Rating: 
Summary: Stunning
Review: In 'The Sparrow,' Mary Doria Russell pulls off what few have attempted: A credible science fiction story that successfully combines a quest for scientific discovery with a quest for God. 'The Sparrow' is much more than that, as readers will see after reading just a few pages. After that, you'll be hooked.
'The Sparrow' begins with the release of a Jesuit priest, Father Emilio Sandoz, from a hospital. Sandoz has just returned to Earth as the lone survivor of an eight person expedition to Rakhat, a distant planet. The Catholic Church wants to know many things from Sandoz: What was first contact with an alien race like? What/who do they worship? What happened to the other seven members of the expedition and why are you the only survivor? Russell tells this fascinating tale through the interrogation(s) of Sandoz by the ruling Catholic authorities and through flashbacks. At first, Sandoz refuses to talk about the trip at all. We can see that something happened that's extremely painful for him to share. But gradually, we come to see the wonder, the glory, and the horror that Sandoz saw. And it is incredible. 'The Sparrow' is a science fiction work, but not hard sf. If you're the type of reader who gets turned off by all the techincal jargon of many science fiction stories, don't worry. You'll find none of that here. What you will find, for one thing, are absolutely wonderfully written characters. Of all the eight people on the mission, readers will find someone with whom they can identify with. You may even find someone like yourself. Readers will also find a lot of questions posed that most novels are afraid to touch, specifically about the nature of God and how He works in the lives of people. Russell is not afraid to throw the tough questions out there for your consideration. That in itself is refreshing. The book is also, quite simply, a great read. What DID happen to Sandoz? Why was he the only survivor? 'The Sparrow' keeps you guessing until the very end, and when the end comes, you'll be asking yourself a lot of questions...big questions, and not just about the book. I would not dream of giving anything away about the story, but be warned: Some parts of the book are quite disturbing. Not for kids. The book also includes an interview with the author (Don't read it until you've finished the entire book.) as well as questions for discussion. 405 pages
Rating: 
Summary: An interesting first effort
Review: I found this first novel interesting enough to order the sequal, but I have a couple of problems with some of the author's concepts. First, when the novel opens interstellar flight is possible but has not even been attempted. Not even an unmanned ship has been sent out, yet the Jersuits find it relatively easy to buy an asteroid and fit it out as a manned starship! Does not compute, especially if you remember that the first attempt at a powered transatalntic flight was made in 1910, within a decade of Zepplin, Santos-Dumont and the Wrights .
Second ,the notion of a planet with two intelligent species is a bit difficult. The evdidence concerning the Neanderthals and Modern Humans would seem to argue that such a suituation would not be stable. No one knows if we wiped out the Neanderthals or if they simply died out, but they don't seem to be around anymore (except possibly in the Right wing of the Republican Party!)
Finally, the historical Jesuits seem to have undergone some pretty gastly treatment and to have gone to their martyrdom with their faith more or less intact. Is Father Sandoz a weakling by the strict standards of his Order? Eugene S. Erdahl
Rating:
Summary: Psychological and feminist concerns
Review: I'll start by saying that I enjoyed this. It reminded me of a blend of Blish's A Case of Conscience with Vonnegut's Galapagos. I also enjoyed the construction of the narrative. However, I found the final revelation problematic for two, related reasons: 1) Call it confession or call it catharsis, but people generally don't experience the kind of relief Sandoz appears to feel when he tells his story. Yes, other characters tell him that he will need to tell it again, but this is not shown to the reader. Since Russell explicitly discusses the Holocaust, she might have done better to look at Weisel's The Oath for a more realistic portrayal of the relationship between narration and psychological meaning-making. 2) I'll try to describe this without blowing the plot. What Sandoz reveals, the experiences that shake his faith, is admittedly terrible. That said, it's unfortunately not uncommon. From the descriptions of Sandoz's childhood, I'm sure that any number of women around him were having similar experiences, not just the interpersonal aspects, but also in relationship to their faith experience. My understanding of Sandoz's tale is, bluntly, that he comes across as extraordinarily entitled. Having struggled to attain status as a man, he is treated as property. Sure, his loss of faith under these circumstances is understandable, but not at all unique. Any number of women, and many men, face a similar challenge. But Sandoz does not seem to learn connection, humility, or faith from his encounter with wickedness (or, perhaps, capitalism where he doesn't come out on top). He does not discover that he is everyman, or everywoman. Instead, he rages against the injustice of believing that he will be loved and protected, but finding that the opposite has occurred. What could have been revelatory turns out to be just another man upset because somebody treated him like a woman.
Rating:
Summary: Science fiction and religion
Review: The Sparrow is a different take on the "first contact" subgenre of science fiction. It is a story with humor and tragedy and ideas. The story deals with a Jesuit-supported mission to a nearby star system where it appears life exists. With deep pockets and singlemindedness, the Jesuits are able to outrace the different governments and encounter the aliens first. The eight who go to this planet are four Jesuits (including main character, Emilio Sandoz) and four laypeople including an engineer, a doctor and an astronomer. That most of these characters will die is revealed very early on: the book switches back and forth between the story of the group's trip to the planet and the investigation into the sole survivor's story. Even though they take place years apart, the two plot lines converge on the tragic events that would leave only one man living in a state of physical and emotional wreckage. This is good fiction, but only okay science fiction. Russell uses the devices of science fiction such as space travel and aliens, but the worlds of 2019 and 2060 are essentially the same as our own. When Sandoz returns after a forty year absence, it seems like the main thing he missed were the baseball scores. This weakness is likely to disappoint science fiction fans, but overall, this is a good book.
Rating: 
Summary: Ridiculous
Review: I was expecting to read something like "Contact" by Carl Sagan. The story was always implausible, but by the midpoint of the book it because so foolish that it was pointless to continue. Forget NASA, if we make contact with aliens, lets send the Jesuits!
Rating:
Summary: Not another "Thorn Birds" rehash
Review: When I first read the jacket cover, I was ready to dismiss this book as another "priest brought down" story. I couldn't have been more wrong. It starts a little slow, but boy does it pay off in the end. This book is in my top ten of all time list. Not only does it defy categorization (although billed as sci-fi), but this book has one of the strongest protagonists I have encountered. Emilio Sandoz is one of the most vital, moral, and human characters I have EVER read about. Mary Doria Russell has since seemed to drop off the map. That's too bad, because she proved with her freshman effort that she can write fiction that steps off the page.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding, Mature Science Fiction
Review: I've read quite a bit of "Sci-fi". I love authors like Gibson, Stevenson, and Varley- science fiction novelists who hit you with material that combines great writing with action and characters who seem like they popped out of the latest hollywood action thriller. Sci-fi filled with weird devices, cool dialogue, and strange venues. The Sci-fi that computer geeks and teenage punks can't get enough of. "The Sparrow" is not Sci-fi. Russell is a writer of mature, philosophical science fiction in the grand tradition of authors such as Asimov, Clarke, and Huxley. Science fiction that truly makes you wonder about not only the physical (science), but the metaphysical as well. Questions of morality, spirituality, meaning, and destiny are all actively pursued by such authors- not as afterthoughts or decoration, but as the centerpiece of the fiction. Such works create a vital mythology for the postmodern and impending transhuman eras- they weave truths into their tales. "The Sparrow" charts the journey of Emilio Sandoz, a Jesuit Priest and linguist, from the slums of San Juan to the planet of Rakhat, 4.3 Light Years from Earth, orbiting the star Alpha Centauri A. Along with an intriguing little group of well-meaning Jesuits, scientists, and engineers, this modern-day Cortez sets off to a new world in search, not of gold, but of spiritual treasure. Instead, he encounters disease, hardships, and two strange alien races barred from truly understanding humans by millions of years of evolutionary history. Ultimately, his search for god, about to finally be realized, is transformed into a carnal nightmare which destroys his illusions of divinity and nearly leaves him for dead. From this, Sandoz must retell his tale before a council of fellow priests, and face his own existential anguish over having his dreams of grace crushed by the nightmare of an uncaring universe. Overall, I would say that the Sparrow is one of the most captivating and engaging novels I've ever had the fortune of reading. I highly recommend this book not only to lovers of the philosophical tradition of Science Fiction, but to "Sci-Fi" fans as well- perhaps it will kick start their own spiritual journey- one that, with any luck, will be as profound and meaningful as Sandoz's odyssey.
Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: Rarely does a book come along that absolutely blows me away. The Sparrow, however, is one of them. I picked The Sparrow up soon after it was released after reading a brief review from an obscure source. When I started reading the novel, I found it almost impossible to put down. Mary Doria Russell's characters are well developed and the plot is intriguing. There has been some criticism concerning the more science fiction oriented elements of the novel - that they're not complex or well thought out enough or that the technology is just plain silly. And I'd have to agree to a point. However, remember that Russell is not a science fiction writer. She's an anthropologist by background. By her own account, she didn't want to write a science fiction novel. Instead she wanted to write a novel of first contact but she recognized that most of the traditional ways of accomplishing that had already been done. So she took the idea of Jesuit missionaries into space. Sure, there are flaws. Some of the novel is implausible. Some of the novel is perhaps a bit too idealistic. But the fundamental themes and messages of the novel outweigh any criticism. The Sparrow is a fantastic book. If you find yourself enjoying The Sparrow, make sure you have a copy of the sequel, Children of God, on hand.
Rating:
Summary: Science fiction that doesn't feel like science fiction
Review: Wow. I picked up this book not knowing what to think, and put it down going "Holy ...!". Not many books make me do that. But this one, told in a style reminiscent of Vonnegut's Slaughterhose 5 is quite an original story with a plot twist that will stun you. Russell jumps between time frames to tell the story of a priest who goes off with a team of scientists to study an alien cluture 17 light years away and comes back the sole survivor of his crew, horribly mutilated and accused of murder. Through this backdrop Russell tells the tragic story of two civilizations that tried to help one another and wound up destroying each other instead.
Rating: 
Summary: disappointing
Review: I eagerly anticipated reading The Sparrow and its sequel, Children of God, based on the glowing reviews it received in the press and the premise of The Sparrow. A Jesuit mission to an unknown planet is an interesting twist, but based on history, also not unprecedented. However, I agree with one of the previous reviewers of this book that the amount of bantering that goes on throughout the book soon becomes pretty annoying, and in my view, detracts from the overall impact. While I can understand the author's wish to humanize the characters by letting us know that even priests can deploy a sense of humour, and GOSH, even swear, the reader soon becomes jaded and wishes that the author would get on with exploration of the new planet and furtherance of the mission that brought them there. I do intend to read the sequel, however, just to see what the author does with the Jesuit priest's theological impasse. Overall, I don't think the book merited the sensational reviews it received.
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