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20 items

• Project Hail Mary

  Key Takeaways, Summary & Analysis Included

  Bryant, Brooks

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  "I thought there was no way this book would even come close to Weir's other notable novel, "The Martian," but dare I say, this book is better. To say why I loved this book would be a huge spoiler, so you'll just have to trust me when I say you're…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Semiosis

  A Novel

  Burke, Sue

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  A first contact story about a crew of human colonists who land on an uncharted planet. This one blends day-to-day survival, the exploration of an alien world, and a few different types of communication struggles... without a trained linguist in…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Amatka

  Tidbeck, Karin

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  A little more dystopic/horror leaning than space-faring, "Amatka" is a Swedish story in translation, about a government worker - Vanja - who travels to a remote colony on a research assignment. A story that takes place in a world literally held…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Contact

  Sagan, Carl, 1934-1996

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  "It's science fiction that's heavy on the science - no surprise, considering the author! I love the main character, and it gets into big questions about knowledge and faith." - Erin H.

• A Memory Called Empire

  Martine, Arkady,

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  A Space Opera about an intergalactic ambassador navigating an alien culture, "A Memory Called Empire" falls more heavily on the side of political intrigue than "Embassytown," with an emphasis on political instability and the very beginnings of…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Babel-17

  Delany, Samuel R.,

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  "Babel-17" is an oldie-but-goodie. First published in 1966, parts of the novel are a little dated, but the story follows a poet and linguist whose singular ability to understand the language of the alien Invaders and put an end to their sabotage.

• To Be Taught, If Fortunate

  Chambers, Becky

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  "This stand-alone sci-fi novella is a refreshing take on space exploration that poses the question: is the journey worth continuing if no one back home is listening? Or is returning home no matter what more important?" - Hannah M.

• Blindsight

  Watts, Peter,

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  A first contact story that blends horror and sci-fi (vampires vs. aliens, anyone?), as humanity sends a hodge-podge crew of highly-engineered post-human cyborgs, linguists, and biologists to investigate a faint but fast-approaching signal from the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Native Tongue

  Elgin, Suzette Haden

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  A cult classic originally published in 1984, "Native Tongue" is a feminist sci-fi novel about a far-future world where women have two purposes: to birth and raise children, and to translate interplanetary communication. A story about the power of…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Axiom's End

  A Novel

  Ellis, Lindsay

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  Set in 2007, "Axiom's End" is the story of first contact, sort of: Cora Sabino's been caught in a whirlwind of attention when her whistleblower father reveals that the U.S. government has been in contact with alien life forms for decades. When he…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Martian Chronicles

  Bradbury, Ray,

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  "Bradbury's lyrical voice is haunting. I love a book that stays with me. Focuses not only on man's conquest of a planet but also the effects on the Martians." - Atti B.

• The Flame Alphabet

  [a Novel]

  Marcus, Ben, 1967-

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  This is a divisive one: very much a love-it-or-hate-it novel, but a very close cousin to "Embassytown" both thematically and stylistically. A story where the world has fallen to a plague literally borne on language, where words spoken aloud not only…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Translation State

  Leckie, Ann

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  "Translation State" is another story about an intergalactic, linguistic diplomat-slash-translator whose cross-cultural experiences have wide-reaching consequences. This book is broader in scope, edging more into Space Opera territory, but is a great…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Dispossessed

  Le Guin, Ursula K.,

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  Ursula K. Le Guin's entire Xenogenesis series is great for readers interested in well-written, very-alien aliens (Start with "Dawn" below). But "The Dispossessed," (book 6 in the Hainish Cycle) is a must-read for anyone that loved the idea of one…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Dawn

  Butler, Octavia E.,

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  Le Guin's Xenogenesis series is about a rather more literal merging of civilizations: on a genetic level, as the last remaining humans on a dying earth must choose whether or not to merge with an advanced alien species - the Oankali, who have the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Children of Ruin

  Tchaikovsky, Adrian, 1972-

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  The second book in the "Children of Time" series, which takes place thousands of years after the first book. This one is more focused on communication, language, and survival, but if you're interested in first contact and deep space exploration,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• A Darkling Sea

  Cambias, James L.

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  Another Space Opera about a tense-and-escalating first contact situation, "A Darkling Sea" is a little less about language and more about deep space exploration and an intergalactic culture clash.

• Ella Minnow Pea

  A Novel in Letters

  Dunn, Mark

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  "This hilarious and moving fairy tale is an absolute delight for word lovers." - Hannah M.

• The Windup Girl

  Bacigalupi, Paolo

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  Looking for more great sci-fi with excellent world building? Check out "The Windup Girl" by Paolo Bacigalupi in time for our Sci-Fi Book Club discussion on Wednesday April 2, 2025, from 7:00 - 8:00 pm at the Main Library!

• Embassytown

  Miéville, China

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  Haven't had a chance to read "Embassytown" by China Mieville? Click through to check out a copy in your preferred format!