My friend Logan picked out this book for me when we were over at Pioneer Book, the used bookstore in downtown Provo. He told me that this book is considered to be one of the best first contact stories in Science Fiction. Once I started reading it, I could see why–and by the end, I really was sad to say goodbye to this fictitious universe and the characters within it…
The book tells the story of Rod Blaine, the aristocratic captain of the battleship MacArthur. It’s been several centuries since the collapse of the first interplanetary empire, and humanity is struggling to regain its former glory. As the second empire rises in power and influence, a number of the fringe systems are rebelling and trying to secede.
New Caldonia was formerly one of those secessionist worlds, and during the century in which it was cut off from the rest of humanity, an unusually bright light shone from the star known as the Mote. The star got its name from the fact that it orbits a red giant star set in a gigantic nebula that fills New Caledonia’s sky. To some, the nebula looks like the face of God himself.
As Blaine pilots his ship towards New Scotland, the primary port in the system, he receives an urgent message from high command. An unidentified object, presumed to be an alien ship, has entered the system and is heading straight for the star New Caledonia. After a harrowing intercept run, the MacArthur manages to recover the craft and bring it to New Scotland for investigation.
The object indeed proves to be an alien spacecraft, with an alien passenger–dead. News of the incident spreads like wildfire across the empire, and soon an expedition sets out to the Mote to discover the alien civilization behind the probe. Blaine is chosen to lead the expedition.
When they arrive, they find an alien civilization vastly older than humanity–but confined in their single star system by a fluke of astronomy. The humans, however, possess technology which will enable them to send ships to colonize the stars, and soon a dialogue is established between the aliens and the mission.
As the scientists and military clash over how to take the next step, the major question that nobody can answer is: are the aliens friendly, or are they a threat to humanity? But even if an answer can be found, it might be too late to stop the unthinkable from happening.
This book was LONG. Very long. But though some parts seemed to drag on a bit, there was usually some kind of a hook to keep you somewhat interested in what happens next. Once things started to become heated between the aliens and humans, it got really interesting, right up to the end. That’s when I started to realize how much I cared about what was going on.
The main issue I had with the book had to do with the characters. There were so many, it was hard to keep track of them. Many times I would become confused because a character would speak up when I didn’t realize he was in the room. The story wasn’t so much about the characters as it was about the aliens and the clash of civilizations, so it spent considerably less time focusing on them.
However, that’s not to say that the characters were poorly written. I really came to like several of the characters, and when they were hurt or in danger (or gasp! died), I felt for them. By the end of the book, I was sad to say goodbye.
As Science Fiction, the story was really good. The aliens were fascinating, and the secrets of their civilization were generally well developed in their implications. The basic struggle to save one’s species and expand across all creation was very compelling, especially towards the end. And as one incident followed another, I found the whole series of events to be very believable.
I don’t know how generalizable this first contact story is, since so much of it was driven by the peculiar characteristics of the Motie race. But that’s really the way any first contact experience is going to be–completely dependent on the Other, on what defines and shapes it, and how it moves independent of us. The important thing was that this story was believable and well developed, which it was.
Overall, I can see why this story is considered by some to be the best first contact stories ever written. And I can agree. This story traces the paths of the human and alien individuals involved from the moments leading up to first contact to the establishment of a clear foreign policy regarding the aliens. It shows the power struggles between the cultures as well as between the different factions within each culture. It shows the risks as well as the gains in such an undertaking. And it does it all while telling a good, enjoyable story. Definitely an excellent piece of sci fi. I’m glad I read it.
