Rating: 
Summary: Sparrow is clumsy and unbelievable
Review: I very much agree with the last review that said this is NOT a great book. I give it 3 stars because the author put some thought into some of the ideas. I found much of the dialogue to be pointless and mundane. When the dialogue attempts to be instructive to the reader, I found it both irritatingly simplistic and condescending at once. The story, although it explores some possibly interesting ideas, is completely unbelievable - although this is fine for science fiction writing, the author attempts to give it credibility via character development but it just falls flat.
The only suspense is wading through muddy moment after moment to find out what we already knew from the very beginning.
Rating: 
Summary: So interesting
Review: I would never usually read a science fiction book but My mother's book club found it and she highly recommended it to me. It was such an interesting plot. One of the best books I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent "First Contact" with superior plot and people.
Review: I've been a hard-core science-fiction fan for 32 years, and this is certainly one of the best stories ever told. The characters are far more deeply developed than those found in all too many science-fiction novels: multi-dimensional in strengths, weaknesses, skills and errors. They came off the pages as real people, not as characters which are posed as plot devices. Despite other reviewers' impatience with plot, timing, and trans-time jumps, I found the plot satisfyingly complex and the timing devices kept me turning pages every night. One of the best aspects of this book is the questions it poses about mankind and our approach to other lives, to the role and even existence of God, to self-inflicted horror and tragedy, to the ethics of interference v noninterference, to the question of can one remedy an innocent mistake with horrific conseqences, and do well-intentioned acts leading to tragedy negate God or speak to a hidden purpose? This story has action, but it is a thinking person's novel with layers like an onion to it, and raises questions of faith and meaning in the context of human and nonhuman survival. The writing is exquisite: if you are familiar with and love the complexity of Dorothy Dunnett's writings (The Lymond books) you will love this. I gave this book the highest compliment I could give any book--I ran down and bought the sequel in hardcover at full price prior to finishing the first book. In 32 years, I've only done that once before.
Rating:
Summary: For science fiction haters--and lovers
Review: If science fiction isn't youir usual genre, don't be put off--this work is several cuts above usual science fiction fare. Radio signals are detected in outer space and the Jesuits--that's right--form an expedition and take off. The idea comes from the history of this Catholic order, who during the age of discovery several hundred years ago were often among the first Europeans to arrive in a foreign land--China, India, you name it. Russell tells a riveting story of a group of extremely talented men and women, who do everything in their power to learn the culture of the beings they meet, not interfere with the eco-system, trade peacefully, and merely report what they find. An innocent, helpful initiative, teaching the Runau how to grow food, leads unwittingly to disaster for all.
The story takes two tracks--one relating the actual experiences of the explorers, the other relating hearings held many years later where the Superior General of the Jesuits tries to get to the bottom of what happened. What makes the story special is the wonderful fully developed characters, the story of the spiritual journey of Emilio Sandoz, the main character, as well as that of the Jesuits on the trip, Sophia Mendes, Jimmy and married couple Anne and George. Also included is a very frank look at the struggles of those who take the vow of celibacy.
If I make this book sound too religious, it's not--if it sounds too science-fictiony, it's not--it's just a great read!
Rating: 
Summary: But the characters are all so stupid
Review: In years gone by the Jesuits travelled far and wide trying to convert civilisations to Christianity. Jesuits were men of considerable learning and they became the friends of Emperors in such places as China and Japan. It is not clear if they actually were particularly succesfull but their travels make interesting reading. This novels pushes the process to a future in which a Jesuit expedition travels to a star which has broadcast radio signals suggesting that it has intelligent life. The book is not linear but starts off with one member returning alive with his fellows killed. His hands have been mutilated and it is thought that he killed an innocent member of one of the species on the new planet. The book is broadly a gradual (some might say glacial) revalation of what happened on the expedition. The writer is unusual in that she was a university academic who turned to writing fiction late in life. As a result the book is poignant with issues. How can a benevolent God create a universe in which there is suffering and so on. The structure of the book consists of intertwining the events as they unfold plus an inquiry which takes place some sixty years later as to whey the expedition fails. The main character who is the Jesuit priest who comes back with the mutilated hands is infuriating. For chapter after chapter one constantly exclaims, why can't you just say what happened. However we have to work to a gradual climax which only really unfolds in the last 100 or so pages of the book. In fact the last 100 pages or so are quite gripping but for the initiall 400 or so one just thinks continually of the main character, let it all out, you will feel better, but for the point of view of dramatic development we are kept guising to the end. The book has other anoying aspects. In reality no one would send off an expedition to a distant planet with people hoping off and talking to new sentient life forms. Look at what happened when the Spanish went to South America and the diseases they transferred to the Indian population killed 80 to 90% of the local population. However the book looks back to the time of when the Jesuits sent missions to China and other places rather than being grounded in the present. The behavour of the main characters is also irrational. They are poor at understanding the nature of their enviroment and its pitfalls. The questions they ask to their new friends are poorly directed and give them no understanding of the problems they may face. History shows that real expolorers were somewhat more robust. The character who survives also wines so much. It is true that he has a rather bad time but many people in life have a hard time. He tends to exhibit maudlin self pity rather than being a person who is truly reflecting on the nature of the universe and its compatability with a benevolent creator.
Rating: 
Summary: Mary Doria Russell Masterclass
Review: Kids! Want to write like Mary Doria Russell? Just follow these simple rules, and you too could produce an SF best-seller!
1. Characters: every good story needs good characters, so make yours as <em>good</em> as possible. They should be selfless, kind, wise, warm, bright, and devastatingly competent. (Making them convincing is optional). To humanise your characters, make them swear a lot and talk about sex. Be sure to make one of them autobiographical. Hopefully your readers won't notice that these paragons speak and behave like juveniles much of the time.
2. Religion: spread this on really thick. See how many priests you can work into the story. You should aim to suffuse your story with a pious glow, which will make your readers (particularly the religious ones) reluctant to be critical. Hopefully they won't notice that your theology is shaky.
3. Wit: everyone likes wit, and it will help carry your readers through the long, tedious parts of your book. Unfortunately, you need to be witty to write it, so you'll probably have to fake it instead. Have lots of scenes where one character says something supposedly sparklingly or earthily hilarious, and others literally collapse, breathless with laughter! Hopefully your readers won't notice that it just isn't that funny.
4. Aliens: there's no way around this, every "first contact" story needs aliens. This is a problem, because aliens are, well, <em>alien</em>. They're hard to write, and, if you do it well, their alienness distracts from your human characters. So just make them furry people with a few odd habits, and hope that your readers won't mind.
5. Science: don't worry about it. Nobody cares about that stuff!
6. Horror: no writer likes to hear that people couldn't finish their book, so you need to hold out the promise of some juicy horror to keep them slogging on until the bitter end. For extra shock value, hint at a sordid sexual element. When the truth is finally revealed, half of your readers will be revolted, while the other half will be disappointed, but at least they'll have stuck with you until the last chapter.
Finally, find yourself a pliant editor, and you're all set!
Rating:
Summary: Well-realized characters and a very moving story.
Review: Mary Doria Russell has created some of the most well-rounded, realistic characters that I've ever seen in this novel. Her protagonist, Father Emilio Sandoz, especially stands out. I have to admit to a certain fondness for this sort of religiously-themed novel--Graham Greene is perhaps my favorite author--and I loved the moral questions/problems/debates, etc., that Russell deals with in the book. It is often quite brutal and gruesome, but then life is like that. A film I saw once, called _Black Robe_, had a similar feel, with Jesuit missionaries working (and subject to brutality/misunderstandings) among Indian tribes in early America/Canada. This is a book that truly deserves all the superlatives which have been written about it. A perfect introduction to science fiction for those who might not normally read in the genre (and I'm not going to nit-pick the scientific details--they just didn't matter that much in the face of the truly human characters Russell presents us). Highly recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: Read and ponder
Review: Mary Doria Russell's debut novel is a fascinating blend of science fiction and theological reflection. It tells the story of a Jesuit mission to the planet Rakhat, its tragic outcome and its impact on the only survivor, Father Emilio Sandoz. Sandoz had served faithfully as a priest for many years without, as he puts it, "feeling" God or experiencing faith "as a thing of the heart". The build-up to the mission and its initial success transform him to the point where his co-travellers report that he "has seen the face of God". But then everything goes horribly wrong and a mutilated and humiliated Sandoz has to try and make sense of God, faith and life.
"The sparrow" is not a great book. The writing is uneven (oscillating between beautiful and pretty ordinary), several of the characters are too clever to be believable, and it is hard to belief that life on earth will change so little in the next sixty-odd years. But it nonetheless remains well worth reading. Not only does it tell a good story with panache; above all, it challenges readers to reflect on the nature of God and on the meaning of faith in a world saturated with suffering and hardship. These are old issues, but they are as pertinent as ever in an age when more and more people either forsake belief in God altogether or close their hearts and minds to the paradoxes of faith. Mary Doria Russell poses these questions starkly, but does not provide answers. It could be argued that her failure to resolve the issues discourages belief, but I found her approach honest and courageous. For me, this book represents a more powerful statement of and a more compelling invitation to faith than many dedicated apologetic writings. It powerfully reminds us that God is unfathomable and sovereign, and confronts us with the crucial question: What does it mean to believe in and entrust your life to such a God?
In closing, it should be pointed out that the book is written from a Jewish perspective. As such, it is silent on an issue that is of great importance to Christians, namely the implications of the life and suffering of Jesus Christ for our understanding of human suffering and the nature of God. But in the final analysis this is not a book for adherents of any specific faith or, for that matter, for unbelievers. It is a worthwhile read for all of us who try to make sense of life and suffering.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining reading
Review: Not exactly sci-fi. Certainly not theology. A study of ethics and lessons of history? A little bit of all of these. Characterizations are a strong point of the novel and the alien culture is nicely imagined. Writing style uneven--mostly it pleases, but there are passages where you'll swear that Russell turned her word processor over to a three-year-old.
Rating:
Summary: A very good, though slightly flawed, book
Review: Reviewed by Richard Gray
http://www.rich-gray.com Father Emilio Sandoz, a Jesuit Priest, is a master linguist who has been ordered by his superiors from place to place, learning languages and helping the poor and unfortunate for the glory of his God. When he is allowed to return to his home town in Arecibo Puerto Rico he befriends Anne Rice, a physician; her engineer husband, George; a young astronomer, Jimmy Quinn; and a former child prostitute turned computer expert, Sofia Mendez. On August 3rd, 2019 a radio transmission is picked up at the Arecibo dish from intelligent life on another planet. Jimmy Quinn is the first to hear it, and, against protocol, Jimmy's closets friends are next. From the instant Sandoz hears the people of Rakhat singing from 4 light-years away he is convinced in the need to meet them for the glory of his God. He and his Jesuit order stop at nothing to put together the first mission to the planet and the crew ncludes himself, three other Jesuits, and his skilled friends from Arecibo. Despite initial success, the mission goes horribly wrong. When a government led mission arrive they find Sandoz with brutally mangled hands, living as a prostitute, and standing over the body of an alien child he had just murdered. Sandoz returns to earth, disgraced, and it is up to his Jesuit superiors to try and find out what happened. The book is written from the point of view of two different time periods, alternating from chapter to chapter. One follows Sandoz as a broken man being questioned about the mission, and the other shows how the mission unfolded and what really happened. This approach to telling the story works perfectly for the plot and everything from chapter to chapter is masterfully paced. The reader is immediately hooked by the question of what made Sandoz go from a devoted priest that believes his God is lovingly guiding his life, to a man who is physically broken and has come to hate God. As the details of the mission are revealed the answer to that question may shock the reader. The writers strength is in creating her characters, their motivations, and in creating the Rakhat landscape and culture. The interaction between the two intelligent species on Rakhat is well thought out. Jimmy Quinn is the perfect characterization of a physics graduate student, and Anne Rice and her husband remind me of people I have met in academia. Though I am no expert on Jesuits, Jesuits have apparently embraced Russell's characterization of them as being accurate. This is all around a beautiful book and among the books that I've read in the last year this is one of my favorite. However, to be honest, despite how much I liked it, there are a number of flaws throughout the book that I think potential readers should be made aware of. These problems include a few spots were the writing becomes unclear, some technical problems in the plot, and that her characters' dialogue can sometimes be a bit annoying. I'll explain below. There are a few spots here and there that aren't written as well as the rest of the book and you'll have to re-read to figure out what just happened. There are only a few of these instances that I noticed, and they only last a paragraph or two, but at least one of them came at an important point in the plot. However, the book is good enough that even really picky readers will probably forgive these bad spells and gladly keep going. There are also technology related problems in the plot that will annoy scientists or people with technical training. For example, Sophia Mendez is supposed to be some fabulously expert computer programmer called a "vulture". "Vultures" supposedly can write computer programs so well that they can replace people at their jobs, and people tend to get nervous whenever a Vulture is hired to study what they do. However, I've done some computer programming in my time, and there is absolutely nothing that Sofia does that regular old hackers like myself couldn't do. It is particularly annoying that Sophia gets called in to write a program that can do Jimmy Quinn's job. As a physics graduate student myself, I can tell you that Jimmy would have written that program himself a long, long time ago without Sofia's help. As far as other technical issues are concerned, I think she handles the Special Relativity well enough in the story, but there are other ideas she puts forth that I don't think are actually physically possible. But, then again, I guess this is science fiction, and in comparison to a Star Trek or a Star Wars novel the science in here is solid Sometimes the Character's dialogue, though I think it is realistic, can get a little annoying. Russell has gone out of her way to try and give her characters interesting backgrounds, accents and dialects. She succeeds. However, reading a passage with a realistic portrayal of a Texan spouting folksy sayings is just as a bad as sitting on a bus next to a real Texan spouting folksy sayings. You may want to strangle them before you get to your stop, and in the book you might want to pop a cork in the character D.W.. Also, when the characters are chatting and joking around with one another it sometimes reads like a transcript of a conversation from a dinner party you weren't invited to. Annoying. Despite the flaws I just mentioned, this is still a very good book. As Russell revealed more and more about Father Sandoz and what happened to him I really couldn't put it down. I read the last hundred or so pages in one day, and added the sequel "Children of God" to my list of books to eventually read. Richard Gray
http://www.rich-gray.com
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