The Android’s Dream By John Scalzi
Reviewed By: Jeremy Zentner, Adult Services Assistant
Genre: Fiction
Suggested Age: Adults
What is This Book About? Aliens have discovered humans and now mankind enjoys trade and diplomacy with other beings across the galaxy. Most notably, the Nidu have strong diplomatic relations with humans, though there are other species out there, as well. Most star-faring species apply and receive membership with the Common Confederation, a galactic version of the UN. Harry Creek is a diplomat in the State Department. His job is to give bad news to alien diplomats about personal matters while they're on their diplomatic missions to Earth. It’s a tough job that requires thick skin, so it’s no wonder that Harry is a war veteran. However, when a top-ranking Nidu diplomat is killed, Harry is recruited to find a rare subspecies of sheep called Android’s Dream so that the Nidu heir can carry out his coronation rituals. Otherwise, the Nidu will use the diplomat’s death as a catalyst for war and conquer humanity. Earth doesn’t have the technology to win against the Nidu, still being a new, backwater planet itself, so it will be up to Harry Creek to find this rare creature and advert an interstellar war.
My Review: In true Scalzi fashion, this sci-fi brings an irreverent comedy to an imperfect galaxy. From the very start, diplomats are using foul body functions to send vulgar insults to alien diplomats that have a smelling-based language and the hilarity only skyrockets from there. Even when you start to think the plot twists have an endgame, you get thrown into another roller coaster of political intrigue and subterfuge. What I also enjoyed about this book is that it did not try to settle for a specific trope or genre. It’s a political thriller, a hard science fiction, a space opera, and a light romance all rolled into one book. Inject it with all the humor and you get one heck of a novel.
Three words that describe this book: funny, action, intrigue
Give this a try if you like: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Old Man’s War, Men in Black, Starter Villain, We Are Legion (We Are Bob), The Murderbot Diaries
Rating: 4/5
