Rating: 
Summary: Interesting premise .... Shallow theology
Review: Russell comes up with a unique perspective: The Jesuits seek out another worldly culture just like they did during the last 400 years or so. But her theology is shallow and weak. These Jesuits do not attempt to convert at any point in the book. She takes a radical approach to Catholic faith by alluding to female ordination (by having a main character, Ann, being told by the Jesuits that she'd make a fine priest - why I don't know because Ann is an atheist/agnostic) and by having the Superior General of the Jesuits (who's character resembles John Wayne with a very heavy Texas accent)revealing that he is a homosexual. Not good enough for a very contrived sequel. Readers would be better off with Canticle to Liebowitz by Miller, Dune by Herbert, or A Fire Upon the Deep by Vinge. There is more general theology in these books than this shallow attempt by Russell.
Rating: 
Summary: An original
Review: The fact that most science fiction fanatics don't like this books should be your first clue that it's a quality work. Yes, Russell's science is sometimes questionable. But that's really beside the point. This book asks what the consequences of faith are. The answers it provides aren't easy to accept. The book is original, dark, entertaining and philosophical. And once you start reading, it's very hard to put down.
Rating: 
Summary: Good for book groups
Review: At first, I refused to read this book because it was described as science fiction. After several different friends recommended it, I gave it a shot, and was pleasantly surprised. This is a good read for book groups that are comfortable with themes of spirituality and space travel (strange combo, though it is). It is a thought-provoking book and my book group had quite a lively debate when we discussed it. I found the middle to be a bit long and the ending to be a bit short. Worth reading, but do not finish this late at night. The ending is haunting.
Rating:
Summary: Difficult but thought provoking read
Review: The author's prosaic writing style did not immediately engage me and I almost put the book down two-thirds of the way through. I'm glad I stuck with it - although it turns out to be a harrowing story with no easy answers. The author has tackled the subjects of faith, suffering, cultural clashes, love and betrayal. She has done it remarkably well for a first time novelist. The story will stay with me for a long time.
Rating: 
Summary: A Disappointment
Review: At the beginning I enjoyed this book. The Sparrow is a Jesuit Sci-Fi novel and this combination is interesting. The nosedive begins when the characters easily manage to secure a live-a-board astroid (Jesuit financed) and then travel to a planet light years away. At this point, Russell asks us to believe Fate brought these friends together for this mission. This is a difficult state to reach with her heavy handed writing style. Still, I stuck with The Sparrow hoping its contrived elements were leading up to some profound religious or moral idea. Unfortunately, the ending crumbled away. I found myself reading a 21st Century author's version of the story of Lot. A version long on the misery, and very brief on the implications.
Rating: 
Summary: Sipaj, people--this is an awesome book
Review: I read this book for the first time all in one gulp (two years ago). I laughed, I cried, I loved. As soon as I found myself sufficiently recovered from the ending, the only thing I was able to do was read it again, and it had the same effects, but was still rich and surprising. Now, every time I pass it on the library shelves, I am impelled to read it again. It is an unforgettable story. This is narrative at its best. But more importantly, the characters in this book are truly incredible. Sure, the book has its faults. (Don't let the "gruesome" complaint bother you. There are sensitively told stories and insensitively told sensationalizing, and this book is firmly rooted in the first camp. Amen to this book's politics!) The aliens aren't especially compelling, in my opinion (but then I can't think of many science fiction books with particularly compelling aliens). Maybe it would have been better if the more devastating scenes of the book were told in a more immediate manner. I for one, however, am willing to follow the author's lead in this book. The characters are perhaps the very best I've ever had the pleasure to meet. You can reread it a million times and still appreciate it in new and wonderful ways; as an atheist, none of the Jesuits or agnostics bothered me in the least. (Not enough to matter, anyway.) This is a book which is truly impossible to forget, and this alone should be enough to make any reader melt.
Rating:
Summary: A magificient , moving story
Review: You will either fall under the spell of this unique tale or absolutely hate it. Both horrifying and uplifting, this story of the clash between our culture and an alien species addresses an old theme in a unique way. Russell proves herself a major voice in this and in the sequel
Rating:
Summary: A masterful mix of medieval mysticism and science fiction
Review: The Sparrow is one of most inventive novels in the genre where invention is considered part of the admission fee. THe graceful intertwining of so many different threads of human existence into a seamless, gripping, gut-wrenching story. Religion, Catholicism, mysticism, biology, politics, space science, sexuality. Russell covers the entire range of the human drama.
Rating:
Summary: Young Readers, Here is the low down-Great Book
Review: This book is a fantastic blend of science, anthropology, religion, fiction and science fiction. To those readers that enjoy an intelligent read, this is a great book for you. The story line and characters fluidly entangle you into the quest to make first contact with a foreign planet. For those with a short attention span, don't worry, the story progresses quickly without losing you in endless character development. I don't know about you, but when I read a book, I like to not only be entertained, but to learn or discover something new. Russell does an excellent job of weaving in a stimulating discussion of religion and culture throughout the book. There are also thought provoking comments about anthropology and parallels to our own society that makes the book even more to digest. All of this and a great story too. What more can you ask for? I found this book to be a great read. Oh, and when you have read the last page that leaves you wanting for more...do not despair! The sequel is already out so you can continue the journey with Children of God. From someone in thier twenties, I thought it was a great book. Read on!
Rating:
Summary: Well worth the read
Review: I have always shied away from sci fi, until a friend recommended this book. Found it to be an interesting premise and fairly gripping read, although I found the chapters on Rahkat less engaging than those based on earth.
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