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Where'd You Park Your Spaceship?: An Interplanetary Tale of Love, Loss, and Bread
Heen Gru-Bares has been SERIES 5 for most of his adult life, traveling from planet to planet collecting data and filing reports for the CHAIRS who run the universe.
And then he lands on the planet Firdus for his next assignment and he meets
Borns and Lan Zing and Ziga Mey and Dill Tudd and something unsettling begins to stir within him, something unnerving and profoundly disruptive. Out of all the planets he's been to over the decades he's been doing this job, what is it about this one particular planet Firdus that so subversively affects him like it does?
And then Noon Yeah shows up and he learns that she's a SIGN 7,
sent to Firdus to do a GRAINING because of his failure to execute
the task at hand-it's more than he can bear as what he thought
was his life begins to unravel around him...
Will Heen make it through this devastating turbulence?
What will happen to Dill Tudd?
And is all of this a set up, one of the symptoms of a larger malaise that will
continue to spread through the entire universe unless someone does
something to stop it?
It's a galactic saga of struggle and survival.
It's an interplanetary tale of love, loss, and bread.
It's BOOK ONE of the WHERE'D YOU PARK YOUR SPACESHIP? Series.
Welcome to Firdus.
And then he lands on the planet Firdus for his next assignment and he meets
Borns and Lan Zing and Ziga Mey and Dill Tudd and something unsettling begins to stir within him, something unnerving and profoundly disruptive. Out of all the planets he's been to over the decades he's been doing this job, what is it about this one particular planet Firdus that so subversively affects him like it does?
And then Noon Yeah shows up and he learns that she's a SIGN 7,
sent to Firdus to do a GRAINING because of his failure to execute
the task at hand-it's more than he can bear as what he thought
was his life begins to unravel around him...
Will Heen make it through this devastating turbulence?
What will happen to Dill Tudd?
And is all of this a set up, one of the symptoms of a larger malaise that will
continue to spread through the entire universe unless someone does
something to stop it?
It's a galactic saga of struggle and survival.
It's an interplanetary tale of love, loss, and bread.
It's BOOK ONE of the WHERE'D YOU PARK YOUR SPACESHIP? Series.
Welcome to Firdus.
556 pages, Paperback
Published July 25, 2023
32 people are currently reading
1236 people want to read
About the author
Rob Bell
74 books1,641 followersRob Bell is a bestselling author, international teacher, and highly sought after public speaker. His books include The New York Times bestsellers What Is the Bible?, What We Talk About When We Talk About God, Love Wins, as well as The Zimzum of Love, Velvet Elvis, Sex God, Jesus Wants to Save Christians, and Drops Like Stars.
At age 28, Bell founded Mars Hill Bible Church in Michigan, and under his leadership it was one of the fastest-growing churches in America. In 2011, he was profiled in Time Magazine as one of their 100 most influential people. Rob was featured on Oprah's 2014 Life You Want Tour and will be speaking at venues around the world in 2015 on the Everything is Spiritual Tour. He and his wife Kristen have three children and live in Los Angeles.
At age 28, Bell founded Mars Hill Bible Church in Michigan, and under his leadership it was one of the fastest-growing churches in America. In 2011, he was profiled in Time Magazine as one of their 100 most influential people. Rob was featured on Oprah's 2014 Life You Want Tour and will be speaking at venues around the world in 2015 on the Everything is Spiritual Tour. He and his wife Kristen have three children and live in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
December 20, 2024
RATING BREAKDOWN
Characters: 3⭐️
Setting: 3⭐️
Plot: 3⭐️
Themes: 4⭐️
Emotional Impact: 4⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 4⭐️
Total Rounded Average 3.5 ⭐️
Such a refreshing and out-of-the-box story about humanity far in the future. As Heen grows up in a society built by the survivors of Earth's collapse, he experiences loss and loneliness, seeking purpose in the absence of belonging and love. The Chairs, who govern the species, lean on systematic order to ensure humanity never faces the trauma of losing its home ever again. This is a stylistic narrative, zooming in on the awkwardness and absurdity of being human.
In Part 1, we follow Heen as he goes from grade school to marriage. Most of the narrative helps to show how this society views human history and the mindsets and values that led to Earth's demise. It's an interesting lens to look at our current society through. It's quite cynical really. As the story progresses, there's a staccato and bizarre cadence, that helps to express the awkward and disconnected way Heen moves through life. He is told what is appropriate to think, what is important, and how to behave. And it is clear society as a whole has been so humbled, they largely accept instruction and guidance, even when it is uncomfortable or insensitive. Heen is very disconnected from himself and others but is very resigned. In Part 3, he is on assignment as an observer for the Chairs. He moves through the galaxy alone, acting as a human surveillance system; reporting back to the Chairs so they can make adjustments to move the species forward toward more order and safety. In the meantime, he encounters people who may change everything he knows to be true, by giving him a place to belong.
This story left me contemplative and entertained. The writing style is lighthearted and funny, but its themes are deeply profound. What do we lose in the pursuit of order and safety? While, at present, humanity is on some unsettling trajectories and engaging in insane and terrifying behavior, it's also more connected than ever. Humans continue to strive for belonging, purpose, and community. It was speculative and engaging to imagine a society of the future that sees only what we broke and loses something in the pursuit of "right living", becoming intolerant of mental illness or brokenheartedness in the process.
The more I think about it, the more I like it.
Sci-fi fans may find it simplistic, and the world-building and tech are underdeveloped compared to other heavy-hitters in the genre. But overall, this story does exactly what it sets out to do. It tells a deeply human story, wrapped in some silliness and messiness, and utilizes metaphor and representative language to encourage empathy, openness, and space for the human experience.
Rob Bell delves into the fiction space with authenticity and his original voice, and I'm a fan.
Fave quote: “LOVE must be incarnated in space and time…And to do that, LOVE must empty itself of its infinite, boundless formlessness in order to be present in bodies, between people…in them, in the people we choose to love, is THE LIMITLESS VASTNESS OF THE UNIVERSE. We die to everything else we could do and everywhere else we could be in order TO LOVE the ones we’re with here and now.”
Characters: 3⭐️
Setting: 3⭐️
Plot: 3⭐️
Themes: 4⭐️
Emotional Impact: 4⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 4⭐️
Total Rounded Average 3.5 ⭐️
Such a refreshing and out-of-the-box story about humanity far in the future. As Heen grows up in a society built by the survivors of Earth's collapse, he experiences loss and loneliness, seeking purpose in the absence of belonging and love. The Chairs, who govern the species, lean on systematic order to ensure humanity never faces the trauma of losing its home ever again. This is a stylistic narrative, zooming in on the awkwardness and absurdity of being human.
In Part 1, we follow Heen as he goes from grade school to marriage. Most of the narrative helps to show how this society views human history and the mindsets and values that led to Earth's demise. It's an interesting lens to look at our current society through. It's quite cynical really. As the story progresses, there's a staccato and bizarre cadence, that helps to express the awkward and disconnected way Heen moves through life. He is told what is appropriate to think, what is important, and how to behave. And it is clear society as a whole has been so humbled, they largely accept instruction and guidance, even when it is uncomfortable or insensitive. Heen is very disconnected from himself and others but is very resigned. In Part 3, he is on assignment as an observer for the Chairs. He moves through the galaxy alone, acting as a human surveillance system; reporting back to the Chairs so they can make adjustments to move the species forward toward more order and safety. In the meantime, he encounters people who may change everything he knows to be true, by giving him a place to belong.
This story left me contemplative and entertained. The writing style is lighthearted and funny, but its themes are deeply profound. What do we lose in the pursuit of order and safety? While, at present, humanity is on some unsettling trajectories and engaging in insane and terrifying behavior, it's also more connected than ever. Humans continue to strive for belonging, purpose, and community. It was speculative and engaging to imagine a society of the future that sees only what we broke and loses something in the pursuit of "right living", becoming intolerant of mental illness or brokenheartedness in the process.
The more I think about it, the more I like it.
Sci-fi fans may find it simplistic, and the world-building and tech are underdeveloped compared to other heavy-hitters in the genre. But overall, this story does exactly what it sets out to do. It tells a deeply human story, wrapped in some silliness and messiness, and utilizes metaphor and representative language to encourage empathy, openness, and space for the human experience.
Rob Bell delves into the fiction space with authenticity and his original voice, and I'm a fan.
Fave quote: “LOVE must be incarnated in space and time…And to do that, LOVE must empty itself of its infinite, boundless formlessness in order to be present in bodies, between people…in them, in the people we choose to love, is THE LIMITLESS VASTNESS OF THE UNIVERSE. We die to everything else we could do and everywhere else we could be in order TO LOVE the ones we’re with here and now.”
August 27, 2023
Way more than a book. This is an experience. Have you ever read a fiction book that seemed real? Such an amazing book. Rob Bell with another home run.
October 23, 2023
Yep. It’s so good. Grab it, sit back, and enjoy. Piddle piddle piddle!
September 10, 2023
This just might be Rob Bell’s best book yet.
If there was a book that encapsulated his wonder, joy, love, and depth, it’s this one. I found myself not able to help but keep turning the page, and within a week 550 pages went by in an instant!
Rob, you continue to touch my heart through your work. I can honestly say that this book was one of the few I’ve read that has actually effected me at the heart level, not just the intellectual level. I don’t cry often, but I think I teared up about 7 times!
Thanks for helping me fall back in love with fiction. I’m eagerly awaiting book 2.
If there was a book that encapsulated his wonder, joy, love, and depth, it’s this one. I found myself not able to help but keep turning the page, and within a week 550 pages went by in an instant!
Rob, you continue to touch my heart through your work. I can honestly say that this book was one of the few I’ve read that has actually effected me at the heart level, not just the intellectual level. I don’t cry often, but I think I teared up about 7 times!
Thanks for helping me fall back in love with fiction. I’m eagerly awaiting book 2.
November 20, 2023
Rob Bell wrote a novel? I had to read it.
A quirky, futuristic tale.
Backstory: Humans elected leaders based on their own "shallow whims and fleeting preferences." Eventually, democracy failed,.and earth died.
Those who could afford to, hopped on spaceships and flew to other planets where they established new communities and new governing bodies. They used all the things that went wrong on Earth as non-examples for how to build a new life together: Education is center. Teachers are the best of the best, salaries tripled. Wealth is distributed. No one is allowed to hoard it. Everyone has what they need. Community sizes are capped. No urban sprawl. And they build *with* the land rather than *against* it.
Heen Gru-Bares grew up on Lunlay. After a series of losses and heartbreaks, feeling bereft and disconnected, he accepts an opportunity to work for THE CHAIRS as a "Series 5". His job is to travel between planets, hunkering down only long enough to observe and report back to his employers.
Observe and report: He is good at this until he is assigned to Firdus. The people on Firdus are different. Open, vulnerable, joyful. It is harder to keep distance. And then he meets a strange man named Dill Tudd. Everything he knows collapses.
If you listen to Rob Bell's podcast or have ever attended one of his events, you'll hear him. Although Heen was briefly described with dark brown skin, I could only see a tall, thin, white Rob Bell.
The commentary on how we do things (politic) is valid and sincere, and the losses depicted are heavy... and... they are tucked inside silly names like Barbara Barabar and Bobby Freelance. Bell didn't follow any rules.
This includes formatting.
The format of the book is its own thing. The font, the left-justified lines of text, the SOMETIMES ALL CAPS, the absence of quotation marks... takes a little getting used to, but I believe in us.
Read it for the quirk, the social commentary, the goofy names, or just as an imaginative space adventure. I liked it.
#girlwithabookreport
#robbell
#interplanetaryadventure
#dilltudd
A quirky, futuristic tale.
Backstory: Humans elected leaders based on their own "shallow whims and fleeting preferences." Eventually, democracy failed,.and earth died.
Those who could afford to, hopped on spaceships and flew to other planets where they established new communities and new governing bodies. They used all the things that went wrong on Earth as non-examples for how to build a new life together: Education is center. Teachers are the best of the best, salaries tripled. Wealth is distributed. No one is allowed to hoard it. Everyone has what they need. Community sizes are capped. No urban sprawl. And they build *with* the land rather than *against* it.
Heen Gru-Bares grew up on Lunlay. After a series of losses and heartbreaks, feeling bereft and disconnected, he accepts an opportunity to work for THE CHAIRS as a "Series 5". His job is to travel between planets, hunkering down only long enough to observe and report back to his employers.
Observe and report: He is good at this until he is assigned to Firdus. The people on Firdus are different. Open, vulnerable, joyful. It is harder to keep distance. And then he meets a strange man named Dill Tudd. Everything he knows collapses.
If you listen to Rob Bell's podcast or have ever attended one of his events, you'll hear him. Although Heen was briefly described with dark brown skin, I could only see a tall, thin, white Rob Bell.
The commentary on how we do things (politic) is valid and sincere, and the losses depicted are heavy... and... they are tucked inside silly names like Barbara Barabar and Bobby Freelance. Bell didn't follow any rules.
This includes formatting.
The format of the book is its own thing. The font, the left-justified lines of text, the SOMETIMES ALL CAPS, the absence of quotation marks... takes a little getting used to, but I believe in us.
Read it for the quirk, the social commentary, the goofy names, or just as an imaginative space adventure. I liked it.
#girlwithabookreport
#robbell
#interplanetaryadventure
#dilltudd
October 4, 2023
This is my book of the year. I loved it so much. I’m actually a bit speechless.
January 29, 2024
Overall I was pretty underwhelmed by this book. The writing style really bothered me. For me it was boring. Short sentences, lots of repetitive phrases and the author did not use a lot of adjectives. The phrase "What a..." (What a man or what a planet, what a person...) was used so often that I had to roll my eyes everytime it popped up. Overall it reminded me of a sermon.
•
The characters were interesting enough even though I could never really grasp Heen.
•
The world was very interesting. The author asks a lot of interesting questions with not that interesting answers. Let's be honest. I was bored so much in the beginning with all those lessons. For me this world always felt a bit off and first I was not sure if the author wanted us to love or hate this world.
•
This book is a classic "tell don't show" and I am not a fan of that kind of writing. The obvious is always stated so clearly that I just missed some mystery.
•
But I liked the diversity in the characters and this world has a lot of potential. Overall the plot did not give me enough to rate this more than 2,5 Stars.
•
Also please please please use an en-dash or em-dash. The constant use of a hyphen made me maaaad 🙈
•
The characters were interesting enough even though I could never really grasp Heen.
•
The world was very interesting. The author asks a lot of interesting questions with not that interesting answers. Let's be honest. I was bored so much in the beginning with all those lessons. For me this world always felt a bit off and first I was not sure if the author wanted us to love or hate this world.
•
This book is a classic "tell don't show" and I am not a fan of that kind of writing. The obvious is always stated so clearly that I just missed some mystery.
•
But I liked the diversity in the characters and this world has a lot of potential. Overall the plot did not give me enough to rate this more than 2,5 Stars.
•
Also please please please use an en-dash or em-dash. The constant use of a hyphen made me maaaad 🙈
October 21, 2023
Rob Bell. What can I say about this book. It is SOOO quintessentially rob bell. If you love rob. You will love literally every character in this book. You can see pieces of who rob bell is in different ways in each character. It’s wacky and it’s sharp and it’s thought provoking and full of universal truths. Nearly every page has pockets of truths about life and the universe and the society we live in now and then and in the future. The story is just beginning after 500+ pages and I can’t wait to read more. Like. Really. How long do we have to wait for book two because I’m already itching to know what happens next on Firdus for Heen who grows bears?!?!
September 29, 2023
I. Loved. This. Book. So good, so fast, so compelling. Rob does what he does best, makes me think, makes me feel hopeful, stretches my imagination. Thank you Rob, for offering your gifts for all of us to enjoy 🙏
December 25, 2024
This reminded me of some of the Tom Robbins books I read almost two dozen laps ago in college, which is a good thing. The best things about the book were the pace of the story, the novelty of the plot, the indirect critiques of our dehumanized and unnatural current existence, the simple but clever prose, and the absolutely lovely ending.
My one big criticism is the author's inability to write women with any believable depth. They are all written so overtly through a male gaze, with constant descriptions of their appearances, clothing, and the effects they have on the male characters. I could not feel the chemistry between the protagonists due to all of the played-out female-character-tropes.
I'm a bit hesitant to read the sequel because of this shortcoming, but I will because I absolutely could not put this one down, even when I was annoyed at the uni-dimensionality of the women characters as they were written. And, I have to know Noon Yeah's backstory.
My one big criticism is the author's inability to write women with any believable depth. They are all written so overtly through a male gaze, with constant descriptions of their appearances, clothing, and the effects they have on the male characters. I could not feel the chemistry between the protagonists due to all of the played-out female-character-tropes.
I'm a bit hesitant to read the sequel because of this shortcoming, but I will because I absolutely could not put this one down, even when I was annoyed at the uni-dimensionality of the women characters as they were written. And, I have to know Noon Yeah's backstory.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2023
I have the hard copy. I have the audiobook. If you're a fan of The Robcast get the audiobook. It's Rob Bell, sitting with a hard copy of the book, reading it to you.
Never heard of the Robcast? Get the audiobook. It's Rob Bell, sitting with a hard copy of the book, reading it to you. Oh - then go check out the Robcast. What can I say? I'm a fan of Rob's work =]
It is marvelous. Imagine being tucked away in a cabin in the mountains, with a warm cup of something delicious, in front of the fire, while a good friend reads you their favorite book - you know the kind of book. The one they've read a dozen times, that still makes them laugh, cheer, and cry.
I listen to a lot of audiobooks. When one ends, I start the next in my always full queue. Not this time. I got to the end, and I turned my headphones off, and let it soak. So wonderful.
Am I going to head to a cabin in the mountains over the holiday break, sit in front of the fire, and listen to this book again while sipping a warm mug of something wonderful? Yes. Will I start it right after I pop a loaf of homemade sourdough bread with rosemary into the oven so I'll have that to snack on while I listen? Again, yes. Will I catch many, many things I missed the first time? Yes. Why?
This, my friends, is not a *book*. This is an *experience*.
Never heard of the Robcast? Get the audiobook. It's Rob Bell, sitting with a hard copy of the book, reading it to you. Oh - then go check out the Robcast. What can I say? I'm a fan of Rob's work =]
It is marvelous. Imagine being tucked away in a cabin in the mountains, with a warm cup of something delicious, in front of the fire, while a good friend reads you their favorite book - you know the kind of book. The one they've read a dozen times, that still makes them laugh, cheer, and cry.
I listen to a lot of audiobooks. When one ends, I start the next in my always full queue. Not this time. I got to the end, and I turned my headphones off, and let it soak. So wonderful.
Am I going to head to a cabin in the mountains over the holiday break, sit in front of the fire, and listen to this book again while sipping a warm mug of something wonderful? Yes. Will I start it right after I pop a loaf of homemade sourdough bread with rosemary into the oven so I'll have that to snack on while I listen? Again, yes. Will I catch many, many things I missed the first time? Yes. Why?
This, my friends, is not a *book*. This is an *experience*.
August 20, 2024
I was actually planning to power through till the end to see if it will be as consistently terrible, as it is by its thirtieth percent, but I can't bear it anymore.
Literally nothing of note happens for 1/3 of the book. Yeah, sure, the MC goes through some personal "stuff", but since I don't care for the MC (cause the writing has a lot to be desired), it is as if nothing really goes on. Just some fables that I supposed to be considered "philosophy" and some might be ok with them. I am not.
I thought this might be some SciFi with a touch of humor. It turned out a philosophy wannabe bore.
Literally nothing of note happens for 1/3 of the book. Yeah, sure, the MC goes through some personal "stuff", but since I don't care for the MC (cause the writing has a lot to be desired), it is as if nothing really goes on. Just some fables that I supposed to be considered "philosophy" and some might be ok with them. I am not.
I thought this might be some SciFi with a touch of humor. It turned out a philosophy wannabe bore.
April 2, 2025
A strange book. Very enjoyable at times, but I can't help but feel that the author badly needed a decent editor. I think the book could have been two. There was a natural break point, and two books half the size would have been way more manageable. Then there's the extremities. Vast chunks of the book felt ridiculously idealistic. Everything was exciting, everything was fascinating. Everything was enlivening. Then every so often something truly terrible happens. These are the only two states you're ever in as a reader. Euphoria or heartbreak. It was quite unsettling, but also just not true to life, which contains an awful lot of 'middle ground'. Plus there were a few relatively minor inconsistencies which grated (the main character appears to be in his 30s or 40s for much of the story, and yet is somehow, we're told, the most experienced at doing his job that there's ever been. How can this be?), but as I say, they're minor. The overall tone is what is kind of....frenetic. Brace yourself.
January 17, 2024
Shame on me for taking this long to buy and read this book. Rob's work has never failed to refresh, revitalize, inspire, perplex, unsettle, and move me, and this book is certainly no exception. The world needs what Rob is doing and I wish I could make everyone read his work. If you are reading this review, do yourself a favor and READ THIS BOOK. You'll be better for it and so will the world.
August 22, 2024
“Bread is magic” and so is this book! Who doesn’t love a book about overthrowing powerful systems through community and baked goods and kind strangers! This book is funny from the first few pages and never stops being a book that makes you laugh and encouraged to the very end. I can’t wait for a sequel!
January 14, 2024
The best way I can describe this book is it's so Rob Bell, specially the Robcast version for longtime followers. Full of common themes from his work and full of a beautiful weirdness that's emerged in the California era. Loved it more than I thought I would. Can't wait for more.
January 29, 2024
Piddle piddle piddle
This book holds all of the good things I love in Rob Bell, his theology, his wit, and his humor. I love Robs storytelling, I strive to preach and teach in the way he does. Healing the world will take awhile.
The audiobook is fantastic, by the way!
This book holds all of the good things I love in Rob Bell, his theology, his wit, and his humor. I love Robs storytelling, I strive to preach and teach in the way he does. Healing the world will take awhile.
The audiobook is fantastic, by the way!
April 28, 2024
This is already my book of the year….im in shambles since I finished it. This was a whole experience for me, and i absolutely connected with this book so much in terms of the dialogue. I can probably rant so much more but I just want to eat bread and think about everything.
January 16, 2024
amazing storytelling. incredibly thought provoking. cannot wait for the rest of the series.
Read
October 18, 2024DNF at 46%, I just couldn’t wrap my head around what was going on in this book but will give this author another try
December 17, 2024
It was a perfect book!
April 26, 2024
Holy smokes, what an adventure! So stinking good.
May 2, 2024
Can’t wait for the second one
November 7, 2024
Bester Roman dieses Jahr! Habs am Stück verschlungen. Rob Bell schafft es mit seinem Stil in den Bann zu ziehen. Sehr empfehlenswert besonders als Hörbuch.
December 8, 2023
This book got under my skin, I can’t stop thinking about it. There are times it felt slow or preachy but I just didn’t mind because I enjoyed the world so much. I listened to the audiobook which is unedited and Rob Bell in his Rob Bell-ness, and it is the only way to experience the book. Piddle piddle piddle.
March 26, 2024
THIS book IS Rob Bell. Rob Bell IS THIS book. This BOOK was BOOKED by Rob Bell. This is the MOST Rob Bell book that Rob Bell has EVER booked. ROB BELL.
November 29, 2023
ok, first it's completely Rob Bell's voice ... I love his voice.
is this great literature - nope. is it a decent story where he walks through some of life's bigger themes and issues - yes and it's lovely for that.
little disappointed in an ending that felt like - oh, I need to end this story - but maybe that's just me.
I'll probably read it again at some point.
is this great literature - nope. is it a decent story where he walks through some of life's bigger themes and issues - yes and it's lovely for that.
little disappointed in an ending that felt like - oh, I need to end this story - but maybe that's just me.
I'll probably read it again at some point.
December 1, 2023
Brilliant and captivating. I love this book and can’t wait for the next one in the series.
November 29, 2023
Surprisingly good read from Rob Bell. Subversive and filled with wonder.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews