176 pages
English language
Published April 9, 2019 by Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom.
The sisters of the Order of Saint Rita captain their living ship into the reaches of space in Lina Rather’s debut novella, Sisters of the Vast Black.
A Golden Crown Literary Society Award Finalist
Years ago, Old Earth sent forth sisters and brothers into the vast dark of the prodigal colonies armed only with crucifixes and iron faith. Now, the sisters of the Order of Saint Rita are on an interstellar mission of mercy aboard Our Lady of Impossible Constellations, a living, breathing ship which seems determined to develop a will of its own.
When the order receives a distress call from a newly-formed colony, the sisters discover that the bodies and souls in their care — and that of the galactic diaspora — are in danger. And not from void beyond, but from the nascent Central Governance and the Church itself.
I didn't know what to expect from a novella about a convent of space nuns wandering the vacuum inside a gigantic sea slug, and that's what I got
Content warning Light spoilers in content/trigger warning at the end of the review.
This book is the Gospel and the Good News, disguised as a really well written speculative science fiction novella.
Truly, it's such an incredible book - the universe that the author builds is so interesting and the characters are so relatable.
Do yourself a favor and find a way to read this one.
Trigger warning for readers though - there are a few scenes depicting zombie-virus and some tense scenes that involve death/dying.
