What readers think of The Book of Strange New Things, plus links to write your own review.

I continued reading it and was pleasantly surprised. The Book of Strange New Things was written well and I was able to immerse myself in the storyline. The ending not what I expected, left me wanting more of a resolution. In my opinion, the author could have been less descriptive in the book as it was rather long. The highlight of the book was that it made me think what would I do, not all books do that for me.

While no one actually travels to an alien planet, the allure of new things is mimicked and relatable in everyday life. When anyone finds themselves in another, an individual, a community, or a planet, they discover who they really are. And the self they find may no longer belong to their past. The author highlights this brilliantly and takes the reader on a journey that at once is other worldly and utterly accessible.

This is a story of a man, Peter, who travels in space to a planet, that is never identified, to be a religious missionary to the natives. The author has a great imagination describing the planet, the surroundings and the natives. However, I would not classify this as science fiction. This is really a story of what happens to people when they are in unfamiliar and strange surroundings and how people react when there are strange and unusual occurrences. Peter comes to this strange environment to be a type of religious minister and he eventually 'turns native'. There is a way to communicate to family on earth but Peter ignores his wife who was left in England and only wants to be with the natives. I also thought the people who were sent there to colonize the planet were very strange in their relationships to one another or perhaps their lack of relating. I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down until I found out what happens to Peter. I think this book would be great for book clubs because there are many themes to discuss.

I love the concept of this book but found myself struggling a bit to get engaged. It seemed to wander a bit initially and I was not sure in what direction we would ultimately be led. I am glad I stuck it out though because when the story took off it really took off and became a page turner.

In examining love, religion, disappointment, and secret pasts, the story of Peter and Beatrice, and the other travelers, become novels within the novel, I came to love the flow of the book and the way the author depicted snapshots of life in a unknown environment altering what we think we know.

This book had me thinking about what we assume and how we manage change we never wanted or expected. A long, but satisfying read.

Well written, thought provoking, and hard to put down. It is a creative and intriguing story line, and the religious aspect was not too hard hitting. The ending was too abrupt for me unless there is a sequel in the works. Peter's character was nicely developed, but I wanted to know more about some of the other characters. And why was he chosen to go when he clearly didn't fit the mold of the other people there who didn't have such a strong attachment to someone back "home." I would probably have enjoyed more information about the development of this new community and what those people did all day (besides meet in the cafeteria or work out) than some of the seeming unnecessary details about Peter's life. Peter's detachment from and struggles with the rest of his world after immersing himself into the life of the "aliens" was well described and understandable. I do think this would provide interesting discussions for a book club or people who like sci-fi. Moving to another planet is a fascinating topic.

I have to say, once I got into this book, I found it hard to put it down. I became immersed in the alien world, and wondered at all that was going on "back at home." I hurried to the end to find out what happened...but was disappointed. The ending was probably realistic, but not satisfying. Quite a commentary on the state of the world! A bit depressing...

Beautifully written, The Book of Strange New Things is difficult to categorize but ultimately it is a story of love transcending the boundaries of time and space. Peter, a Christian missionary to natives on a VERY distant planet, must choose between the love he has for the natives of Oasis and the love he has for his wife back on Earth. The choice, obviously, is not n easy one and Peter's struggles with it are heartfelt. I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 because it took so long to develop.

Once I started this book, I was really annoyed when I had to leave it to attend to the real world -- it's that good. What really stuck out for me in this novel is the idea of distance - and whether or not distance can become so great that it can still be conquered. Getting to Oasis, for example, Peter literally leaps into the void with the use of technology, and once there, technology provides for most needs at the station. Peter and his wife Bea are not only separated by time and space, but as Peter becomes deeply immersed in his mission and works hard to bridge the gaps between himself and the indigenous people on Oasis, the emotional distance between himself and Bea as a couple starts to grow. There are many, many more examples that illustrate this idea, (one of the most intriguing of these is how he gradually becomes disconnected even from the people at the station ( USIC) - ) but I'll leave those to the reader.

I love the framing for this book, setting it on another planet entirely, since it puts the idea of distance into sharp perspective. The writing is engaging, the story beyond compelling. This is definitely a book I'd encourage a group to read (I'll be adding it to the list for my book group) -- there is so much here -- the dystopian element, the breakdown of civility at a time when people should be pulling together, contact between cultures and bridging the distance between them, the bonds that keep people together, and more. It's a successful book and works on a number of levels.

I will say that unlike others who've read this novel though, I didn't think that this novel reflected either a pro-Christian or anti-Christian stance -- I realize people will see what they want to see, but from my pov, I didn't pick up a vibe either way.

I'll definitely and highly recommend this book -- it's good for readers of dystopia, for those who are interested in human nature when it is tested beyond its limits, and for those who just appreciate good writing, a very good story and the leaps of faith people must take in their life journeys.