Closer to a 2.5.

I love a good first contact-ish type book, and this is somewhat adjacent in that way given the plot, which involves a shipwrecked crew forging a communicative bond with the wildlife on a foreign planet. The problem with the book? It feels like it has little in the way of heart and less in the way of a real significant plot. A lot of this felt needlessly abstract, and the result is a book that barely resonated with me and lacked that real base I was looking for.

Many might like this for those qualities, to be fair. This is less a failure of a book and more of a book failing to connect with me personally. But there are enough issues with the book in terms of construction and choices to know this was a miss in many ways.

I'm sorry, I tried to read this book for many weeks and just not able to get into it. The writing came flat and didn't manage to carry out the interesting concepts that were hinted to. I tried to preserve but with the Hugos shortlist now released I have to shove my reading time elsewhere :(

https://lynns-books.com/2018/03/12/semiosis-by-sue-burke/
I really enjoyed Semiosis. It’s a thought provoking read that explores some intriguing notions.

The book begins by introducing us to a number of people who left earth to start a life on a far distant planet that they named Pax. They left earth with the idea that they wanted to live a better life with less conflict. A life without war where everyone would be equal. A utopia if you will. What a lovely idea – of course, the idea of a perfect world becomes inevitably messed up when you throw humans into the mix, then add in different life forms and sentient plants and take a step back and see what happens.

I think before I go any further I should point out that this book was different to what I had expected. However, I would also point out that this isn’t a bad thing. I confess that looking at the cover I got a creepy vibe and there are certain elements of the story that definitely sustain that vibe – but overall this is a different story. It’s also told over the course of seven generations which ultimately means you only really spend brief snippets of time with each of the characters before moving jumping forward a number of years. Now, being the type of reader who enjoys character driven stories I didn’t have overly enthusiastic expectations when I realised this was the case but to be honest this story won me over and in fact I enjoyed the different pov stories that were told through each successive generation. The way the story unfolds you move forward to a different perspective for the next generation but at the same time that storyline quite often includes information about the previous person you spent time with and in doing this you do have some closure about the previous storylines.

Overall I suppose this is a story of survival, adaptation and compromise. It also takes a sidelong look at human nature and the fact that we are all so very individual and it concludes with the benefits of mutual symbiosis. What I really found fascinating with Semiosis was the world building. Pax was so well drawn, deceptively similar to the nature of our own planet and yet fundamentally different. Here are plants that are capable of strategy – it just sounds bizarre when I write that and yet the book comes across as plausible. It’s not overly explained but there’s enough detail to actually make you really think about what’s going on. The notion here is that the plants are guiding the humans to behave in a certain way that will benefit the plant and in doing so the plant will then grow fruits that benefit the humans, like a reward. This then progresses into a way of communicating with the plants. It’s absolutely fascinating to be honest.

Mixed in with this there’s the discovery of a city – much more sophisticated and progressive than the community the humans are currently living in and which they eventually inhabit themselves, although the move itself is a source of conflict between the humans and eventually causes a rift.

To be honest, I can’t say too much about the plot without spoiling the story. I can say that the pace is consistent. The author did a really good job of creating tension in the storyline and also took a route that wasn’t obvious. And then of course there was this contact with other life forms – that didn’t exactly go the way that the humans themselves had hoped for.

The writing here is really good, the way things are explained and described is just excellent and really helps to bring it all to life in the imagination. The pacing is consistent, the storyline is good and on top of this it’s almost like a study of human nature – and that element gave me plenty of food for thought. It was interesting to see the different generations develop and watch them start to rebel. A bit like Animal Farm, they start off with ideals, they’re all equal, but eventually cracks begin to show and there’s always some who are going to rise to the top. All in all a really fascinating and well written story.

In terms of criticisms. As I said above you never really have the chance to develop any strong feelings for any of the characters because the story is moving on too quickly. Also there are elements in here of a violent nature and also a rape scene which could be upsetting for some – I’m not trying to say it’s graphic or gratuitous but I did find it a bit of a shock because it was so at odds with the values of the people we were following, I simply wasn’t expecting it and thought I should mention it here. The only other issue I had was the other life forms and the disparity with the ones we meet here and the ones who built that wonderful city and then upped and left. I never really quite understood what was going on there because it would seem that rather than progress in nature they had devolved. It was a bit of a mystery for me.

Other than that I really enjoyed this read. It was unique. Well Written. Consistently paced, thought provoking and fascinating. Perhaps a little ambitious cramming seven generations into a story like this but I think the author pulls it off. It’s like a time lapse video in written form.

I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

This was a fairly complex novel to read. I thought it was enjoyable and different due to the nature of the alien life involved. I'm not sure how those sort of life forms would evolve, but they seemed all too human in some respects. It almost seems as if the aliens were more human than the humans at times. The human characters are too good to be true, while the alien life forms take on the best and worst of human traits. I have to say I wasn't bored trying to figure this novel out. I think it's worth a read. .

The nitty-gritty: A weird and wonderful story of colonization, survival and communication.

We’d learned a lot, including one more thing. The bamboo was very friendly. Fruit appeared right away near the house where we stayed. Then one of the trunks where we’d tied our hammocks grew a shoot. Each of the new leaves had stripes of a different color, a little rainbow built out of leaves instead of bark to show that it had observed us and recognized us as an intelligent species like itself. It had delivered a message, a welcome home, because it wanted us to stay.

Most of my blogger friends who have already read and reviewed Semiosis praised it highly, so I was excited to dive in to see what they were talking about. I’ll admit this book was not at all what I expected, but that’s a good thing, as you’ll see when you read this review.

Semiosis takes place over a period of many years, seven generations, in fact. Each chapter features characters from a particular generation of colonists who have arrived at a planet they call Pax, after leaving war-and-disease-torn Earth for a better life. The first generation of colonists comes armed with skills in farming, and with very little resources left after their long space flight, they must quickly adapt to their surroundings and figure out how to survive. Luckily, Pax is similar to Earth in many ways, and despite losing some of their party in a shuttle crash, the colonists quickly learn how to live off the land.

What they aren’t prepared for, however, are the strange and dangerous plants and animals that inhabit the planet. Little by little, the colonists realize they must adapt to the dangers around them, or perish. They encounter life forms of all kinds, some that they can train to help with labor, some they must avoid at all costs, and some that they eventually learn how to communicate with in strange and wonderful ways.

Because this story unfolds over a long period of time, the characters mostly change with each chapter, which makes it a little harder to relate to them. This might be challenging for some readers who rely on characterizations for most of their enjoyment when reading, but I actually loved the scope of the story, and I thought the author did a great job creating well-rounded characters, even if they only stick around for a short time. There is one character who made a huge impact on me, and that was Stevland the bamboo plant. I know what you’re thinking: A bamboo plant that has a name and is a character? Keep in mind that we aren’t on Earth anymore, and animals and plants do not behave the way you expect them to. I don’t want to give too much away, but I do want to say that Stevland appears in most of the chapters, which made him much easier to relate to. Some of the sections are told from his point of view, and I loved getting into the “head” of a giant bamboo plant.

In fact, I found myself just as interested in the strange plants and animals as the characters, although it’s the odd symbiotic relationship between the humans and the flora and fauna that makes up the heart of this story. If you’ve ever wondered how language develops, then you’ll love Semiosis. It was fascinating to watch how the communication between different species grew and changed over time, as the humans struggle at first, and then succeed, in puzzling out the language of another species. Likewise, I was riveted (and horrified!) by the fact that Stevland is actually smarter than the humans. Stevland’s ability to think, adapt and even manipulate was chilling. I haven’t done any research on plant life myself, but I’m convinced that Sue Burke has done plenty, and I’d be curious to know how much of her story is based in truth.

But plants aren’t the only cool world-building element. I loved Burke’s animals. My favorite is the fippokat, a cross between a rabbit and a cat, a small animal with green fur (for camouflage in the grass!) that can be trained like a dog. There are also moth-winged lizards that eat human flesh, floating plants, pink slugs and many more odd and alien creatures. You just have to remember as you’re reading that a “bluebird” on Pax is not necessarily the bluebird you’re familiar with.

The only real negative for me was that Semiosis felt really long. It took nearly two weeks to read, and while I’ll admit my life has been super busy lately, I still felt as if I should have been able to finish it more quickly. Near the end is a very long chapter where the narrative moves among the colonists, Stevland and an alien race called the glass makers. Neither one has speech patterns similar to ours, so going back and forth among the three different races was challenging.

But aside from this issue, Semiosis was a fascinating read. This is a book of ideas, a thoughtful observation on the way different species interact, punctuated by some very tense scenes where the colonists are simply trying to survive. It’s particularly interesting because it’s set on another planet, with plants and animals that are convincingly foreign. And yet, the way they develop, and the symbiotic relationships they have with each other, are very familiar. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, action-packed science fiction tale about colonizing a new planet, you won’t find that here. Instead, if you love stories that make you think, especially science oriented stories, then you will love the intricate details and relationships in this book.

Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.

In many ways, Semiosis is your basic first contact story. Fifty people set out from Earth determined to start over again on a new planet. They have the best of intentions, but there a million obstacles ahead of them—starting with their ship landing on a different planet from what they expected and the loss of over half their crew. It’s a dangerous new world and the existing alien life is resistant to their presence, but the remaining nineteen settle in and create the community Pax, determined to survive together.

This is an imaginative book with impressive worldbuilding. It’s rich in details and scientific possibility. Though a central focus of this novel is the adventure and excitement of exploring a new world, it’s also about human choices and how those choices impact the environment around them. It’s able to explore these themes so effectively because the story is told across multiple generations and each chapter is narrated by a different character. As a result, the reader is exposed to the immediate consequences of the colonists’ decisions and also how those decisions affect future generations.

At times Semiosis can be a bit dry and a little impersonal. There are some characters you’ll really feel a connection with, but others not so much. When there are so many narrators and only a limited amount of pages it’s difficult to give each one the time they deserve. But despite these issues, the voyage to the unique and fascinating world of Pax is well worth the trip.

You've eaten an apple, right? When you did, did you ever consider that you might be doing the apple tree's bidding? That through its delicious fruit, the tree has tricked you into spreading its seeds and cultivating more trees across the Earth?

In Sue Burke's new sci-fi novel, Semiosis, to escape political strife and a failing environment, a group of scientists and philosophers decide to leave Earth behind. They've planned the colonization of a distant planet where they can start civilization over. This time they'll do it the right way. They will create a more sustainable and compassionate way of living. They'll act in balance with their environment, treat each other with respect, and live in peace. They name their new planet Pax and write an optimistic constitution.

"We, the citizens of Pax, covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of all sentient beings and of the interdependent web of existence of which we are a part; justice, equity and compassion in our relations with one another; the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our Commonwealth; the goal of community with hope, peace, and freedom for all. Grateful for this opportunity to create a new society in full harmony with nature, we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support."

Like in many planned utopian communities right here on Earth, complications make it difficult for the colonizers of Pax to maintain their idealism. They're fast learners but the environment of Pax is completely foreign. It isn't the perfect Eden they were expecting. The plants and animals of Pax live in a delicate balance of symbiosis. But on Pax, the plants are smart, able to increase animal populations with nutritious fruit, or culling them with poisons. The plants essentially domesticate animals to become waterers and fertilizers, unwitting farmers. And they aren't sure they want these humans on their planet.

To survive, the colonists strike a bargain with a powerful, fruit-providing stand of bamboo. If they are to survive on Pax they must convince this alien plant that they are more than domesticated animals and that they can live together as equals. Over the course of a century (Semiosis is told in a series of generation jumping chapters) the two species influence each other, growing their relationship. Through its interactions with humans, the bamboo becomes more civilized, thoughtful, and empathetic, while the humans struggle to retain belief in the compassionate ideals that brought them to Pax in the first place.

Growing from the simple sci-fi premise, "What if plants were sentient?" Semiosis grows into a thoughtful examination of the nature of civilization, humanity's connection to our environment, and the power of cooperation over domination. Its also filled with a delightfully fun and unique science fiction world. After reading Semiosis, you'll never eat an apple the same way again.

Semiosis by Sue Burke

When a group of men and women leave Earth to start afresh on a new planet, they are alarmed to discover that the new planet is not the one they were aiming for. And other disasters follow as they attempt to land on the surface. But land they do and they name the planet Pax, almost immediately establishing a constitution that upholds peace and harmony with nature, and trust and support for each other. This will be a utopia in the making. There will be obstacles to face but they will endeavour to meet them with hope.

But, of course, they can have had no idea what they would face on a world so far away to the one that they had left. And a perfect society is no easy thing to achieve. In Semiosis we view the struggles of the settlers over a hundred years of so, moving from one generation to another. Each generation is clearly defined and apart from the others – one may have green hair, another may wear beads, and no sexual relationships are allowed between them. The result of this distinction and definition is an absorbing portrait of a society as a whole from members of it who have purposefully limited their perspective. It’s appealingly complex and unusual.

My favourite element of Semiosis, though, is its depiction of the animals and plants of Pax. Both have certain characteristics that are reminiscent of animals and plants on Earth – cats, lions, eagles, bamboo, oranges and so on – but, in other and more fundamental ways, they are entirely different, alien. All are sentient to varying degrees. The utopian aim of Pax is aided by the playful and trusting nature of some of the animals (some are adorably fluffy and friendly) and there are some stunning concepts – plants that swim through the seas or fly high in the skies. But one of the main challenges of life on Pax will be deciding how to evolve a new and equal society when the plant life wants to take an active part. The relationship between humans is difficult enough but how much more difficult life becomes when one must learn to decipher signals and signs from an entirely different alien species.

There are more discoveries to be made on Pax and some are shocking. Misunderstandings are rife and can have lethal consequences. Each section focuses on a different generation and so our perception of events and people shifts and there are moments when we realise that something may well have happened entirely differently to the way in which it’s presented. And it also means that we draw close to certain key individuals in each generation but then we’re almost forcefully taken away from them.

Sue Burke is a sophisticated storyteller and Semiosis intrigues from start to finish. It’s fundamentally a first contact story but it’s largely character-driven, complemented by the beautiful descriptions of the other life forms on Pax. The human settlers – Pacifists – constantly remind each other that it is they who are the aliens and it is up to them to try and make peace with the exotic life around them but everything in this wonderful novel is strangely curious, occasionally terrifying and often gorgeous. The themes are huge! There’s a great deal going on to think about and, as the clever novel continues, one character in particular tests everybody’s ability to understand the signs and symbols around them – the semiosis that is so crucial on Pax if society is to evolve. It is all absolutely fascinating and thoroughly engaging.

Semiosis ticks all the boxes that science fiction readers might expect from a first encounter-story. A character-driven, fresh and thought-provoking take on a classic theme.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Upon arriving on Pax, a faraway Earth-like planet, human colonists seek to build a peaceful society despite territorial native plants and harsh conditions. The story is told over 100+ years and across several generations of settlers.

I immediately drew parallels between Semiosis and aspects of other recent works of science fiction — the multi-generational narrative of Children of Time, the planet colonizing and community building of Planetfall, and the alien communication angle of Arrival to name a few. As the story moves forward, though, this book forges its own path and becomes wholly original.

Author Sue Burke brings flora to life (both literally and figuratively) in such a skillful way that I was shocked to find that she is not a botanist-turned-novelist. Infusing plants with sentiency and agency adds an eerie quality to this book that was difficult to shake.

Structurally, the beginning sections were much more interesting to me as the time jumps moved us quickly from generation to generation, but things felt stagnant in the final few sections as the focus shifts to one pivotal event instead of years and years of progress. I see the value in altering the plot progression and story beats to keep things fresh, but things slowed down and got stuck focusing on some minutiae that was less appealing to me.

Nevertheless, Semiosis is solid debut novel that nicely executes a high-concept format. It’s disquieting, clever, and a change of pace from what I’m used to reading. I would be intrigued to see what sort of future Sue Burke could cultivate for future generations of the Pax commonwealth should a sequel bear fruit.

Surprising. A great debut.
A review in spanish: https://dreamsofelvex.blogspot.com/2018/02/semiosis-sue-burke.html

Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .

semiosis (Sue Burke)

Title: semiosis

Author: Sue Burke

Publisher: Macmillian-Tor/Forge

Publication Date: Tomorrow!! (hardback/ebook)

ISBN: 978-0765391353

Source: NetGalley

Well mateys. I learned a new word from this novel. Semiosis. Cool sounding word. Wasn't sure of it's exact meaning. So I be sharing with me hearties:

semiosis : a process in which something functions as a sign to an organism source.

Yup, this book was indeed all about that. A bunch of folk from Earth have dreams of creating a new space colony dedicated to being in harmony with nature. The colony is called Pax for the peaceful civilization of their dreams. Only when they wake up, they find that the ship has sent them to a different planet than they expected. With little choice, they decide to make the best of it. But what happens when nature has a mind of its own?

Well, interestingly weird things happen. Plants, animals, weather - nothing is like the humans planned for. In fact one of the best things about this novel is how the human planning goes all wrong - especially in the beginning. Humans do survive but with interesting consequences. Another fun thing about this novel is that the story is told over 5 generations and 107 years with different narrators for each chapter. So the reader gets to see the ramifications of earlier choices as well as get some of the distortion of truth as time goes by.

Me favourite thing about the book is the relationships formed between the humans and the natural inhabitants of the planet. The signs and communication between lifeforms is the theme and highlight of the book. I loved the way language was used and the various forms it took. If I could have some of the animals as me life companions then I would certainly want a kat, which I picture as a cuddly miniature kangaroo that plays leapfrog and digs holes . The characters were individualized and well portrayed. I thought the plot was solid if somewhat plodding. But the concepts of utopias, mutualism, first contact, culture, and co-existence made this a very enjoyable read.

So lastly . . .

Thank you Macmillian-Tor/Forge!

Goodreads' website has this to say about the novel:

In this character driven novel of first contact by debut author Sue Burke, human survival hinges on an bizarre alliance.

Only mutual communication can forge an alliance with the planet's sentient species and prove that mammals are more than tools.

Forced to land on a planet they aren't prepared for, human colonists rely on their limited resources to survive. The planet provides a lush but inexplicable landscape--trees offer edible, addictive fruit one day and poison the next, while the ruins of an alien race are found entwined in the roots of a strange plant. Conflicts between generations arise as they struggle to understand one another and grapple with an unknowable alien intellect.

To visit the author’s website go to:

Sue Burke – Author

To buy the novel go to:

semiosis - Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for allowing me to read a digital galley of this wonderful debut novel.

What a pleasure this science fiction book was to read. Author Sue Burke's construction and writing style actually made me slow down and enjoy this story she crafted for readers instead of racing through it like my hair was on fire. There are seven segments of the novel with a different narrator from a different generation to guide us through the history of the group of colonists from Earth who land on a planet which their computer had chosen while they were in their 158 years of hibernation. Fifty people from Earth made the trip to their new home which they are calling the Commonwealth of Pax, but only nineteen survivors remain as they begin to explore how they can live and flourish on this new world - taking with them only the best from Earth.

Sue Burke didn't spoon feed these colonists, they had to learn how to live with wonderfully diverse plants and animals which really worked throughout the story. Pax had many qualities that resembled Earth but always with a twist that added just enough of a surprise or danger to keep me wondering what might be going to happen next. Each narrator has a voice that differs from the others just enough that I found myself liking some more than others. As the generations evolved their philosophy developed to the point where they identified themselves as Pacifists. What they discovered is that was an easy concept to adhere to as long as they were not being threatened with annihilation by another race. The role played by plants in this novel is absolutely fascinating and makes the book stand out for me from other science fiction books I've enjoyed. I will never be able to reach down and pull up a little acorn seedling again without wondering.................

Great book! Like all really good scifi, it makes the reader look at the world around them and consider "who has domesticated me"? Stevland was a fascinating character. The story unfolding over several generations was fascinating and the evolving relationship with Stevland felt surprisingly authentic. This is the kind of book that you must talk to people about as you read it because it's so thought-provoking. Reminiscent of China Mieville's Embassytown, but less about the structure and creation of language and meaning and more about the nature of communication and cooperation.