Series
Sparrow
Mary Doria Russell · 2 novels · 1996–1998
Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow (1996) follows a Jesuit-led mission to the planet Rakhat after radio signals from Alpha Centauri reveal it hosts intelligent life, alternating between the expedition and the traumatized return of its sole survivor, Father Emilio Sandoz, as he tries to explain what happened. The sequel Children of God (1998) follows Sandoz back to Rakhat and continues working out the theological and political fallout of first contact between humans and the planet's two native species.
Summary by Loreful, from public sources
The order the books came out.
Map
Sparrow at the centre, its books fanned around what holds them. Pick anything for its details, and zoom out for similar series in orbit — the reading order above lists the same books as text.
Stats
By decade
- 1990s2
Shape
Mood
Bright and intense: 100% of this series' placed works, the catalog's 44%.
this series · the catalog · one dot = one book2 of 2 works carry a tone
Edges of the map
- The Sparrowdarkest · brightest · calmest · most intense

