Children of God
- 760
- Pages
- about 14 h
- Reading time
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About the book
Mary Doria Russell's debut novel, The Sparrow, took us on a journey to a distant planet and into the center of the human soul. A critically acclaimed bestseller, The Sparrow was chosen as one of Entertainment Weekly's Ten Best Books of the Year, a finalist for the Book-of-the-Month Club's First Fiction Prize and the winner of the James M. Tiptree Memorial Award. Now, in Children of God, Russell further establishes herself as one of the most innovative, entertaining and philosophically provocative novelists writing today. The only member of the original mission to the planet Rakhat to return to Earth, Father Emilio Sandoz has barely begun to recover from his ordeal when the So-ciety of Jesus calls upon him for help in preparing for another mission to Alpha Centauri. Despite his objections and fear, he cannot escape his past or the future. Old friends, new discoveries and difficult questions await Emilio as he struggles for inner peace and understanding in a moral universe whose boundaries now extend beyond the solar system and whose future lies with children born in a faraway place. Strikingly original, richly plotted, replete with memorable characters and filled with humanity and humor, Chil-dren of God is an unforgettable and uplifting novel that is a potent successor to The Sparrow and a startlingly imaginative adventure for newcomers to Mary Doria Russell's special literary magic.
Where the score comes from
The sources average 7.8 across 135 ratings — not yet many, so the reader vote carries 42% of the weight and the rest pulls toward the Rankings average of 7.8. That is how 7.8 comes out.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 7.1 | 11 | 8% |
| Hardcover | 7.8 | 124 | 92% |
Reader voices
The most-liked reviews on Hardcover (credited to their authors).
“So I read the sparrow something like 15 years ago. I loved it. Totally meant to read the sequel. This was a time before ebooks and Amazon when I would have had to go to a store to purchase a book with money college me didn't have. So I didn't. It took over a decade for happenstance to return to The Sparrow to my shelf and throw the sequel in with it. I do finish things I start; I do. Children of God is much more hopeful than The Sparrow, and I think that's why it didn't resonate quite as strongly with me. The Sparrow is an ambiguous book that looks at religion as it affects believers, …”
Frequently asked
What is Children of God rated?
7.8 out of 10, from 135 reader ratings across 2 independent sources.
Is Children of God worth reading?
Readers give it 7.8/10 from 135 ratings in open sources.
How long does it take to read Children of God?
About 14 hours at an average reading pace — 760 pages.