Eifelheim★★★★☆
Michael Flynn Detailed and thoughtful exploration of first contact with aliens in the midst of the Black Death.
Fuzzy Nation★★★★★
John Scalzi Not sure it’s better, but it is more enjoyable than the original, with better characterization and less deus-ex-machina. Same overall story of colonization, corporate greed, enviromnental exploitation and who counts as people, but different enough to enjoy both.
Interference★★★★☆
Sue Burke An intriguing followup to Semiosis that weaves several drastically different sentient species (both plant and animal) into a story about factions, community, freedom, communication and war.
The Lathe of Heaven★★★★★
Ursula K. Le Guin A surreal tale of dreams changing reality, global stakes anchored by the three people involved. Be careful what you wish for.
Little Fuzzy★★★★☆
H. Beam Piper An enjoyable tale of first contact, colonialism, environmental stewardship, corporate greed vs. ethics, and most importantly, who counts as “people” on an alien world that turns out not to be uninhabited after all.
Overgrowth★★★☆☆
Mira Grant Invasion of the Body Snatchers from the POV of an alien plant person who grew up human. Now the invasion has started, and she’s sorting out friends, family, and who she can trust from either planet.
Semiosis★★★★★
Sue Burke A fascinating take on space colonization, intelligence, and language, following multiple generations of humans on a world dominated by sapient plants.
Space Oddity★★★★☆
Catherynne Valente Not quite as fun as the first book, but it’s just as absurd and chaotic, and exactly what I needed in the weeks leading up to the 2024 election.
Space Opera★★★★★
Catherynne Valente Fun sci-fi social satire from Catherynne Valente. The world is a mess, but we can find the sublime in chaos.
The Three-Body Problem (Book)★★★★☆
Liu Cixin, Ken Liu (Translator) Not a proper review of the book, but a collection of comments I made while reading it back in 2018.
