With cosy fantasy becoming more popular and sought after, I have started to label things as “cosy” within their respective genres. Becky Chambers’s The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet is one of those books that radiates good vibes and feels like a cosy sci-fi – something I find very difficult to pull off. If you’re a fan of Star Trek, Firefly, or any space-based adventure series full of interspecies interactions and very human lessons to be learnt, this is the book for you.

Sci-fi, or Science Fiction, is one of those genres where world-building is essential. More than that, world-building is expected as one must lure the reader in with the wonders of space travel, alien species, planetary adventures and journeying across the stars. As the name suggests, the genre is heavily rooted in science and more than just a school-level comprehension. To make the world feel authentic and realistic, one must make the world understandable and interesting and that isn’t always easy with such heavy topics. Becky Chambers makes life about the Wayfarer comfortable and interesting, even relatable to some degree, making what I thought would be impossible possible.

This book is the first in the series, but the chapters are episodic, serving as individual lessons and moments for the reader to consume. There isn’t a strong flow from one chapter to the next, but that’s not a point against the novel. This method of episodic storytelling gives it that “good vibes” feel. There is an overarching plot and they are heading towards an end goal, but the almost relaxing feel of the prose and slow pacing gives the reader the time needed for these lessons and deeper meanings to sink in. There isn’t a drive to speed through this book, though it is full of fun and intriguing moments. Instead, the reader is encouraged to sit with the chapters for a bit, and I find that to be incredibly cosy and relaxing.

There are many sci-fi elements within this novel for you space-loving readers out there. Patched-up ships punching holes in space, an interspecies crew with more than a few colourful and engaging characters, stopovers in intergalactic port cities, and a few boardings in the depths of space that are not always friendly. And, of course, it can’t be a good sci-fi novel without the jargon. When I first read this, I couldn’t help but recall Joss Whedon’s Firefly, a sci-fi TV show from the early 2000s that I love and hate. They have different overarching themes and actions, but similar vibes and lessons to be learnt. The character interactions and relationships in The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet are so rich in depth and detail and between these characters are exchanges that I feel so many people need to read. Sci-fi is always a great place to discuss real human themes and topics, and Becky Chambers has done a magnificent job at including those elements in the story.

The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet is a cosy sci-fi for all. It isn’t too heavy on the world-building nor too light on the human experiences. It’s a book you can read over a rainy weekend with a warm drink and no pressing matters to attend to. Maybe afterwards you can put on a sci-fi show to round out your weekend and enjoy the complexities and possibilities of space, aliens and the starlit unknown.