2016 book 173

Becky Chambers' A Closed and Common Orbit
The sequel to A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is more of the delightful same, focusing on two of the characters from the previous book--an AI with a lot to learn, and her techie friend. The AI's storyline is perfectly interesting (I particularly liked her fascination with tattoos), but it was the techie's backstory that I found really compelling. Still, I love the portrayal of friendship and discovery here--there may be all sorts of unusual aliens running around, but this is at its heart a story about family. I will definitely keep reading whatever Chambers writes. A-/B+.