The Sparrow

Rating:
Summary: Ridiculously over-hyped disappointment
Review: I began this book expecting to really like it, based primarily on the largely glowing reviews I'd read and heard. I found the premise of the story to be pretty fascinating, and I still do - I just wish it had been told by a more skillful writer. The characters in this book are so two-dimensional and simplistically depicted that they almost come across like puppets or stick figures. To me they all came across as caricatures and "types", and I was completely unable to identify or empathize with any of them. The plot is ok, but the absence of flesh and blood characters was too much for me to overcome. I just felt that the writing was not very good, certainly not up to the level of most good fiction being published today.

To be fair, though, my wife absolutely loved this book. So you can imagine how annoyed she is with me at the moment!

Rating:
Summary: Hugely Disappointing!
Review: I read this book when it first came out because and I was intrigued by the storyline. However, I was disappointed by the two-dimensional characters, the macabre twists and it's lack of heart. I feel the author went for sensationalism instead of content. I am shocked that so many people liked The Sparrow!

Rating:
Summary: An incredible piece of Social Science Fiction....
Review: ...with the emphasis on "social".

This is, quite frankly, the best speculative fiction novel I have ever read. The Runa and the Jana'ata are fully realized races and cultures - not surprising since the author is an anthropologist.

I'll spare you the usual synopsis of the plot. That plot essentially deals with the clash between totally different peoples, races, and cultures. It could have taken place entirely on Earth, between, say, the technologically advanced modern world and the primitive people on a previously undiscovered island. But that would have limited what could be done with the story - so far as we know, the dominant life-forms on Earth are all human, and advanced or not, we're all essentially brothers and sisters under the cultural skin.

By injecting science fiction into her plot, Ms. Russell has given herself and her story the freedom to go wherever her imagination (and it's a VERY fertile imagination) takes her, by having this tale take place in a totally alien environment. And not only is her imagination impressive, but so is her education - if this book is indicative of her knowledge of her subject and the way she presents that knowledge to the world, I'd like to read some of her academic works. I'm so impressed that today, when I finished this book, I went to my local library and took out its sequel, "Children of God". If that book is only half as good as this one, I'm in for an amazing experience.

Rating:
Summary: Theology and Science Fiction done tastefully
Review: The ending makes it all worthwhile. The novel presents you with an unbelievable situation at first involving a priest and a failed mission to a nearby inhabited planet. At first we are tempted to pass judgment on this priest. Gradually we are exposed to the reality that makes the situation believable and in the end we hear the truth. This is one book where I have to say that the ending is something of an emotional experience. This is not a book that can be passively read.

Rating:
Summary: Sentimental, implausible, and poorly written
Review: I have read a lot of good speculative fiction in my life, and this does not qualify. Nor does it begin to qualify as a true novel, due to its shallow, stereotyped characterizations. Its basic premise, that the Jesuits manage to organize the first expedition to a planet inhabited by aliens, is laughable, but could be ignored if the result were interesting and readable. Unfortunately, it is neither. It is the kind of book that tells you everything, yet somehow manages to evoke nothing.

If Ms. Russell wants to be a science-fiction writer, she should study the likes of Cordwainer Smith, A. E. Van Vogt, and dozens of other real writers, to try to learn how to put emotional and intellectual power in her words. If she wants to write about religious crises and the torment they can produce, I would recommend that she read the works of Kazantzakis and Dostoevsky and take them to heart before meddling with things she obviously does not understand.

I think of "The Sparrow" as a kind of cross-genre romance novel, along the lines of Anne Perry's mysteries, with a tedious undercurrent of overblown anguish reminiscent of the (equally unreadable) "Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever". It is talky, preachy, sentimental, sophomoric, and embarrassingly naive about love, sex, science, religion, suffering, and just about everything else that matters to real people. The dialogue is wooden, the suspense artificial, the prose pedestrian - I'm not sure how I managed to get to the end. I suppose I kept hoping it would get better, but it is like a new pair of shoes: if they hurt in the store, they'll hurt until you toss them out.

Rating:
Summary: Bad science, BUT...
Review: There's pretty bad science in this work of science fiction. What is intriguing about the story is the idea of the Catholic Church backing and (mostly) staffing space exploration to investigate life on a planet in the "nearby" Alpha Centuri system. The characters are likable and pull the reader in close as they wrestle with ethical and spiritual issues than confront them in their isolation on their new home planet. The author imparts some very interesting religious issues and challenges the reader to think about the mystery of God....to which we have no answers. A very interesting read.

Rating:
Summary: Rare Talent
Review: Mary Doria Russel's The Sparrow is one of those very rare first novels that captivates a large audience. It's amazing how she went from writing in scientific journals to the bestseller list. The Sparrow is classified as a work of science fiction, but can be looked at as a work of fiction, spiritual, or even inspirational. It's an excellent novel, which brings out many of your inner thoughts about life.

The novel combines serious moral and spiritual issues with a suspenseful plot dealing with space travel. Emilio Sandoz has a story to tell that the whole world is ding to hear. The year is 2019 and the Society of Jesus is at the forefront of exploration. Everything was quiet until they heard a gorgeous, unexplainable sound coming from the far off land of Rakhat. A brave group was sent to the planet to answer some very important questions. Is there life outside of Earth? How will we be looked at as an alien species? What can we teach each other? How are other civilizations different spiritually?

Russel's novel affected me in several ways. I thought a lot on how exciting it would be if there were in fact other life in the universe. As far as my spirituality goes, I thought a lot about what God wants for us all. It made me think about a possible divine plan for me one day. And the whole idea of why does God punish good people was going through my head as well. I wasn't enlightened profoundly by the novel, but it was most certainly thought provoking. It heightened my curiosity on issues of spirituality and the universe. The biggest thing that I can take away from this book and apply to my own life is the idea that it's possible to overcome challenging feats. If you have a good attitude and a strong heart you will be able to handle any situation.

Rating:
Summary: The Sparrow Soars
Review: The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell, is a hauntingly beautiful novel of friendship, faith, love, and loss. Russell cleverly combines science fiction and spirituality in a captivating novel. The Sparrow explores a multitude of themes and issues presented in the novel including, suffering, celibacy, obedience, justice, punishment of the innocent, and the legitimacy of God's plan. The Sparrow explores on different levels the risks and beauties one must endure throughout the journey of faith.

For her first novel, Russell cleverly addresses the issues of faith with an air of sophistication. Not only does she nicely address the issues and mysteries of faith, but she also does a remarkable job of creating loving characters that one can relate to and love. The characters find a place in your heart and remain with you throughout the story. You can't help but experience the emotions of the characters as they evolve. You share their tears, laughter, fear, and joy. The complete and thoughtful development of the characters is what helps to make this story so powerful, influential, and inspiring.

On the negative side, the novel was difficult at first to ease into because of the shifts between the two story lines. Secondly, some of the technical jargon used to explain the discovery of the mission and the planning of the mission is too complex for me to understand, and I found myself skimming these sections or skipping them completely because they had little relevance to the plot at that particular time.

In the final analysis, The Sparrow addresses important issues of religion on a level that is interesting, intellectual, and thought provoking. Those who may not enjoy the spiritual aspects of the novel may enjoy the science fiction. I am not usually a person who enjoys any science fiction books or movies, yet I found this book to be so compelling that I could hardly put it down.

Rating:
Summary: A Unique Mix of Ethics, Religion, and Aliens
Review: Unique book. Mixture of Religion, Adventure, and thoughtful science fiction. Human frailties and strengths are presented. Although mildly depressing at times the reality of the book pertaining to human emotions and future society is worth the read. I especially liked the question format at the conclusion of the book. The author has done a commendable writing. I look forward to reading "Children of God" the followup to "The Sparrow." I believe Dr. Russell can sequence this series similar to Philip Jose Farmer's Riverworld Series written over a quarter a century ago. Dr. Russell's "The Sparrow" is a thinker's book and not just an action novel. I look forward to her future novels.

Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable, If Flawed
Review: Mary Doria Russell's mix of extraterrestrial first-contact with questions of faith and fate is really remarkable -- and this book is a shockingly good debut novel. I consider it one of the most memorable books I've read, and yet... it's got an enormous flaw. As if she suddenly realized that her book had a page limit, Russell drops most of the interesting elaborations she uses for the first 80% of the book and rushes the ending. But even that flaw doesn't stop my high rating -- "The Sparrow" is a thoughtful examination of faith, feeling, and the meaning of life... _wherever_ it exists in the universe.