The Android’s Dream

The Android’s Dream
John Scalzi
Tor
ISBN: 0-765-30941-9
Fiction, Science Fiction
Reviewed by Chris Gerrib

John Scalzi is one of science fiction’s hot new writers. I’m not just saying that; as winner of this year’s John W. Campbell award for Best New Science Fiction Author, he’s certifiably hot. His delightful new book, The Android?s Dream, is everything you’d expect from an award-winning author.
In this book, which is completely unrelated to his Old Man’s War series, Earth is a sixth-rate military power in a galaxy full of aliens, and closely allied with the Nidu, a fifth-rate power. Unfortunately, even fifth-rate powers can literally turn a planet inside out. So when Terran ambassador Dirk Moeller decides to fart his way into a diplomatic incident, things look grim. Especially when the Nidu ambassador / target of the farts dies of a stroke at the negotiating table. Enter Harris Creek, diplomatic troubleshooter. His brief: Find a specific breed of sheep called Android’s Dream and make peace with the Nidu.
The rest of the book is a delightful romp through Earth and a few nearby planets as Harris, aided and obstructed by various human and alien elements, attempts to avoid an all-out war. The tone of this book is fairly light-hearted, and Scalzi has filled it chock-full of great stuff. As required in a diplomatic / spy thriller, there are more then a few double-crosses, including a massive one that I didn’t expect. There are also some well-placed jabs at religion and politics, plus not one but two artificial intelligences.
John Scalzi’s The Android’s Dream is simply a must-read book. It’s funny, wry and riveting all at the same time. There’s more then a little adult language: Scalzi’s diplomats in particular seem to have graduated from the Nixon “ Kissinger School of Elocution” but nothing you wouldn’t hear in a PG-rated movie. I highly recommend The Android’s Dream.