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Our Lady of Endless Worlds #1
Sisters of the Vast Black
The sisters of the Order of Saint Rita captain their living ship into the reaches of space.
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 care—and that of the galactic diaspora—are in danger. And not from void beyond, but from the nascent Central Governance and the Church itself.
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 care—and that of the galactic diaspora—are in danger. And not from void beyond, but from the nascent Central Governance and the Church itself.
162 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2019
181 people are currently reading
13706 people want to read
About the author
Lina Rather
25 books315 followersLina Rather is a speculative fiction author from Michigan, now living in Washington, D.C. Her short fiction has appeared in venues including Lightspeed, Daily Science Fiction, and Shimmer. Her debut novella, Sisters of the Vast Black, is about nuns living in a giant slug in outer space and was published by Tor.Com Publishing in October 2019. When she isn’t writing, she likes to cook, go hiking, and collect terrible 90s comic books. Find out more about her and her writing at linarather.com or on Twitter @LinaRather.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,063 reviews
November 21, 2019
There's something incredibly campy sounding about nuns in space. But this is less meme and more character study in the most unique space faring vehicle yet (even surpassing Tchaikovsky's webship). In fact, I can wholeheartedly recommend it, with a caveat. Something like a cross between The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and A Memory Called Empire, this should appeal to those who can let go some of the demands of physics and biochemistry, and follow Rather's focus on the personal and ethical choices of the various crew members.
First, and most oddly, it's a living ship--not an AI or brain in a shell, mind you, but a type of slug with a hardened exoskeleton. I think. I might have got a bit lost in those details, although it goes into a bit about how the ships grow and develop. The sisters also have an ongoing debate about whether or not their ship has a soul.
The sisters are a varied bunch. I was worried that they wouldn't stand out, but we aren't inundated with a nunnery, only a handful of people. They do achieve some individuality in their characterization. The Reverend Mother is starting to mentally deteriorate. She's able to cover her infirmity because she long ago took a vow of silence, only speaking through signing. Sister Lucia often serves as the Mother's interpreter for finer points of meaning. Sister Gemma joined out of expedience and has a talent for caring for the ship. Sister Mary Catherine is an Earther and everyone knows she won't be staying long. Sister Faustina is not in the least a gentle soul, but she comes through under pressure. Then there's their late arrival:
"Many of the adjustments to spaceborn life he found primitive, upsetting, and uncomfortable. They had not shut off the gravity since he arrived, not even on holy days, because it upset his stomach. He was very well-meaning, and like most people who were well-meaning and ignorant, he bulldozed through everything in his way with not even a thought."
The world-building is intriguing. Being of anti-religious persuasion, I did not find the backdrop of religion overwhelming or boring. If there's any downside at all to the world-building, it's that the idea that the Catholic Church manages to remain relatively unchanged so far into the future. But what do I know? It's tried to remain structurally and theologically similar to a thousand years ago, so it might manage. As the story continues, more details and history get added through the story of the sisters.
If I had any complaint, it is that the pace seems uneven, and the more thoughtful build of the beginning isn't matched by the ratcheted up events in the final third. Nonetheless, it remained interesting, with further implications into the world. Hopefully it is enough to get Rather another book deal, as I'd unhesitatingly read more in this world.
First, and most oddly, it's a living ship--not an AI or brain in a shell, mind you, but a type of slug with a hardened exoskeleton. I think. I might have got a bit lost in those details, although it goes into a bit about how the ships grow and develop. The sisters also have an ongoing debate about whether or not their ship has a soul.
The sisters are a varied bunch. I was worried that they wouldn't stand out, but we aren't inundated with a nunnery, only a handful of people. They do achieve some individuality in their characterization. The Reverend Mother is starting to mentally deteriorate. She's able to cover her infirmity because she long ago took a vow of silence, only speaking through signing. Sister Lucia often serves as the Mother's interpreter for finer points of meaning. Sister Gemma joined out of expedience and has a talent for caring for the ship. Sister Mary Catherine is an Earther and everyone knows she won't be staying long. Sister Faustina is not in the least a gentle soul, but she comes through under pressure. Then there's their late arrival:
"Many of the adjustments to spaceborn life he found primitive, upsetting, and uncomfortable. They had not shut off the gravity since he arrived, not even on holy days, because it upset his stomach. He was very well-meaning, and like most people who were well-meaning and ignorant, he bulldozed through everything in his way with not even a thought."
The world-building is intriguing. Being of anti-religious persuasion, I did not find the backdrop of religion overwhelming or boring. If there's any downside at all to the world-building, it's that the idea that the Catholic Church manages to remain relatively unchanged so far into the future. But what do I know? It's tried to remain structurally and theologically similar to a thousand years ago, so it might manage. As the story continues, more details and history get added through the story of the sisters.
If I had any complaint, it is that the pace seems uneven, and the more thoughtful build of the beginning isn't matched by the ratcheted up events in the final third. Nonetheless, it remained interesting, with further implications into the world. Hopefully it is enough to get Rather another book deal, as I'd unhesitatingly read more in this world.
Read
February 20, 2020An excellent novella which could be summarised as 'nuns in space' but has a great deal more than that going for it. There's exceptionally good, economical worldbuilding and terrific plotting, with every element slotting neatly into place, all of which support a moving and engaging human story that includes love, redemption, revelation and kindness. A fantastic example of the form.
December 1, 2019
This was beautiful
January 5, 2026
Q:
She was one small part of an infinity, and there was much to be done. (c)
'Our Lady of Impossible Constellations', a living ship in heat, a nun team. A government-issued plague. A serum. Some secrets and lots of ideas. Quite the specacular setting to enjoy.
Q:
Sister Lucia argued that the ship, being a beast and therefore not in possession of a rational soul, did not have a responsibility to follow the dictates of their order. Sister Varvara countered that convents were sacred places. The ship, be it beast or plant or mineral, had been consecrated according to doctrine. Allowing it to continue on its present course was a clear desecration and would be a blemish on all their souls. (c)
Q:
The Lord worked in mysterious ways and strange places, here in the eternal dark. A call could come at any time and so someone always kept vigil. (c)
Q:
She was religious enough, yes—in the way that everyone who stepped foot outside of gravity’s embrace was religious. They all prayed in the dark, be it to the Christian God or the Islamic one or the Hindu many-faced pantheon or the cruel, calculating, exacting god of Science. (c)
Q:
Let her be happy... Hard choices should have rewards. ... (c)
Ughhhhhhhh!!!!
Q:
... she had laid her head against the muculent wall and listened to the heartbeat pumping fluid across the ship’s undulating body. (c) I don't want to imagine this.
Q:
Ships always kept an imprint of their original design, and this one refused to grow a headrest three inches lower on the lump of fat that was her chair. (c)
She was one small part of an infinity, and there was much to be done. (c)
'Our Lady of Impossible Constellations', a living ship in heat, a nun team. A government-issued plague. A serum. Some secrets and lots of ideas. Quite the specacular setting to enjoy.
Q:
Sister Lucia argued that the ship, being a beast and therefore not in possession of a rational soul, did not have a responsibility to follow the dictates of their order. Sister Varvara countered that convents were sacred places. The ship, be it beast or plant or mineral, had been consecrated according to doctrine. Allowing it to continue on its present course was a clear desecration and would be a blemish on all their souls. (c)
Q:
The Lord worked in mysterious ways and strange places, here in the eternal dark. A call could come at any time and so someone always kept vigil. (c)
Q:
She was religious enough, yes—in the way that everyone who stepped foot outside of gravity’s embrace was religious. They all prayed in the dark, be it to the Christian God or the Islamic one or the Hindu many-faced pantheon or the cruel, calculating, exacting god of Science. (c)
Q:
Let her be happy... Hard choices should have rewards. ... (c)
Ughhhhhhhh!!!!
Q:
... she had laid her head against the muculent wall and listened to the heartbeat pumping fluid across the ship’s undulating body. (c) I don't want to imagine this.
Q:
Ships always kept an imprint of their original design, and this one refused to grow a headrest three inches lower on the lump of fat that was her chair. (c)
June 2, 2020
*June 2, 2020: Part of Tor.com's free monthly giveaway, HERE
Quirky. I contemplated doing a Venn diagram, and then decided I'd rather read.
This is an amalgamation of concepts, many of which has the potential to disenfranchise readers. While the the argument about whether Our Lady of Impossible Constellations has a soul is intriguing, it is not deeply explored. But, the present day issues of The Church (Catholic) of who can perform which rites, the role of women, and adherence versus fracturing is much more interesting and well done; it is temporally relevant and perhaps just temporal--yes, that is a etymological joke.
If I can't have fun in my review, I'm not doing it. :P
I don't read nearly as much sci-fi as others, but I liked the ship. While not sentient like Moya from Farscape--which is my favorite ship of all times--it is more than a vessel. I found the sisters' internal challenges with their faith interesting, and each provides a different angle. Kudos for an entire cast of interesting female characters.
But, their peaceful life of service is about to upended.
I think the part that made me stop and internally scream, No! is the twist that seems right out of the idiots' webs and fuels conspiracists. Then again, this is unlikely to be the impetus for the final screw to rattle off for nutjobs. Anyway, the sexy medicine and biology, propaganda and power, and personal ethics are much more dominant in the novella and interesting.
This is fast and snappy when it hits overdrive, and there's more than enough meat to chew that would have supported a longer fomat and I might have enjoyed that a bit more. But this is a solid story with enough backstory and world development to be intriguing. Anyway, thanks to carol. whose review tweaked my curiosity. So, the book is somewhere around 3.5 stars, but it has an unique melange of ideas and bonus point for Nuns in Space!
Quirky. I contemplated doing a Venn diagram, and then decided I'd rather read.
This is an amalgamation of concepts, many of which has the potential to disenfranchise readers. While the the argument about whether Our Lady of Impossible Constellations has a soul is intriguing, it is not deeply explored. But, the present day issues of The Church (Catholic) of who can perform which rites, the role of women, and adherence versus fracturing is much more interesting and well done; it is temporally relevant and perhaps just temporal--yes, that is a etymological joke.
If I can't have fun in my review, I'm not doing it. :P
I don't read nearly as much sci-fi as others, but I liked the ship. While not sentient like Moya from Farscape--which is my favorite ship of all times--it is more than a vessel. I found the sisters' internal challenges with their faith interesting, and each provides a different angle. Kudos for an entire cast of interesting female characters.
But, their peaceful life of service is about to upended.
I think the part that made me stop and internally scream, No! is the twist that seems right out of the idiots' webs and fuels conspiracists. Then again, this is unlikely to be the impetus for the final screw to rattle off for nutjobs. Anyway, the sexy medicine and biology, propaganda and power, and personal ethics are much more dominant in the novella and interesting.
This is fast and snappy when it hits overdrive, and there's more than enough meat to chew that would have supported a longer fomat and I might have enjoyed that a bit more. But this is a solid story with enough backstory and world development to be intriguing. Anyway, thanks to carol. whose review tweaked my curiosity. So, the book is somewhere around 3.5 stars, but it has an unique melange of ideas and bonus point for Nuns in Space!
September 7, 2023
Las hermanas de Santa Rita surcan el espacio en su nave viviente.
Hace años, la Vieja Tierra comenzó a colonizar el espacio. Se enviaron naves a lo largo y ancho de la galaxia.
Las hermanas de la Orden de Santa Rita surcan la vasta oscuridad a bordo de Nuestra Señora de las Constelaciones Imposibles, una nave viviente. Ofrecen su misericordia y ayuda a todos los asentamientos.
Cuando la orden recibe una llamada de socorro desde una colonia, las hermanas descubren que los cuerpos y almas de los colonos e, incluso, los de toda la diáspora galáctica, están en peligro.
La idea es muy original, sin duda. Pero a la ejecución le falta chicha, ser más largo y explorar más lo que viene siendo el trasfondo, más aventuras y personajes. Más todo..
Ha sido bastante decepcionante, no sé si la manera en la que está escrito, mis gustos en lo que considero que le falta. No sé..
No ha conseguido captar mi interés o ganas en tan pocas páginas. Y si un libro no te entretiene lo más mínimo, adiós.
Tiene un ritmo muy lento al principio, ya luego vienen les giros pero tampoco me han gustado ni ha sido nada del otro mundo. Va avanzando la trama pero seguía sin interesarme. No me enganchó como me imaginaba.
Monjas en una nave viviente viajando por la galaxia, ayudando a los que lo necesitan.
Idea soberbia que podría haber sido lo que le falta, entretenimiento. Desafortunadamente, no disfruté cómo se desarrolló la historia, en absoluto..✍️🎩
Hace años, la Vieja Tierra comenzó a colonizar el espacio. Se enviaron naves a lo largo y ancho de la galaxia.
Las hermanas de la Orden de Santa Rita surcan la vasta oscuridad a bordo de Nuestra Señora de las Constelaciones Imposibles, una nave viviente. Ofrecen su misericordia y ayuda a todos los asentamientos.
Cuando la orden recibe una llamada de socorro desde una colonia, las hermanas descubren que los cuerpos y almas de los colonos e, incluso, los de toda la diáspora galáctica, están en peligro.
La idea es muy original, sin duda. Pero a la ejecución le falta chicha, ser más largo y explorar más lo que viene siendo el trasfondo, más aventuras y personajes. Más todo..
Ha sido bastante decepcionante, no sé si la manera en la que está escrito, mis gustos en lo que considero que le falta. No sé..
No ha conseguido captar mi interés o ganas en tan pocas páginas. Y si un libro no te entretiene lo más mínimo, adiós.
Tiene un ritmo muy lento al principio, ya luego vienen les giros pero tampoco me han gustado ni ha sido nada del otro mundo. Va avanzando la trama pero seguía sin interesarme. No me enganchó como me imaginaba.
Monjas en una nave viviente viajando por la galaxia, ayudando a los que lo necesitan.
Idea soberbia que podría haber sido lo que le falta, entretenimiento. Desafortunadamente, no disfruté cómo se desarrolló la historia, en absoluto..✍️🎩
February 15, 2020
The first half or more of this novella length story consists of some excellent setting and character development. A close knit group of nuns in space, running missions of mercy and service in the name of the church to the far reaches of settled space. Their ship a living, bioengineered space faring organism. Their individual personalities become evident as they deal with assorted personal, political and theological dilemmas and conflict, including whether their ship possesses a soul and should be permitted to reproduce. Some are hiding deep, dark secrets. Good stuff.
As we near the end a crisis with ominous implications develops amidst growing tensions between Earth and the outer systems as it attempts to re-assert itself in the wake of a devastating war. (The plot turn here reminds me quite a bit of the film Serenity). So, some pacing issues here. The last sequence crams in a lot of action and events unfold quite quickly.
I don't know that I've ever thought a story was too short. Usually I come down on the other side of that question. But, damn it, this should have been longer. Anyway, it felt like a great setup for what could be an intriguing full length novel or series, which I would certainly be interested in reading.
As we near the end a crisis with ominous implications develops amidst growing tensions between Earth and the outer systems as it attempts to re-assert itself in the wake of a devastating war. (The plot turn here reminds me quite a bit of the film Serenity). So, some pacing issues here. The last sequence crams in a lot of action and events unfold quite quickly.
I don't know that I've ever thought a story was too short. Usually I come down on the other side of that question. But, damn it, this should have been longer. Anyway, it felt like a great setup for what could be an intriguing full length novel or series, which I would certainly be interested in reading.
February 9, 2020
This one surprised me. I was pretty sure it wouldn't be my thing (let's just say "nuns in space" is not actually a buzzword for me), but it turned out to be a really good story. Solid plot, solid characters, solid writing. I immediately went to look up if there would be a sequel, or anything else Rather might have out.
My two minor criticisms are 1) some dangling modifiers and uncertain pronouns that should have been caught by the editor and easily smoothed out, and 2) some of the parts seemed very conveniently constructed for the plot to happen just so.
My two minor criticisms are 1) some dangling modifiers and uncertain pronouns that should have been caught by the editor and easily smoothed out, and 2) some of the parts seemed very conveniently constructed for the plot to happen just so.
February 19, 2020
Hmm. I thought I would love this, but alas, not for me.
The idea was right up my alley. Nuns on an organic living ship, travelling the galaxy, helping the sick and poor. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy how the story unfolded, at all.
It felt like too big a story to squish into novella form. It started off slowly, showing lots of promise, it plodded along and then the last third felt extremely rushed. Puzzlingly so. In a why-didn't-the-editor-catch-this kind of way. I'm off to read reviews and find out what exactly others loved about this.
Maybe my expectations were too high? Was it too much to expect a little of this....
The idea was right up my alley. Nuns on an organic living ship, travelling the galaxy, helping the sick and poor. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy how the story unfolded, at all.
It felt like too big a story to squish into novella form. It started off slowly, showing lots of promise, it plodded along and then the last third felt extremely rushed. Puzzlingly so. In a why-didn't-the-editor-catch-this kind of way. I'm off to read reviews and find out what exactly others loved about this.
Maybe my expectations were too high? Was it too much to expect a little of this....
December 30, 2019
They all prayed in the dark, be it to the Christian God or the Islamic one or the Hindu many-faced pantheon or the cruel, calculating, exacting god of Science.
Sisters of the Vast Black tells the story of a convent of nuns, somewhat unusual in that their convent is situated in a living ship, carrying them throughout the galaxy answering calls for prayer, treatment, or blessings. Religion and science never have been the easiest of bedfellows, so it was nice to see the two handled in such a balanced way here; they feed naturally into each other in the way they often do at an individual level in real life, because sometimes when you're the one with the feet on the ground, you know that practicality just doesn't allow for black and white opinions.
It's a great story, with more than enough intrigue to have me coming back for the next.
Sisters of the Vast Black tells the story of a convent of nuns, somewhat unusual in that their convent is situated in a living ship, carrying them throughout the galaxy answering calls for prayer, treatment, or blessings. Religion and science never have been the easiest of bedfellows, so it was nice to see the two handled in such a balanced way here; they feed naturally into each other in the way they often do at an individual level in real life, because sometimes when you're the one with the feet on the ground, you know that practicality just doesn't allow for black and white opinions.
It's a great story, with more than enough intrigue to have me coming back for the next.
November 13, 2019
An order of nuns aboard a living spaceship minister to remote human colonies in the aftermath of a devastating interstellar war.
The amount of world-building and characterization crammed into this short novella is really impressive. The story itself is a good one as well, with the nuns at ground zero of what might be a whole new war while struggling with their own role in a rapidly changing universe.
Recommended, and should be a feature of next year's awards lists.
The amount of world-building and characterization crammed into this short novella is really impressive. The story itself is a good one as well, with the nuns at ground zero of what might be a whole new war while struggling with their own role in a rapidly changing universe.
Recommended, and should be a feature of next year's awards lists.
July 17, 2023
This felt like such a satisfying little morsel of a story that hit the spot for me. Love the world set up, love the character work, and love the themes. I think if it had had slightly more plot, it would have been a home run
January 4, 2021
Actual rating: 2.5 stars.
Second read of the year, second crappy rating! Woohoo and stuff!!
Okay, let's try to make this as short and painless as possible, shall we?
This is a story about nuns in space. NUNS IN SPACE! Who travel the universe on a organic/living ship-type thingie! Can you imagine the potentially wondrous potential here?! Yeah well, imagine it is pretty much all you can do. Because the author spends the first 60% of the book trying to lull their readers to the deadliest slumber ever. And when, finally, things start happening and the story actually starts, it bloody shrimping ends. So yay and stuff.
Second read of the year, second crappy rating! Woohoo and stuff!!
Okay, let's try to make this as short and painless as possible, shall we?
This is a story about nuns in space. NUNS IN SPACE! Who travel the universe on a organic/living ship-type thingie! Can you imagine the potentially wondrous potential here?! Yeah well, imagine it is pretty much all you can do. Because the author spends the first 60% of the book trying to lull their readers to the deadliest slumber ever. And when, finally, things start happening and the story actually starts, it bloody shrimping ends. So yay and stuff.
August 30, 2025
a GAY NOVELLA about SPACE NUNS!! who LIVE INSIDE A SLUG!!! and the POPE is EVIL!!
This was such a treat. I loved the worldbuilding (living ships! terrifying diseases! Old Earth political conspiracies!) the characters were lovable, except Father Giovanni, who was perfectly insufferable, and I really enjoyed the shadow of the War hanging over everything. I really loved this little book <3
This was such a treat. I loved the worldbuilding (living ships! terrifying diseases! Old Earth political conspiracies!) the characters were lovable, except Father Giovanni, who was perfectly insufferable, and I really enjoyed the shadow of the War hanging over everything. I really loved this little book <3
January 6, 2020
Okay, this is one of the best short SF novels I have ever read. I was completely bowled over. You know that incredible frisson from a sense of wonder, combined with on-point speculation, careful world-building, and characters who in(habit) their world completely that the best SF delivers in such a heady rush? Lina Rather has this in spades. Who is this amazing writer, and why haven’t I heard of her before!?
So the Sisters of the Order of Saint Rita, aboard the spaceship Our Lady of Impossible Constellations (isn’t that a gorgeous name?) have a bit of a predicament. Their spaceship is actually a living, breathing organism … and it has just entered its mating cycle, as it has detected a potential but far-off mate.
Unfortunately, this means the sisters will need to make a detour from their interstellar mission of mainly medical and technical assistance to the outer colonies (handing out Bibles is really not as practical, they find.)
This results in a thorny theological debate: Is the spaceship consecrated ground, let alone a sentient creature? Do they allow it to have its own way and go off in horny pursuit of its mate, which rather goes against the pious strictures of the Mother Church?
Speaking of which, Earth Central Governance (ECG) is determined to bring rogue orders like Saint Rita more firmly under its ecclesiastical fold, and so dispatches a priest to make sure the nuns toe the line.
And then to complicate matters even further, they receive a distress call from a colony world infected with a deadly disease – one that ECG desperately wants to get samples of so it can weaponise it in the Great War against Unbelief.
Religion was a useful arm of the state, often enough. What better way to crush resistance than to own the souls of the people? What better way to spread your government than to tie it to the name of God?
That sounds a bit heavy-handed out of context, but Rather strikes a fine balance between world-building and polemic. There is so much thought and detail packed into this short book that it is quite breathtaking. And then, to boot, we have one of the sisters fall in love (with another woman), with the full support of her order.
I know that organic spaceships are a fairly standard trope in SF, but Rather’s creatures are beautifully evoked. The scene depicting the mating of Our Lady of Impossible Constellations is extraordinarily lovely.
And then there is that perfect, luminous ending, where the Order of Saint Rita is caught up in a stand-off with the ECG concerning the infected planet, like a High Noon duel in space. The characters are so lovingly evoked that the reader gets to know, and care, about each and every one of these extraordinary women.
I cannot recommend this short novel highly enough to SF fans, and sincerely hope that Lina Rather returns to the world of Saint Rita again soon.
So the Sisters of the Order of Saint Rita, aboard the spaceship Our Lady of Impossible Constellations (isn’t that a gorgeous name?) have a bit of a predicament. Their spaceship is actually a living, breathing organism … and it has just entered its mating cycle, as it has detected a potential but far-off mate.
Unfortunately, this means the sisters will need to make a detour from their interstellar mission of mainly medical and technical assistance to the outer colonies (handing out Bibles is really not as practical, they find.)
This results in a thorny theological debate: Is the spaceship consecrated ground, let alone a sentient creature? Do they allow it to have its own way and go off in horny pursuit of its mate, which rather goes against the pious strictures of the Mother Church?
Speaking of which, Earth Central Governance (ECG) is determined to bring rogue orders like Saint Rita more firmly under its ecclesiastical fold, and so dispatches a priest to make sure the nuns toe the line.
And then to complicate matters even further, they receive a distress call from a colony world infected with a deadly disease – one that ECG desperately wants to get samples of so it can weaponise it in the Great War against Unbelief.
Religion was a useful arm of the state, often enough. What better way to crush resistance than to own the souls of the people? What better way to spread your government than to tie it to the name of God?
That sounds a bit heavy-handed out of context, but Rather strikes a fine balance between world-building and polemic. There is so much thought and detail packed into this short book that it is quite breathtaking. And then, to boot, we have one of the sisters fall in love (with another woman), with the full support of her order.
I know that organic spaceships are a fairly standard trope in SF, but Rather’s creatures are beautifully evoked. The scene depicting the mating of Our Lady of Impossible Constellations is extraordinarily lovely.
And then there is that perfect, luminous ending, where the Order of Saint Rita is caught up in a stand-off with the ECG concerning the infected planet, like a High Noon duel in space. The characters are so lovingly evoked that the reader gets to know, and care, about each and every one of these extraordinary women.
I cannot recommend this short novel highly enough to SF fans, and sincerely hope that Lina Rather returns to the world of Saint Rita again soon.
February 17, 2020
This is another one of those books where my impression varies quite a bit from the masses.
There were some good ideas, but the execution felt so clumsy that I felt nothing after having read the novella. There were too many character fates thrown together, none of them had the time or depth needed for an emotional response from me. On the contrary, I had the feeling I was told everything instead of being allowed to experience it through the writing.
The same goes for the themes that somehow gave the impression of being crossed off a list.
Perhaps novella wasn't the right format for it. Or the emphasis should have been on only one of the topics (life ship, atonement, vocation contra falling in love, epidemic control, church/government involvement) to get it properly done.
This story wanted too much, but didn't have the tools to pull it off.
There are good approaches, but the overall piece was unfortunately a miss for me.
There were some good ideas, but the execution felt so clumsy that I felt nothing after having read the novella. There were too many character fates thrown together, none of them had the time or depth needed for an emotional response from me. On the contrary, I had the feeling I was told everything instead of being allowed to experience it through the writing.
The same goes for the themes that somehow gave the impression of being crossed off a list.
Perhaps novella wasn't the right format for it. Or the emphasis should have been on only one of the topics (life ship, atonement, vocation contra falling in love, epidemic control, church/government involvement) to get it properly done.
This story wanted too much, but didn't have the tools to pull it off.
There are good approaches, but the overall piece was unfortunately a miss for me.
December 2, 2019
4.5 stars. An excellent story about
-Nuns in space, travelling from colony to colony, giving medical aid, marrying people, and doing other things deemed appropriate by their Earth-based church and male leadership.
-Live, biological ships wanting to procreate. -A terrifying central (Earth)-based authority.
-And war crimes.
A quiet story that builds tension nicely, and ends in a chilling place.
-Nuns in space, travelling from colony to colony, giving medical aid, marrying people, and doing other things deemed appropriate by their Earth-based church and male leadership.
-Live, biological ships wanting to procreate. -A terrifying central (Earth)-based authority.
-And war crimes.
A quiet story that builds tension nicely, and ends in a chilling place.
May 1, 2024
MONJAS ESPACIALES
(No digo nada más. Con eso ya solo me llamó a mí la atención. ¿Qué puedo decir? Se me convence con poco).
3.5
“How prideful of you. We’re all only human. Cheer up, sister. None of us can change what was.
Este ha sido el segundo intento de lectura de esta novela, la primera vez recuerdo que no estaba tan acostumbrada a leer en inglés y no me sentía cómoda. Sin embargo, ahora que lo volví a intentar, pero con más calma y ganas, la experiencia ha sido totalmente diferente.
“Let us do what we know to be right. If we die, we will know we died doing good worlds, and that is all any of us have asked for this life”.
La historia no es nada del otro mundo dentro de la ciencia ficción sino la originalidad de colocar como protagonistas a monjas misioneras dentro de naves por así decirlo “vivas”. Asimismo, está contada desde varios puntos de vista de las misioneras y cada una con sus problemas e inquietudes y sus pequeños debates teológicos, sobre todo en lo referente a si la nave posee un “alma”.
“She didn’t believe the ship had a soul. But shed id believe it could want. Maybe if she stayed here, listening, she would heat its voice. Maybe it would telle her what to do”.
Una vez terminada la historia, siento que esta novela ha sido una mera introducción al mundo que nos quiere crear la autora, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta el final de la misma.
Ha sido una experiencia muy buena de lectura y pronto voy a leer la segunda parte. Las monjitas me han robado el corazón.
“I wonder what she wanted forgiveness for
We’re all sinners”.
(No digo nada más. Con eso ya solo me llamó a mí la atención. ¿Qué puedo decir? Se me convence con poco).
3.5
“How prideful of you. We’re all only human. Cheer up, sister. None of us can change what was.
Este ha sido el segundo intento de lectura de esta novela, la primera vez recuerdo que no estaba tan acostumbrada a leer en inglés y no me sentía cómoda. Sin embargo, ahora que lo volví a intentar, pero con más calma y ganas, la experiencia ha sido totalmente diferente.
“Let us do what we know to be right. If we die, we will know we died doing good worlds, and that is all any of us have asked for this life”.
La historia no es nada del otro mundo dentro de la ciencia ficción sino la originalidad de colocar como protagonistas a monjas misioneras dentro de naves por así decirlo “vivas”. Asimismo, está contada desde varios puntos de vista de las misioneras y cada una con sus problemas e inquietudes y sus pequeños debates teológicos, sobre todo en lo referente a si la nave posee un “alma”.
“She didn’t believe the ship had a soul. But shed id believe it could want. Maybe if she stayed here, listening, she would heat its voice. Maybe it would telle her what to do”.
Una vez terminada la historia, siento que esta novela ha sido una mera introducción al mundo que nos quiere crear la autora, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta el final de la misma.
Ha sido una experiencia muy buena de lectura y pronto voy a leer la segunda parte. Las monjitas me han robado el corazón.
“I wonder what she wanted forgiveness for
We’re all sinners”.
February 28, 2023
This is a debut SF novella with an interesting premise but mediocre execution. I’ve read it as a Buddy Read in February 2020 at SFF Hot from Printers: New Releases group.
The story starts on a living space ship, which acts as a convent for a Sisterhood order. While both living ships and religious groups of women are present is SF, from The Stars Are Legion to Dune, they are not broadly used, and thus such a combination is quite promising. The problem that faces the sisters is also fascinating: their ship wants to made which is fine if one treats it as a beast but maybe sacrilegious if one treats it as a consecrated place akin to a church.
The intriguing start shifts to following past and present of several sisters and here was my first disappointment, because while they are described as Catholic nuns, there is more stress on their external appearances than on their faith, they look more like a secular group with strong discipline than devoted people even if only one of them actually joined not because of her faith but trying to evade short and nasty life on a mining planet. There are examples of good secular SF with religious characters, from The Sparrow to Hyperion, but this is not one of them.
I guess the story would have been better if it tuned to a specific plot, like mating of a living ship instead of trying to fit in a list of different topics, which include imperialism, usage of churn by secular authorities, lesbian romance, civil war and a threat of pandemics.
The author has a potential, but the debut piece is not a gem
The story starts on a living space ship, which acts as a convent for a Sisterhood order. While both living ships and religious groups of women are present is SF, from The Stars Are Legion to Dune, they are not broadly used, and thus such a combination is quite promising. The problem that faces the sisters is also fascinating: their ship wants to made which is fine if one treats it as a beast but maybe sacrilegious if one treats it as a consecrated place akin to a church.
The intriguing start shifts to following past and present of several sisters and here was my first disappointment, because while they are described as Catholic nuns, there is more stress on their external appearances than on their faith, they look more like a secular group with strong discipline than devoted people even if only one of them actually joined not because of her faith but trying to evade short and nasty life on a mining planet. There are examples of good secular SF with religious characters, from The Sparrow to Hyperion, but this is not one of them.
I guess the story would have been better if it tuned to a specific plot, like mating of a living ship instead of trying to fit in a list of different topics, which include imperialism, usage of churn by secular authorities, lesbian romance, civil war and a threat of pandemics.
The author has a potential, but the debut piece is not a gem
January 17, 2021
Interesting premise (Nuns in space! Living ships that could mate and be bred! Earth domination!) but with a dull plot and lack of depth on the most interesting aspects that made it unique.
June 28, 2022
This slender and satisfying novella is basically my happy place: queerness, religion, and exobiology, all in the context of character-driven scifi, of a kind I associate with Asimov’s or Year’s Best Science Fiction anthologies from the 90s—with interplanetary politics and moral dilemmas, always right on the line between ridiculous and sublime. Nothing earth-shattering here, sure, just fantastic science fiction about nuns in space. That's enough for me!
September 20, 2020
Ahoy there me mateys! Aye, this novella has nuns in space. But it also has so much more. It is a fantastic character study about a group of women who have secrets and what happens when Rome and the Earth’s government try to involve them in a conspiracy.
Well the first thing I have to squee about is the living ship that is a kinda slug that the nuns live in. I love me some spaceships. I love me some living spaceships where ye get to hear about the realities of what living in one is like. These ships were fascinating and I loved the details about them like genetic studies and how ye raise them. This ship is even more complicated because it has hit maturity way too early and wants to breed!
The nuns themselves were pretty awesome. There are 10 in the ship and ye get to know five of them pretty well. Sister Faustina was me favourite with Sister Gemma a close second. I enjoyed the idea of a priest from Rome coming onboard to get them caught up with church doctrine and policy. I loved it even more that the nuns manage to have faith and adapt to both space and progress.
The only major problem I had was that the climax and ending were abrupt and I guessed some of the bad guy plot twists. That said, this was fun and I am so glad I finally got to read it. Arrr!
Well the first thing I have to squee about is the living ship that is a kinda slug that the nuns live in. I love me some spaceships. I love me some living spaceships where ye get to hear about the realities of what living in one is like. These ships were fascinating and I loved the details about them like genetic studies and how ye raise them. This ship is even more complicated because it has hit maturity way too early and wants to breed!
The nuns themselves were pretty awesome. There are 10 in the ship and ye get to know five of them pretty well. Sister Faustina was me favourite with Sister Gemma a close second. I enjoyed the idea of a priest from Rome coming onboard to get them caught up with church doctrine and policy. I loved it even more that the nuns manage to have faith and adapt to both space and progress.
The only major problem I had was that the climax and ending were abrupt and I guessed some of the bad guy plot twists. That said, this was fun and I am so glad I finally got to read it. Arrr!
April 19, 2022
3.5 stars
I really love this concept! Sisters of the Vast Black is about nuns in space (some of them queer). The pacing is definitely slow in the first half of the novella, but things really pick up with interesting twists and revelations. Unspooling this idea of what a ship full of traveling nuns might be like, traveling to provide religious services to different colonies, is such a fascinating one. I wanted a little bit more from the story and characters, but I still enjoyed this and would pick up the next one.
I really love this concept! Sisters of the Vast Black is about nuns in space (some of them queer). The pacing is definitely slow in the first half of the novella, but things really pick up with interesting twists and revelations. Unspooling this idea of what a ship full of traveling nuns might be like, traveling to provide religious services to different colonies, is such a fascinating one. I wanted a little bit more from the story and characters, but I still enjoyed this and would pick up the next one.
February 19, 2020
This was okay, but I was really hoping for something better than "okay." There were some interesting concepts, and it was enjoyable enough while I was actually reading it. However, I wanted (and I felt as though this was pitched as) a story that would leave me with lots of feelings and ideas to ponder, and I didn't get that, at all. I couldn't feel the weight of the ethical dilemmas faced by the characters, and in that absence the story felt a bit empty.
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September 27, 2019
"We should go because I would want someone to come for us. We're all just scattered, lonely specks out here, unless we try to be more. We shouldn't be brutal just because the universe is."
The sisters of the Our Lady of Impossible Constellations live a life of austerity and piousness aboard their living ship—and they face decision points that threaten their internal and external way of life, bringing relief to the pockets of humanity scattered about the vast black.
I don't know what it is, but this is the second book about queer nuns in space that I've read this month. And I loved both books!
This one is very much a bleak dystopian of humankind after the nuclear holocaust, when those who left Earth tried to break away from those who stayed, and the aftermath of that struggle. It's a book of choices and sacrifice, of centralized government and decentralized command, of second chances and trying to make the world a better place. Of theology and humanity. Of small worlds intersecting with a larger one, and small actions beating rapidly into something much, much bigger. Of insignificant and significant consequences.
It's also vaguely a biohorror book? The sisters live inside a living creature, and some of the descriptions of the ship made me not want to eat ever again, along with descriptions of the many diseases plaguing humankind in this brave new world.
All of the sisters had their own motivations and desires, and for the most part felt real (at least the ones who were given more page time—others felt like names on pages). I did like the deep mystery involving the Mother Superior, and the idea that every single sister had a past that informed and influenced her present.
Anywho, this was a very bad review, but the book was enjoyable. If you enjoyed Kameron Hurley's The Stars Are Legion or other hard-ish sci-fi stories, try this one out.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
The sisters of the Our Lady of Impossible Constellations live a life of austerity and piousness aboard their living ship—and they face decision points that threaten their internal and external way of life, bringing relief to the pockets of humanity scattered about the vast black.
I don't know what it is, but this is the second book about queer nuns in space that I've read this month. And I loved both books!
This one is very much a bleak dystopian of humankind after the nuclear holocaust, when those who left Earth tried to break away from those who stayed, and the aftermath of that struggle. It's a book of choices and sacrifice, of centralized government and decentralized command, of second chances and trying to make the world a better place. Of theology and humanity. Of small worlds intersecting with a larger one, and small actions beating rapidly into something much, much bigger. Of insignificant and significant consequences.
It's also vaguely a biohorror book? The sisters live inside a living creature, and some of the descriptions of the ship made me not want to eat ever again, along with descriptions of the many diseases plaguing humankind in this brave new world.
All of the sisters had their own motivations and desires, and for the most part felt real (at least the ones who were given more page time—others felt like names on pages). I did like the deep mystery involving the Mother Superior, and the idea that every single sister had a past that informed and influenced her present.
Anywho, this was a very bad review, but the book was enjoyable. If you enjoyed Kameron Hurley's The Stars Are Legion or other hard-ish sci-fi stories, try this one out.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
January 4, 2020
Religious orders in space are nothing new to Science Fiction. Nor are living ships. The latter are usually wondrous things, while the former range from tedious caricatures to thoughtful explorations of life, faith, and humanity. Overall, Sisters of the Vast Black strikes a balance.
The Sisters of the Order of St. Rita travel the stars aboard the Liveship Our Lady of Impossible Constellations on a mission of mercy to far-flung colonies and outposts. They bring with them medicine, supplies, and authority to marry and baptize. They also bring their secrets, and two-thirds into the book, a distress call brings all of those secrets crashing into the open.
This book is short enough that I can't say much without giving it away, so I'm just going to pick out the bits that struck me.
About the ship:
This is one of the cooler living-ship executions I've seen. On a scale from Farscape's Moya to the Yuuzhan Vong fleet of Star Wars Legends, Our Lady... is much closer to the second. It's a weird, gen-engineered slug-thing, and I love it to bits. Huge plus for that.
About the setting:
Since I just came out of a CJ Cherryh binge, the whole backdrop of Earth Central Government vs. outlying colonies thing is a bit tired for me, but it works fine. The convent ships themselves were something I was really excited about, because it was a great way to reenact the struggles of the early Church RE: communication lag and keeping the flock on the same page. Alas, aside from from some early throw-away lines, this is not the story Rather wanted to tell.
There is some fantastic diversity among the sisters, though, which I deeply appreciate. And I couldn't help but laugh aloud at this early line about the new priest:
"He was well-meaning, and like most people who were well-meaning and ignorant, he bulldozed through everything in his way without even a thought." (p92)
Because ^that? That is so hilariously true.
And now for the reservations. Unlike carol. (whose lovely review prompted me to take a chance on this campy-sounding novella) I am of a religious persuasion, and this makes all the difference.
This is a weirdly faithless group of nuns. I'm not talking about any of them specifically, so much as the overall ambiance of 'we're Catholic but not that kind of Catholic.' Yes, secrets exist among any group of humans. Yes, there are conflicts. But part of religious life is that one can turn to something greater, and... that doesn't really happen here. There's some internal meandering, but it feels rootless to me. And I must say, it's an odd Catholic order indeed that never once mentions the Eucharist.
As I was telling a friend this morning, there are Space Nuns and instead of taking advantage of that I feel like we got a good, but ultimately generic story about secrets and lies and bureaucracy.
So yes, I have some gripes. But as far as religious rep goes, this isn't bad rep, just mediocre, which puts it miles ahead of some of the things I've seen. And it's a fairly enjoyable read for a Friday evening. Three stars.
The Sisters of the Order of St. Rita travel the stars aboard the Liveship Our Lady of Impossible Constellations on a mission of mercy to far-flung colonies and outposts. They bring with them medicine, supplies, and authority to marry and baptize. They also bring their secrets, and two-thirds into the book, a distress call brings all of those secrets crashing into the open.
This book is short enough that I can't say much without giving it away, so I'm just going to pick out the bits that struck me.
About the ship:
This is one of the cooler living-ship executions I've seen. On a scale from Farscape's Moya to the Yuuzhan Vong fleet of Star Wars Legends, Our Lady... is much closer to the second. It's a weird, gen-engineered slug-thing, and I love it to bits. Huge plus for that.
About the setting:
Since I just came out of a CJ Cherryh binge, the whole backdrop of Earth Central Government vs. outlying colonies thing is a bit tired for me, but it works fine. The convent ships themselves were something I was really excited about, because it was a great way to reenact the struggles of the early Church RE: communication lag and keeping the flock on the same page. Alas, aside from from some early throw-away lines, this is not the story Rather wanted to tell.
There is some fantastic diversity among the sisters, though, which I deeply appreciate. And I couldn't help but laugh aloud at this early line about the new priest:
"He was well-meaning, and like most people who were well-meaning and ignorant, he bulldozed through everything in his way without even a thought." (p92)
Because ^that? That is so hilariously true.
And now for the reservations. Unlike carol. (whose lovely review prompted me to take a chance on this campy-sounding novella) I am of a religious persuasion, and this makes all the difference.
This is a weirdly faithless group of nuns. I'm not talking about any of them specifically, so much as the overall ambiance of 'we're Catholic but not that kind of Catholic.' Yes, secrets exist among any group of humans. Yes, there are conflicts. But part of religious life is that one can turn to something greater, and... that doesn't really happen here. There's some internal meandering, but it feels rootless to me. And I must say, it's an odd Catholic order indeed that never once mentions the Eucharist.
As I was telling a friend this morning, there are Space Nuns and instead of taking advantage of that I feel like we got a good, but ultimately generic story about secrets and lies and bureaucracy.
So yes, I have some gripes. But as far as religious rep goes, this isn't bad rep, just mediocre, which puts it miles ahead of some of the things I've seen. And it's a fairly enjoyable read for a Friday evening. Three stars.
August 15, 2020
I really enjoyed this novella and the concept was so cool and really loved that some ships are actually sentient being and they can breed and communicate and everything. There were some really nice character work and the world, for a book this length was really well fleshed out and super detailed. So yeah, the worldbuilding was great. The ending is fairly ambiguous with so many more stories to tell and I really hope more stories are told in this universe! 7.5/10
August 27, 2021
Space nuns! Squishy biological spaceships! Lesbians! I enjoyed this quite a bit. The worldbuilding has a few interesting touches and the writing was very engaging (though, I have to warn, the plot includes an epidemic). It felt a little thin in the places novellas often are, but I read it in one sitting, and during a time where I struggle to finish books, that means something too.
Enjoyment: 4/5
Execution: 4/5
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
Enjoyment: 4/5
Execution: 4/5
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
September 11, 2020
I loved this book! It's so rare to meet characters who are truly loving and altruistic, and there were some in here. Even though there were quite a lot of main characters, each one felt well-rounded and had her own character arc and development. The biological, living slug-like ships people were flying around in were very cool (although a bit gross), as well.
It may not have perfect science behind the story, but that wasn't really important - this is not meant to be hard SF. What was important here were the characters and their various decisions and secrets, and all of those were spot-on perfectly told.
I'll happily read everything this author writes and would also love returning to this book universe again. I didn't actually expect to like it much, so I was very pleasantly surprised.
It may not have perfect science behind the story, but that wasn't really important - this is not meant to be hard SF. What was important here were the characters and their various decisions and secrets, and all of those were spot-on perfectly told.
I'll happily read everything this author writes and would also love returning to this book universe again. I didn't actually expect to like it much, so I was very pleasantly surprised.
December 12, 2019
I know what you’re thinking- “nuns in space? Seriously?” and yes seriously why exactly can’t nuns be in space!? They can, and they are! (You know, fictionally speaking.) Anyway, I figured this one could be incredibly awesome, or incredibly hokey, but good news friends! It’s the former! It is hands down one of the best novellas I have ever read, I was shocked that I cared so deeply about all of the sisters aboard the ship in such a short time. The world was well done, the plot was a great blend of action and character development, and if you’re even a little curious, I’m gonna go ahead and implore you to grab this one.
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