Review by Booklist Review
An order of nuns ministering to colony worlds in the outer reaches of human settled space. A living spaceship that might have a will of its own. Conflict between Earth and the outer systems. A controlling church. A deadly plague and a conspiracy with galaxy-spanning consequences. Sisters of the Vast Black uses these elements to explore questions of faith and free will, the conflicts that arise between obedience and conscience, complicity and refusal, and how people move on from tragic pasts. It offers a compelling blend of religious and moral challenges, science and politics. Awfully heady stuff to tackle in a novella, but Rather succeeds with intelligence and empathy. Her world building is exceptional, especially in her descriptions of the little details on the sisters' living ship. Her characters are authentic and developed with compelling back stories. What stands out the most is Rather's lyrical and assured style. Her language invites the reader in and sustains a sense of wonder within a challenging world. This is a beautifully written work.--John Keogh Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Rather unflinchingly tackles questions of faith, war, and penance in this far-future novella debut. After a brutal conflict, the Earth Central Governance (ECG) has turned its back on four far-flung human colonies. Forty years later, nuns in the Order of Saint Rita travel through space aboard a living space ship, providing blessings, humanitarian aid, and medical care to those in need. Sister Faustina, who has served for 16 years on Our Lady of Impossible Constellations and is an orphan of the Great War, suspects ulterior motives when the ECG emerges from its decades-long isolation to advocate radical changes in the Church. The Reverend Mother, head of the order, took her vows for reasons other than faith, but as the specter of Earth's violent past reaches across the star systems to intrude upon their mission of mercy, she finds she must confront the sins of her former life in order to provide the most vulnerable any hope of a safe future among the stars. Rather exhibits expert control over her characters and world, providing sufficient detail to feed the imagination without detracting from the steady pace of the story. The only significant flaw is the ending, which is chock full of philosophical meaning but perhaps too abrupt. Readers will hope to see more of Sister Faustina, the Reverend Mother, and their unlikely crew. (Nov.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
DEBUT After the devastating Great War 40 years ago, the Earth Central Governance may have turned its back on the outlying systems, but not the Church. The sisters of the Order of Saint Rita are diligent in their mission to bring aid, mercy, and some small blessings to newly forming colonies. But some have longings, some secrets of their own, and even their (attempted) consensus decision-making is put to the test when their living ship, Our Lady of Impossible Constellations, seems to have its own opinions, and a new priest is assigned to oversee their convent. Their faith and sisterhood are further tested when a distress call from a recently visited colony shows that not only is the Earth Central Governance reaching out once again, but it may be the source of the danger. VERDICT Rather's lean prose works, but the characters, along with readers, arrive at the end with some of the same unanswered questions. Overall, an intriguing debut that touches on philosophical ideas of war, faith, and individuality.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton
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