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Sisters of the Vast Black
Sisters of the Vast Black | Lina Rather
40 posts | 32 read | 56 to read
The sisters of the Order of Saint Rita captain their living ship into the reaches of space in Lina Rather's debut novella, Sisters of the Vast Black. Years ago, Old Earth sent forth sisters and brothers into the vast dark of the prodigal colonies armed only with crucifixes and iron faith. Now, the sisters of the Order of Saint Rita are on an interstellar mission of mercy aboard Our Lady of Impossible Constellations, a living, breathing ship which seems determined to develop a will of its own. When the order receives a distress call from a newly-formed colony, the sisters discover that the bodies and souls in their careand that of the galactic diasporaare in danger. And not from void beyond, but from the nascent Central Governance and the Church itself.
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jennirl
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DANG Y‘ALL. this book! i was NOT prepared for the ending. just gonna put this bit on my wall for the coming year:

“And the universe would need them to do what small good things they could, even in the face of that which they could not stop. If all they could be were small rocks to break the current, it would have to be enough. ... She was one small part of an infinity, and there was much to be done.”

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BarbaraJean
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My Mother-in-law likes to go all out for Christmas. We‘re celebrating with them a little late this year, but that didn‘t mean she bought me any fewer books… 😁 Actually, two of these are from my husband and two are ones that *somehow* got added to my Book Outlet order when I was getting gifts for others 😆 Least-readable title is the one tagged! Super excited about all of these, especially the two that are #AuldLangSpine picks. 🎉

MaureenMc I love how color-coordinated they are. 😍💙 1y
Maria514626 That stack is beautiful! 1y
BarbaraJean @Maria514626 Thank you—I think so, too! @MaureenMc I later discovered another book I missed out of the stack for this picture… and it‘s dark blue! 😆Unintentional but comprehensive color-coordination! 1y
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Cathythoughts Fingersmith ♥️ 1y
TheLudicReader Fingersmith is soooo good. 1y
Chelsea.Poole Lovely bluish stack! 1y
53 likes6 comments
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Lizpixie
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#OminousOctober #Day11 #Black This one is a space thriller about a group of space faring nuns in their living ship who uncover a conspiracy of galactic proportions. #Scarathlon #TeamSlaughter 6pts

Eggs Great cover 💙💚💙 1y
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rwmg
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Pickpick

Nuns in space, travelling in a genetically modified sea slug. What's not to like?

EvieBee Nuns you say? 1y
23 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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rwmg
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WHILE THE SISTERS OF THE Our Lady of Impossible Constellations argued themselves in circles, the Reverend Mother sat silently in her chair at the head of the chapel as she always did, listening to the arguments twist and double back on themselves.

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

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shanaqui
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And tada, I met my goals for my mini-readathon! This was a reread, and I still loved it; I want to reread the last couple of pages tomorrow morning and sit with them a bit, because I think it's beautifully expressed stuff about doing what you can in the face of events too big for one person to stop.

mrsmarch I just put two and two together and realized you‘re the Habitican behind the Legendary Book Club! 🤪 🧙🏻‍♀️ 📚 2y
shanaqui @mrsmarch I am indeed! Or the current runner of the guild at least (it was originally created by deilann, but life took him away from Habitica for a long while), and the runner of the capricious monthly readalong. 😁 2y
12 likes2 comments
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Soubhiville
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Pickpick

Space nuns with loads of personal secrets travel in a living ship from one small colony to another performing weddings and baptisms. Until the past starts catching up to them.

This is a fun sci-fi novella. I hope there will be a sequel.

I‘m anxious today as my 10 yr old Igor is at the vet for a dental. It‘s always stressful when the furkids are undergoing anesthesia. 😢 I‘ll be clinging to the phone all day.

Mitch Sending you lots of love xxx 2y
Soubhiville Thank you @Mitch 💕 2y
AmyG I am sure he will be fine. I get it. Sending a hug. Let us know how he does. 2y
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RaeLovesToRead Aww Igor... hope he is OK 💕 Bless his little claws, let us know how it goes ❤ Also... SPACE NUNS?!?!?! 2y
Simona Always stressful situation, indeed… 2y
Tonton Space nuns! Irresistible description! Hoping Igor is doing well❤️paws up from our DaVinci. 2y
Lizpixie I LOVED this one! Hope Igor is doing ok❤️ (edited) 2y
michellelav Sending you and Igor all my positive vibes ❤ 2y
JenReadsAlot Sending good vibes your way! 2y
JamieArc 🤗🤗🤗 2y
Librariana Aww, Igor!! ❤ Best of luck to your little fur baby and may the procedure go smoothly 🍀 2y
LeahBergen Sending good vibes for Igor! ❤️❤️ 2y
BookwormAHN Sending hugs 💞 2y
Soubhiville @Mitch @AmyG @RaeLovesToRead @Simona @Tonton @Lizpixie @michellelav @JenReadsAlot @JamieArc @LeahBergen @BookwormAHN His dental went fine and he got to keep all his teeth this time. Thank you all for your well wishes! I can pick him up in a couple hours. 💕 2y
Mitch @Soubhiville phew. I bet that was a long day for you xxxxx 2y
BookwormAHN Great 💙 2y
Leftcoastzen Glad he‘s fine! 2y
RaeLovesToRead Awww, so glad 😊 Give him a little forehead boop from me! 🥰 2y
LeahBergen Oh, wonderful! 🥰🥰 2y
Bookwomble 💗🐶💗 2y
Tonton Hey Igor, great result and ask for extra 🥰 book boop❣️ 2y
Eyelit 🥰😻🥰 2y
80 likes7 stack adds22 comments
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Lizpixie
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Bk6 of May & Bk3 of #NutsInMay #readathon is done! A SciFi novella about an order of Nuns that travel the Galaxy in a living ship, tending to the spiritual needs of far flung colonists.Until one nun has a crisis of faith after falling in love & they stumble on a faith destroying conspiracy. It was fabulous! I would love a whole novel set in this world, for a novella it‘s very well set out.5⭐️ #BookspinBingo #PennyPerPage #Pageathon #SpaceTimeReads

Lizpixie That‘s a Pick not a Pan! 😣 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
PickwickPlockPlock I loved this one, too. There will be a sequel novella out next year. 3y
Andrew65 Superb, you‘ve got your reading mojo back 👏👏👏 3y
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Lizpixie
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Last up from Thursday‘s #bookmail is this SciFi novella(why does SciFi have so many novellas?)about a living spaceship of Nuns who roam the Galaxy performing charity. With their Mother Superior suffering dementia, a priest is sent to supervise the sisters by the central government, but they stumble upon a conspiracy that tests their faith. It‘s an LGBTQ religious space adventure!🙌

Soubhiville Alright I think I need this in my life. Thanks for posting! 3y
vivastory Stacked. This sounds great! Yeah TOR started publishing their line of novellas a few years ago & they really took off. I love them. 3y
Lizpixie @Soubhiville You‘re welcome!👍 @vivastory they‘re so good, I think the MurderBot Diaries are my favourite so far👩🏻‍🚀 3y
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IhoardBOOKS
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Nuns in space. A really interesting novella about a world were space travel is a thing and this particular group of nuns, traveling on a living ship, go around answering distress calls and helping where they can.
I loved it and wish there was more to it.

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cozypunk
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Heck yeah, it's the first of Spring! #catsoflitsy watching over the northern hemisphere.

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atla
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I had no idea what I was getting into w/ this Tor novella yesterday. I knew only that it was about nuns in space on a living ship. I had read no reviews or longer descriptions & was expecting a fun romp.Ya‘ll - this novella ripped my heart out. Nuns in space, yes - but these nuns have secrets & they will also stop at nothing to protect those in their care. This one explores power (& the danger of 1 entity wielding too much), redemption, & purpose.

readordierachel Oh, this sounds great! 3y
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mjdowens
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Want a quick sci-fi about nuns in space? Here is one that will give you excitement, anxiety and a little faith. Beautifully written and a little haunting. Love and redemption all in a small package that feels so much bigger. Going to look for more of this writers work.

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uwak
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I wasn't expecting a story about nuns in space to be so interesting, but the author totally nailed it. I especially enjoyed the biopunk aspects with the living ships. I love the world Rather has created for this novella and I think it would be a cool setting to explore in a longer book. my only major complaint is that the novella has to wrap up a bit abruptly after some major plot reveals.

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underthebelljar
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4⭐️

A novella about nuns...in space! Follows a spaceship convent named Our Lady or Impossible Constellations. Diverse characters. Explored how religion and imperialism can intertwine.

My only complaint was I was hoping for some theology discourse in the book but it was still a good read.

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speljamr
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I'm rarely disappointed by these TOR novellas. This one has enough world building in it I would like to see the author expand on this universe in a larger context.

#sciencefiction #scifi

Ashley_Nicoletto This one is on my TBR! 4y
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kammartinez
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ of 5 ⭐️s

Picked this up on the recommendation of a friend, and was blown away. What really stands out about this story is its theme of doing what is right - which may not always be what the government or one's own religion say one must do. It's a reminder that doing what's right isn't always easy, nor is it the purview of a religion: something more people could stand to learn and remember, especially in these times.

Readergrrl This sounds right up my alley!! 4y
kammartinez @Readergrrl I highly recommend it 😁! There's plenty of story there packed into one novella, and when I got to the end I kept wishing there'd be more 😆. 4y
5 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Owlizabeth
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I thought a novella about nuns in space was going to be weird and gimmicky, but this was full of heart and big ideas and secrets and a really creative spin on space travel and colonization. Lina Rather packs a whole lot of character into a small package and I want more (which is generally my issue with novellas!). That said, it was an incredibly satisfying story, I just hope this isn‘t the last of this universe. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

batsy Never heard of this before but now I feel like I need this in my life 🙂 4y
Kalalalatja I‘m with you @batsy never heard of it, but space travelling nuns sound like nothing I have ever read before! 4y
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AutumnRLS
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So good I'm hoping they turn what happened in the novella into a full series. Lots of potential here. Love the nuns in space.

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AutumnRLS
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Nuns in space!

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shanaqui
Pickpick

I love the way this all came together, and how powerfully *hopeful* it is. Nuns in space sounds like a weird idea (much as Jesuits in space does in The Sparrow) but it quickly feels natural.

There is a Firefly-ish feel to it all, with some similar themes and an "I aim to misbehave" moment.

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imyril
Pickpick

I began with a problem suspending my disbelief; I ended with a full heart having been told a satisfying tale of dedication, resistance and reparation. An excellent self-contained novella, but I rather hope we‘ll see more of the Sisters in future. Recommended. #LitsyAToZ

shanaqui Ooh, I bought this for my sister, but I've been meaning to give it a try myself. 4y
imyril @shanaqui definitely worth a read. It took me a little to get into it and it‘s sliiiightly too neat narratively, but I love the feel / ethos of it. Now want more stories of nuns rebelling to Do The Right Thing 4y
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ness
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Pickpick

What a fascinating novella! It manages to combine space exploration, interpersonal relationships, religion, and imperialism—even though my short book talk would be queer nuns in space. I hope this gets a sequel!

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ness
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The family‘s going hiking, so I get to settle in with a book.

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Jen2
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Fabulous!!!

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esurient
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Supporting libraries, one Macmillan publication at a time.

(Gosh but it's proving hard to switch back to reading print editions!)

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AthenaWins
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Pickpick

This book began as a curiosity and ended as a kick to the gut. The characters are deep and complex. The story is rich and poignant. 5/5!

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AthenaWins
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"... And they were not one of the orders whose sole mission was to follow the black foot of pandemic as it strode across the systems, leaving footprints of phlegm and bile and blood in its wake."

Holy shit. What a fantastic line...

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Liberty
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WOOHOO! I received one of my most anticipated books of 2019 in the mail today! Three words: Nuns! In! Space! For some reason, I really love sci-fi with religious orders in the future (THE SPARROW, ANATHEM, and my all-time favorite, A CANTICLE FOR LEBOWITZ), so I am sooooooo excited for this one! ❤️🚀📚

thecurlybookworm Ahhh this looks great! 5y
sbains1980 Oooh sounds so good!! 😍😍 5y
103 likes16 stack adds2 comments