$1.99 for Semisis as of February 16, 2025
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The Blurb: Human survival on another planet hinges on a bizarre alliance in this character-driven debut science fiction novel of first contact.
“Combines the world-building of Avatar with the alien wonder of Arrival, and the sheer humanity of Atwood. An essential work for our time.” —Stephen Baxter, award-winning author of The Time Ships
Colonists from Earth wanted the perfect home, but they’ll have to survive on the one they found. They don’t realize another life-form watches . . . and waits . . .
Can humans learn how to communicate with the planet’s sentient species and forge an alliance to prove that humans are more than mere tools?
My Review:
Semiosis and it’s partner Interference by Sue Burke are two of my favorite books of 2019. The duology is about a group of human colonists from Earth striking out to a new world that turns out to be not as uninhabited as they thought. These books are thoughtful, character driven science fiction with aliens that are truly alien. I guess I can give a little bit away since the blurb does…the aliens are sentient plants, and a lot of them see the primary advantage of humankind as being, well, fertilizer.
The books are told through successive human–and alien–voices over many generations, and cross into literary fiction territory…but you know, aren’t boring. The chief conflict for both species is finding a way to live together and show their relative value to one another…as more than food or fertilizer (which is the same as food when you think about it.) I read them in rapid succession and stayed up late to finish.
There is more I want to say, but I also don’t want to give away some of the books’ secrets, and some of its observations about the nature of pacifism. Suffice to say, if you want to be entertained, surprised, and delve into some beautiful prose, pick these up.