---
product_id: 40024858
title: "A Closed and Common Orbit: A Heartwarming Space Opera of Friendship, Discovery, and Unlikely Bonds Across the Galaxy (Wayfarers, 2)"
price: "KD 5.51"
currency: KWD
in_stock: null
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.com.kw/products/40024858-a-closed-and-common-orbit-a-heartwarming-space-opera-friendship
store_origin: KW
region: Kuwait
---

# A Closed and Common Orbit: A Heartwarming Space Opera of Friendship, Discovery, and Unlikely Bonds Across the Galaxy (Wayfarers, 2)

**Price:** KD 5.51
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- **What is this?** A Closed and Common Orbit: A Heartwarming Space Opera of Friendship, Discovery, and Unlikely Bonds Across the Galaxy (Wayfarers, 2)
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## Description

desertcart.com: A Closed and Common Orbit: A Heartwarming Space Opera of Friendship, Discovery, and Unlikely Bonds Across the Galaxy (Wayfarers, 2): 9780062569400: Chambers, Becky: Books

Review: changing the shape of the story to better suit its purpose - A Closed and Common Orbit is the sequel to Becky Chambers’ The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. I read it right on the heels of its predecessor (Wayfarers #1), and am grateful that I did. Had I not, I don’t know that the transformation in the narrative would have been as stark to me. Where Long Way told the story of a group of characters (a team, a family, a what-have-you), Closed and Common is essentially two stories – each of one person. This allows the narrative to blossom, changing the shape of the story to better suit its purpose. Much as Orson Scott Card’s Speaker for the Dead evolved the narrative that Ender’s Game began, so too does Closed and Common stand as an evolution of the story Long Way started. Many of the things I praised Becky Chambers for in Long Way are not present in this book; here she doesn’t make space feel so wide open and dangerous and beautiful, but instead makes cities and planets feel small and special and homey. Similarly, she doesn’t spread her attention equally among a cast of characters as she so expertly did in her first book, but keeps us near to two women whose paired stories illuminate the universe held within Closed and Common. This isn’t to say that this sequel showcased none of the same qualities as the first. As in Long Way, Closed and Common features a diverse cast of alien characters and as before Chambers wastes little time in the clumsy or drawn-out introductions that so often plague science fiction stories. She makes them clear to us, at once thoroughly understandable and completely alien. And as in book #1, Chambers mixes lighthearted humor with dread and fear and heartbreak and all manner of loves, so that her book is as thrilling and entertaining and emotionally restorative as it is illuminating. If I’m being dramatic (as I so often am about science fiction) this book is proof that the kind of science fiction that serves to examine what it is to be human is alive, is well, is thriving. It would not be exaggerating to say that in reading Chambers’ A Closed and Common Orbit I came to a better understanding of myself and the place I choose for myself in society. I literally stopped and took notes – not for this review but for myself, for later, for living. In short, Becky Chambers writes with an earnest voice and tells stories full of complexity, transcending taste and style and allowing her characters, her stories, and her messages to speak to readers all over. If you have even a passing interest, this book is worth the read.
Review: Great world building - This book covers events set after THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET. Only one character continues on (sort of) from it. We then see two chronicles laid out in parallel: one just after the first book, one decades earlier. Each explores what might happen when a human and an AI develop a long relationship. Eventually the two chronologies meet, and a plot develops. The story comes to a satisfying ending. Like the first book, it's a good read. Both books, especially the second, trigger a pet peeve of mine. They rely on the idea that information can be moved. But it can't! Information can be copied, and one copy destroyed; but that's not the same thing. (See also debates about how Star Trek transporters, and teleportation in general, work.) Maybe it's just me.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #37,268 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #40 in Alien Invasion Science Fiction #137 in First Contact Science Fiction (Books) #144 in Space Operas |
| Book 2 of 4  | Wayfarers |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (18,378) |
| Dimensions  | 5.31 x 0.86 x 8 inches |
| ISBN-10  | 0062569406 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0062569400 |
| Item Weight  | 2.31 pounds |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 384 pages |
| Publication date  | March 14, 2017 |
| Publisher  | Harper Voyager |

## Images

![A Closed and Common Orbit: A Heartwarming Space Opera of Friendship, Discovery, and Unlikely Bonds Across the Galaxy (Wayfarers, 2) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/810Zc5nQXbS.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ changing the shape of the story to better suit its purpose
*by A***Y on November 6, 2017*

A Closed and Common Orbit is the sequel to Becky Chambers’ The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. I read it right on the heels of its predecessor (Wayfarers #1), and am grateful that I did. Had I not, I don’t know that the transformation in the narrative would have been as stark to me. Where Long Way told the story of a group of characters (a team, a family, a what-have-you), Closed and Common is essentially two stories – each of one person. This allows the narrative to blossom, changing the shape of the story to better suit its purpose. Much as Orson Scott Card’s Speaker for the Dead evolved the narrative that Ender’s Game began, so too does Closed and Common stand as an evolution of the story Long Way started. Many of the things I praised Becky Chambers for in Long Way are not present in this book; here she doesn’t make space feel so wide open and dangerous and beautiful, but instead makes cities and planets feel small and special and homey. Similarly, she doesn’t spread her attention equally among a cast of characters as she so expertly did in her first book, but keeps us near to two women whose paired stories illuminate the universe held within Closed and Common. This isn’t to say that this sequel showcased none of the same qualities as the first. As in Long Way, Closed and Common features a diverse cast of alien characters and as before Chambers wastes little time in the clumsy or drawn-out introductions that so often plague science fiction stories. She makes them clear to us, at once thoroughly understandable and completely alien. And as in book #1, Chambers mixes lighthearted humor with dread and fear and heartbreak and all manner of loves, so that her book is as thrilling and entertaining and emotionally restorative as it is illuminating. If I’m being dramatic (as I so often am about science fiction) this book is proof that the kind of science fiction that serves to examine what it is to be human is alive, is well, is thriving. It would not be exaggerating to say that in reading Chambers’ A Closed and Common Orbit I came to a better understanding of myself and the place I choose for myself in society. I literally stopped and took notes – not for this review but for myself, for later, for living. In short, Becky Chambers writes with an earnest voice and tells stories full of complexity, transcending taste and style and allowing her characters, her stories, and her messages to speak to readers all over. If you have even a passing interest, this book is worth the read.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great world building
*by P***M on June 29, 2025*

This book covers events set after THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET. Only one character continues on (sort of) from it. We then see two chronicles laid out in parallel: one just after the first book, one decades earlier. Each explores what might happen when a human and an AI develop a long relationship. Eventually the two chronologies meet, and a plot develops. The story comes to a satisfying ending. Like the first book, it's a good read. Both books, especially the second, trigger a pet peeve of mine. They rely on the idea that information can be moved. But it can't! Information can be copied, and one copy destroyed; but that's not the same thing. (See also debates about how Star Trek transporters, and teleportation in general, work.) Maybe it's just me.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very different from the first book but still excellent.
*by K***T on August 10, 2022*

Series Info/Source: This is the second book in the Wayfarers series. There are four books in this series. I bought a copy of this ebook from my Kindle. Thoughts: This was another wonderful installment in this series. I was a bit sad to leave the Wayfarer crew behind and be stuck planet-side for this book, but it was still an excellent story. This story follows Lovey (Lovelace, the Wayfarer's AI) as she adjusts to her new (illegal) human-like body. Pepper is helping Lovey navigate her new situation. The story alternates between present-day with Pepper/Lovey/Blue and the past where we follow a character named Jane, who we quickly find out is actually Pepper as a kid. There are heavy themes about artificial intelligence again, which is a theme Chambers really likes to explore (I also just finished reading the most recent Monk & Robot book, that whole series is very focused on AI). This is very much more a space opera type of book than a sci-fi adventure one. I missed the Wayfarer crew and their adventures through space. This story is about what it means to be human; it is thought-provoking and heart-breaking at times. The characters are incredibly well done and I loved all the different alien cultures. We spend a lot of time watching Pepper get some closure and watching Lovey figure out what it means to have a body and will of her own. The writing here is incredibly easy to read and well done. I love Chambers' writing style; it's very engaging and personable. I did miss the broader more action-packed plot that was present in the first book. This story is isolated to one location and is a very personal story for Lovey and Pepper; there really aren't politics, adventure, or any action scenes involved. So, while I adored this story, it was much different from what I was expecting going in. My Summary (4.5/5): Overall this story ended up being a lot different from what I was expecting but I still really loved it. Chambers is an amazing writer and creates such believable characters. I enjoyed the alien races and discussion about what makes a race sentient. There is a lot of discussion about AI as well, which is always interesting. I would recommend this series to those who enjoy the more intelligent and softer side of sci-fi; there is a lot of food for thought here and the characters are incredibly engaging. I am eager to read the third book in the series, "Record of a Spaceborn Few".

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*Product available on Desertcart Kuwait*
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*Last updated: 2026-02-02*