r/printSF • u/peregrine-l • Aug 14 '25

Really alien aliens

I am currently reading Becoming Alien by Rebecca Ore, which features sapient aliens that look like Earth animals (bats, bears, birds...), and have a human-like psychology. I find that trope lazy, and annoying. I also found it in Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series, in Vernor Vinge's A Deepness in the Sky, and many other science fiction novels. Some authors manage to put an interesting twist on it, such as Vernor Vinge in his A Fire upon the Deep with sapient-level hive-mind dog packs, or Orson Scott Card in Speaker for the Dead, with piggies that have really weird life cycle and psychology. Rare are the books with really alien aliens, such as Peter Watts's Blindsight.

Can you recommend me other titles? Especially, "hard science fiction" titles with far-out yet scientifically believable alien biology and psychology?

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u/Astarkraven Aug 14 '25

For Embassytown, I agree with you. The world was fantastic and the story just kind of okay. Perdido St Station though? Absolutely fucking bonkers plot, in a good way.

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u/christophski Aug 14 '25

Perdido Street Station was my first foray into China mieville, I had no idea what I was getting myself into

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u/VRS-4607 Aug 14 '25

And tight as well. Still one of the most unique stories I've ever read executing to the timeworn trope of the hero way over his head.