"Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra" - Dathon, "Star Trek" September 30, 1991

My friend E and I went out for drinks last Friday evening.

E came out of her house with The Three-Martini Playdate tucked into her pocket; she swears that coming prepared with reading material in no way reflects upon her expectations of the evening. Since I go nowhere without carrying something to read, I believe her.

We talked about all the things friends who are moms talk about: our kids, our husbands, the good old days when we were young and single and could get as drunk as we wanted when we wanted, the school, the teachers, gossip about the teachers, movies, books – you know, the usual.

Three Bacardi-and-Cokes (and an order of mozzarella sticks) in, I was compelled to hug poor, surprised E. Those of you who know me know how odd that is, and certainly E is no exception in being startled at physical displays of affection from me. But we were talking books, and she said to me something along the lines of, “I remember reading this terrific book called….Children of….wait, God….I can’t remember the title, but it was about this priest who travels to another planet and…” at which point I bounced up and down in my chair a little and interrupted eagerly, “The Sparrow?”

I read The Sparrow last year, and was absolutely blown away by its intelligence and depth, its complexity, and its compelling characters. I eagerly recommended it to everyone I could think of who I thought might like it – the same people, I admit, to whom I have recommended some of my other all-time favorites like Satanic Verses, Possession, and Stones from the River. Difference being that Sparrow is science fiction – and I generally do not like sci-fi. But I LOVED this book. It does indeed seem to be a “love-it or hate-it” sort of book; the friend who recommended it to me didn’t care for it at all, and neither did H.

E is a religious history scholar, and she seemed to find the twining of religion, linguistics, and anthropology in The Sparrow, and its sequel, Children of God most intriguing. And I agree with her - The Sparrow is not your stereotypical sci-fi novel, replete with strange creatures, space-age weaponry, and interplanetary hijinks. It’s a thoughtful and detailed exploration of first contact with an alien civilization: the clash between cultures and the implications thereof, and the impact of belief – cultural, religious, moral - on a society. It is a book that bears rereading, and its protagonist, Emilio Sandoz, is one of the most unforgettable characters I have ever met and learned to love.

So, despite my inappropriate and somewhat inebriated display of “Oh my God, I lurve you, you’ve read it too!” enthusiasm, when I offered to rustle up some other books like The Sparrow, E agreed that that would be awesome. So, to the research databases (NoveList and Fantastic Fiction), and my personal lists and shelves, and here we are. Some factor in the religious aspect, some the linguistic aspect (which is where my interest mainly lies). Some are just smart and curious and deal with compelling relevant topics in a relatively novel way. (I am willing to bet that Badger has some other titles to offer in this vein as well.)

I would be totally remiss if I didn’t mention the first books that came to mind, Phillip Pullman’s gorgeous, haunting His Dark Materials trilogy: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. (I love these books so much that you could probably without much effort talk me into naming a (girl) child of mine Lyra.)

And the book I threw out, off the top of my head, to E that evening, Greg Bear’s Darwin’s Radio. H really likes Bear and has read many of his books. I read this one and found it a terrific read, very smart and provocative (by the way, this is most definitely a do-not-read-if-pregnant selection.) Its Amazon blurb sums Radio up fairly well: "...its real villain, as well as its last best hope, is the endless ingenious cruelty of the natural world and evolution."

A Case of Conscience - James Blish. This is apparently the seminal work of literature in the vein of The Sparrow and has been mentioned as one of its possible influences.

A Canticle for Leibowitz - Walter M. Miller, Jr. I admit, I have tried and tried to read this book and just can’t get into it. But it can’t be ignored, either. Apparently part of the sci-fi canon, I am sure with good reason.

The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula LeGuin. A classic. I am halfway through it, ashamed to admit I have not read it previously.

The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood. Chilling.

I haven’t read any of these following books, never even heard of them, until I embarked on this quest. I weeded out a ton of books, but these seemed like quality, or at the very least, worth a look.

Days of Cain - JR Dunn. "...a passionate tale about a rebellious group of time travelers who attempt to prevent one of the greatest atrocities humanity ever devised: Auschwitz."

Wrapt in Crystal - Sharon Shinn. "...examines religious faith and the nature of love while providing a riveting murder mystery."

Stranger in a Strange Land - Robert Heinlein. "...the story of Valentine Michael Smith, born during, and the only survivor of, the first manned mission to Mars. Michael is raised by Martians, and he arrives on Earth as a true innocent…[B]ut he brings turmoil with him, as he is the legal heir to an enormous financial empire, not to mention de facto owner of the planet Mars...Michael explores human morality and the meanings of love. He founds his own church, preaching free love and disseminating the psychic talents taught him by the Martians..."

The Discovery of Heaven - Harry Mulisch, translated by Paul Vincent. A “novel bulging with metaphysical speculation…masterfully interspers[ing] mathematics, biology, linguistics, numerology, philosophy and theology.”

So...boldly go where no man has gone before.
Or no reference librarian.
Or something like that.
Just, you know, don’t drink the water.