The Vanished Birds
Ratings31
Average rating4
15
Ratings31
Average rating4
A “highly imaginative and utterly exhilarating” (Thrillist) debut that is “the best of what science fiction can be: a thought-provoking, heartrending story about the choices that define our lives” (Kirkus Reviews, Best Debut Fiction and Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of the Year). FINALIST FOR THE LOCUS AWARD • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY TORDOTCOM AND KIRKUS REVIEWS A mysterious child lands in the care of a solitary woman, changing both of their lives forever. I expected many things from this trip. I did not expect a family. A ship captain, unfettered from time. A mute child, burdened with unimaginable power. A millennia-old woman, haunted by lifetimes of mistakes. In this captivating debut of connection across space and time, these outsiders will find in each other the things they lack: a place of love and belonging. A safe haven. A new beginning. But the past hungers for them, and when it catches up, it threatens to tear this makeshift family apart. Praise for The Vanished Birds “This is the most impressive debut of 2020.”—Locus “This extraordinary science fiction epic, which delves deep into the perils of failing to learn from one’s mistakes, is perfect for fans of big ideas and intimate reflections.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “A lyrical and moving narrative of space travel, found families, and lost loves set against an evocative space-opera background.”—Booklist (starred review) “The Vanished Birds finds an intimate heartbeat of longing in a saga of galactic progress and its crushing fallout. . . . A novel of vast scope that yet makes time for compassion, wonder, and poetry.”—Indra Das, author of The Devourers
Reviews with the most likes.
Not your usual space opera. Original, solid characters, the story is not full of action and laser fights but takes you by the hand and never lets go.
Heart-warming interactions but a plot that leaves you feeling cold and a little bit enraged, heh.
I was inspired to write this review in memory of Jenny (Reading Envy) Colvin.
This is tale told of a thousand years lived and also yet a lunch you may share with your friend tomorrow. The theme of family and what represents family balanced against the capitalistic greed of a future that awaits mankind.
The world building is solid and it is worth a read if you want you sci-fi served up with less violence and more thought and dare I say feels.
#JennyGuyColvin
Featured Prompt
44 booksTime travel books are a great way to explore the possibilities and consequences of changing the past. They can also be a lot of fun, as you follow the adventures of characters who travel through time.
Featured Prompt
2,708 booksWhen you think back on every book you've ever read, what are some of your favorites? These can be from any time of your life – books that resonated with you as a kid, ones that shaped your personal...
