The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, 1)

National Bestseller!

The acclaimed modern science fiction masterpiece, Hugo Award winner for Best Series!

Follow a motley crew on an exciting journey through space—and one adventurous young explorer who discovers the meaning of family in the far reaches of the universe—in this light-hearted debut space opera from a rising sci-fi star.

Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. In this character-driven sci-fi story, the introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself has never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.

Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, this tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling sci-fi adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe.

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Published Jul 5, 2016

464 pages

Average rating: 7.95

385 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Karla
Apr 10, 2026
8/10 stars
It was a very well written, feel good type book. It reminded me of the House on the Cerulean Sea. You have a group of human/aliens working together on a ship, they’re all misfits in a way and this is their journey in space. It’s more of a journey story than a scifi story, it went a bit boring at times to ~me~ but I enjoyed it.
Mishteh
Apr 04, 2026
10/10 stars
Becky Chambers is a master of interpersonal relationships and what it means to be alive. I've yet to read a book from her that doesn't strike at least one chord.
Gias_BookHaven
Dec 30, 2025
10/10 stars
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet has made it to my top spot for space opera books. It has humor, great characters, descriptive and imaginative world building and an entertaining experience. This is was my intro to Becky Chambers' work, but I would gladly pick up the other books in the Wayfairer series. 

The crew of the Wayfairer are a goofy, chaotic bunch but so lovable. For an original sci-fi channel fan, this book had me thinking about the classic space shows from the early 2000s. But readers don't have to be sci-fi fans to enjoy this book. 
wardbunch
Mar 26, 2025
8/10 stars
Imaginative reinvention of interstellar species relationships. I like the "family" units that were formed by the various species.
RipcordRita
Mar 25, 2025
The page turning Scifi I didn't know I needed in my life!

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