Sisters of the Vast Black is similarly hopeful, contrasting the biopunk aesthetic of a living, insectoid spaceship with the enduringly human questions of her crew.Ĭompellingly, this is also a book which sets Catholic doctrine alongside futuristic bioscience, not by consigning the conflicts that can presently exist between them to the (narrative) past, but through constant, thoughtful reflection. As I leapt from Wells to Bujold, Bujold to Wells last year, what struck me most about both writers is their enduring, underlying sense of hope and kindness, even-or rather, especially-within stories that directly confront the worst of human nature. This is not something I say lightly: I’m a dedicated fan of both authors and spent a not inconsiderable portion of 2019 burning through their respective back catalogues, so their writing is fresh in my memory. Sisters of the Vast Black is an accomplished, thoughtful debut that evokes comparison to the novellas of Lois McMaster Bujold and Martha Wells. What does it mean, to hold faith in the dark? Should obedience come at the cost of action? And which is the greater service-to proselytise, or to help?
Together, the sisters of St Rita-the ailing Reverend Mother, burdened with a lifetime of guilt Sister Gemma, a scientist with a secret love Sister Lucia, devout and kind and Sister Faustina, pragmatic and agnostic-must make a series of difficult choices. Decades after the war between the colonies and Earth Central Governance, the church in Rome is once more reaching out its hand to influence Earth’s children. In a future where humanity has colonised multiple star systems-and in which living, genetically engineered spaceships fly the dark alongside metal deadships-the nuns of the Catholic Order of St Rita find themselves faced with an unexpected choice: to change course and let their ship, the Our Lady of Impossible Constellations, find and mate with the ship on which she’s imprinted, or deny her biological needs as a matter of doctrine.īut the needs of the ship are not all that concern the sisters.
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