a delightful and thoughtful work, ideal for dipping into whenever you feel in the mood for a little insight, and will doubtless find a permanent place on many a seeker's bookshelf

'Compulsive reading and may be the year's best science fiction novel'

'Brilliant first novel about the discovery of extraterrestrial life...Shades of Wells, Ursula Le Guin and Arthur C. Clarke, with just a dash of Edgar Rice Burroughs - and yet strikingly original'

'One of the years's most powerful and disturbing books'

'A parable about human life on Earth, with all its imperfections, failings, doubts, wisdom and erudition...The Sparrow is a startling, engrossing and moral work of fiction'

'A tangy blend of psychological insight and impassioned lyricism, passed through a sieve of diamond-clear prose...The Sparrow has depth, pace, engaging characters and an alien culture that knocks you sideways'

'A hopeful sign that science fiction might reclaim its heritage as a literature with boundless capacity to kindle wonder'