Title : The Sparrow
Author : Mary Doria Russell
Genre : Science fiction/Religion and spirituality
Pages : 408
Publisher : Ballantine Books
Rating : 4/5

You have an earth-ful of people. Yet, it is tantalizing to believe that there is life out there, intelligent aliens who will want to meet others like themselves and forge bonds of friendship and world peace. In her book “The Sparrow”, Mary Doria Russell, explores just such a possibility. In her large tome of a book, alien broadcast are received by earth scientists, and those with the wherewithal here on earth (and they happen to be an order of Jesuit priests) summon up resources and set off to the distant planet.

The ship loses contact with earth, and all it’s crew members are deemed dead, until another earth-ship lands on Rakhat (that’s the alien planet) and recovers one remaining, damaged crew-member. The crew member, Jesuit priest Emilio Sandoz, makes it back to earth, but is then set upon by accusations from the media. What events led upto his current condition ? And will he want to tell all ?

This book is not hard science fiction. In fact, it is a quaint mixture of philosophy, religion and some science fiction. True, the plot involves spaceships and space travel to alien planets, but the book uses that as an underpinning with which to question us about out faiths and our religions. The main character of this book is Emilio Sandoz, a celibate Jesuit priest, who is given to God’s service, while working hard to quell the questions within. When he becomes one of the crew members of the spaceship to Rakhat, it appears that God is choosing his fate for him. Led on by his beliefs, Sanchez is open to all of God’s plans , and believes himself strengthened. However circumstances change, and Sandoz’s spiritual convictions will be tested in ways he cannot imagine . . .

This was a very engaging book, and I found Russell’s description of the alien planet, linguistics, grammar, and anthropology particularly interesting. Her science fiction bits, like the ones where the space ship and team-members are conjured up in a very adhoc, un-scientific manner (most of them are laymen and Sandoz’s friends) lack plausibility, and are not so very believable. Still, because this is not an SF book, per se, this can be (almost) ignored.

Russell has many characters in her book, with very different mental make-ups and thoughts, and through them, she presents different facets of the human belief system – what makes us, shapes us and holds us together. Is it God, religion, spirituality, or just good old respect for each other ? A great read for SF lovers and non-lovers alike, this one is well worth the time.