The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
2014 science fiction novel by Becky Chambers
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is the 2014 debut science fiction novel by Becky Chambers, set in her fictional universe, the Galactic Commons. Chambers originally self-published the novel via a Kickstarter campaign; it was subsequently re-published by Hodder & Stoughton.
Synopsis
Fleeing her old life, Rosemary Harper joins the multi-species crew of the Wayfarer as a file clerk, and follows them on their various missions throughout the galaxy. The novel concerns itself with character development rather than adventure. Each member of the crew has a story that unfolds, or a crisis to face. They encounter several alien environments on the slow path to their destination. At the end, the ship is damaged by hostile aliens, precipitating changes in the relationships between the characters, setting them on new paths.
Characters
Production
In 2012, Becky Chambers started a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, hoping to raise $2,500 so that she could work part-time for two months to finish the book. She stated her intent to find a regular publisher, but noted that self-publication would be a fallback option.
At the end of February 2013, she announced the book's completion, and acquired a literary agent; the book was published by Hodder & Stoughton in 2015.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” is 2014 science fiction novel by Becky Chambers. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Long, Small and Angry, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “2014 science fiction novel by Becky Chambers” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Object files, edition statements, performance records and contemporary criticism preserve different stages of the work’s history. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 18, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q41663451. 1 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2014, 2012, 2013 and 2015.
Rights, attribution and provenance may remain disputed even when a general reference summary presents a stable account. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Separate the work, its editions or performances, and its later reception. Catalogue records, publication histories and object files often preserve different parts of that story.
- Identifying works and editions
- Tracing reception history
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The original object or edition, catalogue raisonné, performance record, rights file and holding institution.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet primary sources, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet archive and Long research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
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- Which edition, object, performance or recording is being described?
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This entry incorporates text from “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.