This is an amazing book that combines science and theology with a really good plot and character development. ( )

I had seen a lot of glowing reviews of this book, which is probably why it was a minor disappointment for me. It seemed like a whole lot of build-up that wasn't justified by the final payoff.

Still, it's worth a solid 3 stars, even if it won't make it to my "favourites" shelf. ( )

This book perhaps you may have missed because it was published as a main stream fiction novel. It is very definitely science fiction though. This book was gripping, well written, insightful, provocative, and very doubtfully ever going to make it to the big screen - though probably it should. The story unfolds non-linearly, jumping back and forth around the part of the story that is too painful for our main character to actually look at. You will come up with all sorts of media spins in your own head about what happened to him, while he was away in a different solar system, but the finally revealed story is really far more touching and horrible.

The nutshell plot is that of a Jesuit Priest who is sent off at close to the speed of light to meet the aliens who transmitted a song that SETI picked up. A closer look finds issues of faith and the strength of friends.

Well worth the read and I am looking forward to reading the sequels. ( )

The Sparrow is not really science fiction, even if it has a space ship and first contact with aliens. Russell creates unique and lovable characters as she explores anthropology, sociology and religion against the backdrop of an alien planet. The book is worth reading just for the characters but the story's unique chronology, where the reader hears the beginning and the ending at the start and works toward the middle, makes it too intriguing to pass up. ( )

I really wish I could give 3.5 stars on here, but I can't justify giving it a full 4th star.I have to call this a "good" book because it caused an explosion of ideas and concepts in my head while reading it. I was impressed with the range of themes this story contains. It's theological, sociological, anthropological, psychological, and philosophical, with a fair amount of heavy science thrown in to keep the sci-fi nerds pleased.The characters are all just a bit too unbelievable for me though. Emilio was the worst. I could not relate to him throughout any of the book. He came across as whiny even before all the trauma he'd suffer on the alien planet. I also thought his relationship with Supaari after everyone else died was uncharacteristic. Yes, Emilio was mortified with grief at first, but he completely failed to communicate well with Supaari. In every other mission the priest had been on, everyone sort of falls in love with him, yet Supaari is utterly bored with him, so it was unbelievable when the alien discards him.Anne and Sofia were unrealistically perfect female characters. Any flaw they had was somehow excused, justified, or reconciled in some way or another. I love strong female characters, but they have to remain human. The author admitting that she saw herself as Anne was self-promoting and awkwardly narcissistic.I have so much trouble with the event that caused all the trouble of Rahkat, the alien planet: planting a garden with Earth plants. WTF?! I'm no type of scientist and I was appalled at the concept. Endangering the ecosystem and introducing the concept of farming to a sentient species who did not have it as part of their lives is such an obvious abomination, even though I'm not a naturalist (like the character Marc) or an anthropologist (like Anne). For crap's sake, that was just ridiculously stupid. Had the been less educated Earthlings, yes, I would have viewed it as an honest mistake.Those are my rants for this book. I did love the two alien races, and the concept of herbivore/carnivore and prey/predator was brilliant. I was in love with the gentle Runa species and thoroughly intrigued by the Jana'ata and their control of the planet.I really feel like Russel failed with the sci-fi aspect of Rakhat, however. I was left with a very unclear picture of what Supaari's city looked like. We were given just the tiniest glimpse of what it was like, while throughout the rest of the book we had to suffer long prose and dialogue about theology and dinner party banter. I enjoyed those parts, mind you, but it was unfair that the description of this alien world didn't get as much attention.All in all, the book is worth reading for its themes and concepts, but the story and characters weren't enough for me to read the sequel. ( )