The Sparrow: Difference between revisions

 

[[Twenty Minutes Into the Future]], a SETI technician is trying to prove that his job shouldn't be automated. He picks up a strange signal from near Alpha Centauri, transfers it to audio, and discovers that he's listening to choral music transmitted over radio waves.

 

The sequel ''Children of God'' shows the fallout from the original team's ill-fated trip to Rakhat.

 

* [[Alien Sky]]: Rakhat has three suns (Alpha Centauri is a triple star) and two moons.

* [[Aliens Speaking English]]: Averted. Learning each others' languages fuels much of the plot and character development.

* [[First Contact]]

* [[Foregone Conclusion]]: You know from the first chapter that the mission to Rakhat ended catastrophically and the Sandoz is the only survivor to make it back to Earth. You also know he's destroyed physically and spiritually. The rest of the book is about how that happened.

* [[Good Shepherd]]: Sandoz is pretty much the model priest, at least before...things...happen. A number of the other Jesuits are also portrayed very sympathetically as well.

* [[Happily Married]]: Anne and George.

{{quote|"Sofia and I have a deal," Jimmy told them. "She doesn't say anything about basketball and I never mention miniature golf."}}

* [[I Come in Peace]]: What the humans wanted to be. Reality, unfortunately, was more complex...

* [[In Mysterious Ways]]: One interpretation of the end.

* [[It Got Worse]]: Did it ever.

* [[Mind Rape]]: {{spoiler|And physical rape. And ''spiritual'' rape. Ow.}}

* [[Red Light District]]: Sandoz is found serving in an alien brothel at the beginning of the book.

* [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism]]: As you might be able to tell from the tropes listed, pretty far on the cynical end. Whether there is any hope at all left at the end is an interesting question left to the reader.

* [[Squick]]: Some of the events that happen towards the end.

 

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[[Category:Science Fiction Literature]]