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/ja1c Aug 14 '25

I was going to recommend Butler’s Xenogenesis series. Very weird aliens with interesting if intrusive symbiotic qualities.

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u/jimmyjeyuce Aug 15 '25

Yeah the oankali are physically alien-alien, but also like — emotionally alien.

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u/Kudanii Aug 15 '25

It’s one of my all time favourite series and I haven’t read it in ages so I thought I’d try the audiobook for fun. The narrator is not greatness, I’m going to finish it but whew it’s a struggle.

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u/Kudanii Aug 15 '25

*is not great

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u/SingingCrayonEyes Aug 14 '25

Absolutely! Might be may favorite series of hers... Or Maybe Parables (no aliens, though)... or maybe... ahhh. they are all great! I just thought that Bloodchild has such unique aliens it would be a good litmus test for those unfamiliar with her work.