The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet: by Becky Chambers

[watervole]

 A book that is far more about character than plot.  Take eight people of various personalities, races, genders, etc., place them on board a space ship on a long journey and get to know them.

By the end of the book, the crew of the Wayfarer feel like old friends. You could sit down at a table with them  to eat a delicious meal cooked by Dr Chef (using ingredients from an alien marketplace), your surroundings cheerfully decorated by Kizzy from whatever she had to hand.  There would be laughs, grumbles from Corbin, an empty seat for Orhan  (who never eats communally, but still has a place in case they ever change their mind), and conversation that will cover everything from navigation issues to bad jokes.

There's a plot, though it's more a series of encounters that help us learn more about the crew, but also about what it means to be human, or indeed to be a sapient being of any kind.

 

Definitely looking forward to reading the next one!