Read All About It: Fuzzy Nation

John Scalzi reboots a 1962 novel to create a fun and intriguing new narrative. I have not read the original novel by H. Beam Piper, but I am definitely going to check it out after reading Scalzi's reboot, because I really enjoyed these characters and its amazing universe.

Fuzzy Nation is an exploration of the legal ramifications of humans discovering sentient species while still suffering from corporate greed. It could have benefited from a little diversity (which may have been restricted by the Piper Estate), and I would have loved to have seen more female characters, but I did enjoy this novel for what it was: a space fiction with a courtroom edge.

Jack Holloway is an independent contractor for ZaraCorp, prospecting for precious minerals and resources on Zarathustra. When he discovers an immensely valuable seam of jewels, he manages to lay legal claim to it, but this starts him down a road of troubles. ZaraCorp is able to mine the planet because there is no certified sentient species on Zarathustra, but then some interesting furry bipeds show up in his house--and it turns out they just might be people, which means that ZaraCorp is very interested in hiding their very existence and stripping Zarathustra of all its resources.

Jack has to make a hard choice: save these strange creatures, or leave the planet as a billionaire.

With Fuzzy Nation, Scalzi creates amazingly clear classic science fiction, with emotionally complex characters, stunning imagery, and the most interesting court case I've ever read about. He took an older series that was enjoyed by science fiction fans, and turned out a reboot that endeared new readers to these adorable creatures and a man with a big heart and a bigger ego.

Jack Holloway is an intriguing character, and we get to watch him lay bare his soul and reveal his own growing character throughout this novel. Scalzi deftly writes character development and emotional turmoil in a way that makes the reader empathize heavily with the good guys, even if those good guys don't believe themselves to be good. Jack is morally grey, a sort of chaotic good that verges on too selfish, and he's definitely my favorite character in this novel. As a lawyer, an independent contractor, and all-around stubborn man, Jack is a brilliant example of a (white) man's fight for himself.

Add to that a strong female character who is a highly qualified scientist, takes no shit, and who fights for her beliefs, plus a lawyer who is a tad confused about why he is here, and some corporate problems, and you get a novel with a strong foundation and well-rounded characters and issues. The alien species is adorable yet strong and definitely worth saving, the world is well developed and just dangerous enough to keep you on your toes, and this is just a great novel overall.

Scalzi mixes joy with sadness and creates something enjoyable that will stand the tests of this genre. I'm a huge fan of his work, and you can definitely expect more reviews of them! Until then, make sure you follow him on Twitter to keep up with his crazy life and amazing novels.