The long way to a small, angry planet

I want to just start that I genuinely enjoyed this book more than I was expecting. I've found myself quite disappointed by sci-fi as of late because so much of it feels... the same, even when it's recommended for being 'more queer' or 'more feminist' or something. It still follows the same patterns, same narrative beats, same... failure to even imagine something different or new.

It's also been quite tiring reading a lot of sci-fi that focuses on perpetual conflicts. And while this book includes a conflict of sorts, it does not focus purely on the conflict itself. Instead, it focuses on the relationships between all of the characters. It looks at how things impact them, how they feel about each other, how they get to know each other... It actually gives a very necessary look at people within sci-fi, which I think more stories are in need of.

There are areas that I feel disappointed with, and it's largely because they felt glossed over. There's a whole thing between Ohan and Corbin, and their later interactions or the development of their relationship is never explored in the resolution. It's annoying because everything else is so beautifully done, but I feel like this one should've been handled much better considering the whole story around at least one of them. (And also, it leaves Corbin feeling really on the outskirts of the whole ship's crew.)

I started reading the book because I was curious about where the plot was heading. Then when it ended I realized I had stopped caring that much about what the end would be. Make no mistake, there's a plot there, and it's good enough. It was not a story that made you stop and think, nor was it hard to follow, but it was a good space adventure.

But, what drew me in was that this book felt like that Mos Eisley cantina, filled with weird and wondrous creatures. Just like in Star Wars, the creatures where not alien as such. They where totally relatable, and mostly funny and exotic suits. Sure, you could say that they where not believable as aliens, but I don't think that was the idea anyway. This was a book about strangers coming together and their relationships developing in interesting directions. Frankly, I would have skipped this book if the cover text had tried to sell it as a book about relationships. I came for the space adventure, but stayed for the characters.

I felt good reading this book, and that must be a good sign, right? Anyway, it was what I needed.