup I would not discount her other stories. A preview at the back of the book shows that she can get to the conflict sooner when she wants to. Still engaging, and designed to make you think.

This is a standalone novella unconnected to Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series. Climate change accelerated to a severe crisis that drained the ability and willingness of governments to support space exploration. Yet the drive to explore is not dead, and a private institute forms, to crowd-fund continued research and exploration. With contributions coming from anyone, anywhere in the world, who wants to support it, and all contributions, tiny or enormous, acknowledged, it works. This story follows Lawki 6, a mission to a red dwarf system with four planets that may be habitable. Five missions to other star systems were launched before them, but results from the first weren't yet received when Lawki 6, ship name Merian, departs. The crew is engineer Ariadne O'Neill, nominally in charge, and mission specialists Elena Quesada-Cruz, Jack Vo, and Chikondi Daka. With the information about the worlds gathered before their departure, they have patches that, while they are in deep sleep between worlds, make small but significant changes in their bodies to improve their ability to do their jobs. It might be skin glitter to make them more visible to each other in low light conditions, or improved bone density and musculature for high gravity, or any other small, useful changes that don't require remaking basic body form. And on each world they make fascinating discoveries--sometimes, not always, including life. The system is 14 lightyears away, so news and mission updates from Earth…