Record of a Spaceborn FewRecord of a Spaceborn Few
Score Modern
What it's about
Centuries after the last humans left Earth, the Exodus Fleet is a living relic, the home of many but rarely seen by outsiders. Humanity has been accepted into the galactic community, and those still living aboard the fleet wonder whether their carefully kept way of life is under threat. Becky Chambers follows several of them.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Hugo Award finalist. It's a quiet, hopeful novel about community and belonging.
You'll love it if you liked
A Closed and Common Orbit
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
Station ElevenGood to know
It's part of the Wayfarers series but stands alone. It's gentle, with little action.
By the numbers
- Readers73 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz10 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #101 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #543 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1045 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Thought-provoking
More by Becky Chambers
A Closed and Common Orbit
The Galaxy, and the Ground WithinThe Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
A Psalm for the Wild-BuiltIf you like this, read next
A Game of Thrones
The Fifth Season
Dungeon Crawler Carl
The Martian
Gideon the Ninth
Red RisingExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Record of a Spaceborn Few worth reading?
Yes. It was a Hugo Award finalist. It ranks #1,045 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 72.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Record of a Spaceborn Few about?
Centuries after the last humans left Earth, the Exodus Fleet is a living relic, the home of many but rarely seen by outsiders. Humanity has been accepted into the galactic community, and those still living aboard the fleet wonder whether their carefully kept way of life is under threat. Becky Chambers follows several of them.
How long does it take to read Record of a Spaceborn Few?
About 9 hours (368 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Record of a Spaceborn Few?
If you liked it, try A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers or Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.