Next_Stop_Willoughby reviewed A Darkling Sea by James L. Cambias
First Contact Done Right
5 stars
A first contact SF narrative where the interpersonal connection comes first, and the fun space battles come second. (That’s a bit of a lie. The whole story takes place on one planet, so the conflict is only a “space battle” if you count “battles that happen on other planets”)
This is a story about two peoples struggling past language and cultural barriers, striving for just a taste of friendship. Interspersed is a horrific worst-case first meeting, distinctly alien aliens, and the classic human refusal to do anything that they don’t want to do.
On a slightly triggering note: one of the minor characters is sexually assaulted. It is not done for laughs and is not swept aside. The horror of the action is a major turning point in the book.