The Book of Strange New Things

A Christian pastor leaves his wife in England to serve as a missionary on a distant planet called Oasis, where he has been recruited by a private American corporation called USIC. The native inhabitants of Oasis already speak English and show an unexpected enthusiasm for Christianity, calling themselves Jesus Lovers and welcoming their new religious teacher. While the pastor immerses himself in his missionary work and builds connections with the Oasan community, he maintains contact with his wife on Earth through a digital messaging system. His wife's messages reveal escalating global crises on Earth, including climate disasters and social upheaval, while also sharing news of her pregnancy with their child. The pastor's physical distance from Earth creates an expanding emotional gulf between himself and his wife, as his connection to the Oasan community grows stronger and his memories of home begin to fade. This divide tests his commitments to his marriage, his faith, and his understanding of what it means to be human. The novel explores themes of faith, isolation, and connection across vast distances, examining how physical separation affects human relationships and questioning the nature of religious conviction in unfamiliar contexts.

Readers describe this as a meditation on faith, relationships, and cultural barriers rather than a conventional sci-fi story. Many note the slow, contemplative pacing and focus on the protagonist's internal journey. Readers appreciated: - The unique approach to alien contact and communication - Detailed world-building of the planet Oasis - The realistic portrayal of a long-distance relationship - Complex religious and philosophical themes Common criticisms: - Too slow-moving for some sci-fi readers - Limited action or plot development - Unsatisfying or ambiguous ending - Religious elements too heavy-handed for some Ratings: Goodreads: 3.6/5 (19,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4/5 (1,000+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.8/5 (900+ ratings) One reader noted: "More about marriage and faith than aliens." Another wrote: "Beautiful writing but moves at a glacial pace." Several reviewers compared it to Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow in its approach to religion in space.

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🔸 The novel draws from Michel Faber's personal experience of loss, as he wrote it while his wife Eva was dying of cancer, infusing the story's themes of separation and distance with profound emotional authenticity. 🔸 The alien language in the book is represented by unique typography, with the Oasan speech appearing as special symbols that resemble musical notation or mathematical formulae. 🔸 The book's title comes from a line in the King James Bible (1 Chronicles 17:21), reflecting both its religious themes and otherworldly setting. 🔸 Despite being known primarily for his historical fiction like "The Crimson Petal and the White," this was Faber's first venture into science fiction, and he announced it would be his final novel. 🔸 The novel's portrayal of missionary work in space was partly inspired by the real historical accounts of Jesuit missionaries who traveled to distant lands in the Age of Discovery.