The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

I read a comment somewhere that The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet was like reading Firefly fanfic. It is. It's also like reading a fanfic of Star Trek, Star Wars and every other soft-core SF TV and movie series that's ever been. There is really nothing original here.

In her bio blurb Becky Chambers says she spends a lot of time thinking about space. She might spent a bit more time thinking about science (or a least avoiding the subject altogether). Using algae for fuel in deep space where there is no sunlight might sound eco-conscious to the anti-science Whole Food crowd but just doesn't work.

And despite the twaddle-laden explanation the chances of having a bunch of aliens with so similar a biochemistry that they react to stimulants and narcotics the same way is next to zero the Star Wars cantina not withstanding. Even my cats don't react the same way and we are from the same planet.