'The Sparrow is one of my favourite science fiction novels and it destroyed me in the best way when I read it. It is so beautifully written and the construction of the narrative is masterful' Emma Newman, author of Planetfall THE ACCLAIMED GENRE-DEFINING WINNER OF THE 1998 ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARD Set in the 21st century - a number of decades from now - The Sparrow is the story of a charismatic Jesuit priest and talented linguist, Emilio Sandoz, who - in response to a remarkable radio signal from the depths of space - leads ...
Read More
'The Sparrow is one of my favourite science fiction novels and it destroyed me in the best way when I read it. It is so beautifully written and the construction of the narrative is masterful' Emma Newman, author of Planetfall THE ACCLAIMED GENRE-DEFINING WINNER OF THE 1998 ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARD Set in the 21st century - a number of decades from now - The Sparrow is the story of a charismatic Jesuit priest and talented linguist, Emilio Sandoz, who - in response to a remarkable radio signal from the depths of space - leads a scientific mission to make first contact with an extra-terrestrial culture. In the true tradition of Jesuit adventurers before him, Sandoz and his companions are prepared to endure isolation, suffering - even death - but nothing can prepare them for the civilisation they encounter. Or for the tragic misunderstanding that brings the mission to a devastating end. Once considered a living saint, Sandoz returns alone to Earth horrifically maimed, both physically and spiritually, the mission's sole survivor - only to be blamed for the mission's failure and accused of heinous crimes. Written in clean, effortless prose and peopled with memorable characters who never lose their humanity or humour, The Sparrow is a powerful, haunting fiction - a tragic but ultimately triumphant novel about the nature of faith, of love and what it means to be 'human' and widely considered to be a classic of the genre.
Read Less
Add this copy of The Sparrow: a Novel (the Sparrow Series) to cart. $1.20, very good condition, Sold by Your Online Bookstore rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Houston, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1997 by Ballantine Books.
Add this copy of The Sparrow: a Novel (the Sparrow Series) to cart. $1.23, fair condition, Sold by Orion Tech rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Arlington, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1997 by Ballantine Books.
Add this copy of The Sparrow: a Novel (the Sparrow Series) to cart. $1.99, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 1997 by Ballantine Books.
Add this copy of The Sparrow: a Novel (the Sparrow Series) to cart. $1.99, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1997 by Ballantine Books.
Add this copy of The Sparrow: a Novel (the Sparrow Series) to cart. $2.05, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brownstown, MI, UNITED STATES, published 1997 by Ballantine Books.
Add this copy of The Sparrow: a Novel (the Sparrow Series) to cart. $2.05, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 1997 by Ballantine Books.
Add this copy of The Sparrow: a Novel (the Sparrow Series) to cart. $2.05, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1997 by Ballantine Books.
Add this copy of The Sparrow: a Novel (the Sparrow Series) to cart. $2.05, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1997 by Ballantine Books.
Add this copy of The Sparrow: a Novel (the Sparrow Series) to cart. $2.16, good condition, Sold by Blue Vase Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Interlochen, MI, UNITED STATES, published 1997 by Ballantine Books.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
Add this copy of The Sparrow: a Novel (the Sparrow Series) to cart. $2.16, fair condition, Sold by Blue Vase Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Interlochen, MI, UNITED STATES, published 1997 by Ballantine Books.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. The item is very worn but continues to work perfectly. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Page edges may have foxing (age related spots and browning). May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
While I enjoyed reading "The Sparrow," Mary Doria Russell's novel of soul-shaking ideas, I felt ultimately let down by her inability to pull the whole thing together. The plot follows a Jesuit mission to the planet Rakhat, newly discovered when the Arecibo observatory in Puerto Rico receives a radio signal containing beautiful extraterrestrial choral music. In an alternate story arch, we follow Father Emilio Sandoz after his return from Rakhat as the only survivor from the mission. Horribly mutilated and mentally scarred, he is put to an inquest by his Jesuit superiors regarding depraved actions he is alleged to have committed.
While the characterization is tight and the suspense builds nicely in both plot lines (When will he break and tell his superiors what made him question God? When will the catastrophe on Rakhat hit?), it was incredibly frustrating to see an author give herself everything she needed to make a very powerful statement, and then not use any of it. Emilio returns to Earth broken, deeply questioning everything he ever felt about his faith. But the specific event that causes this soul-shattering breakdown is almost banal compared to everything else going on in the story (and it is also something that happens with regularity here on our own planet). I simply do not understand how Russell managed to miss the mark so widely when it was her own material that she ignored in order to come to a lightweight conclusion. All she had to do was gather up her own narrative threads and she would have had something really powerful. It truly is a shame.
That said, those narrative threads got ME thinking, even if Russell didn't do anything with them herself, so I would still say it's worth a read. In fact, I want my friends to read it merely so we can debate it amongst ourselves.
ver0nica
Sep 11, 2008
Thoughtful and thought provoking
As I finished this book I found myself thinking "I'm glad I bought this - so I don't have to return it to the library." I wanted to reread it right away, instead I got a copy of the sequel: THE CHILDREN OF GOD. Put this on your TBR list now.
pamela1717
Jul 13, 2007
VERY DIFFERENT THAN YOUR AVERAGE READ
This is not the normal type of book that I would pick up. It is a blend of science fiction and personal religious conflict. It took me about 100 pages to actually get into it and when friends asked what the book I was reading was about I would answer them with "I'm not really sure." Hang with it. Once the intergalactic travel starts it really starts to get interesting. Initially it is a little confusing with the flashbacks and a large cast of characters but the story will suck you in. If you choose to read this book be sure to pick up a copy of the sequel "Children of God". It will add to the story from a different viewpoint and will answer many questions from the "The Sparrow."
