What do you think?
Rate this book
Eclipsed Evolution #1
First Contact
In the wake of the solar eclipse, a portal between our world and a paranormal realm opens—and a scientist’s life will never be the same, in this thrilling serialized adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hollows.
Dr. Renee Caisson knows there are worse things than an attractive man in uniform drafting her into a secret government project—especially when Major Jackson makes it clear that he isn’t bothered by her questionable past. But when her labs come back with decidedly odd results, the Major is forced to come clean over who the government is actually studying. Renee is shocked to learn her subjects are demonic-looking beings who call themselves “Neighbors”—refugees from a dying world, who arrived during the nation-wide solar eclipse.
The Neighbors’ technology is unlike anything Renee’s ever encountered. At first, she dismisses an injury that inexplicably heals as “just one of those things”. And surely August, the most gregarious Neighbor, begins to speak English overnight because of the team linguist’s skills?
Not until August begins evolving in real time to withstand Earth’s brighter, dryer atmosphere does she admit that the Neighbors’ “tech” feels less like science and more like magic—the same magic that brought them here in the first place, and the same they’re trying to rekindle with a mysterious labyrinth in order to return home and save their world.
At least, that’s what August claims they came for…
Dr. Renee Caisson knows there are worse things than an attractive man in uniform drafting her into a secret government project—especially when Major Jackson makes it clear that he isn’t bothered by her questionable past. But when her labs come back with decidedly odd results, the Major is forced to come clean over who the government is actually studying. Renee is shocked to learn her subjects are demonic-looking beings who call themselves “Neighbors”—refugees from a dying world, who arrived during the nation-wide solar eclipse.
The Neighbors’ technology is unlike anything Renee’s ever encountered. At first, she dismisses an injury that inexplicably heals as “just one of those things”. And surely August, the most gregarious Neighbor, begins to speak English overnight because of the team linguist’s skills?
Not until August begins evolving in real time to withstand Earth’s brighter, dryer atmosphere does she admit that the Neighbors’ “tech” feels less like science and more like magic—the same magic that brought them here in the first place, and the same they’re trying to rekindle with a mysterious labyrinth in order to return home and save their world.
At least, that’s what August claims they came for…
168 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2024
606 people are currently reading
4514 people want to read
About the author
Kim Harrison
86 books18.7k followersKim Harrison is best known as the author of the New York Times #1 best selling Hollows series, but she has written more than urban fantasy and has published over two-dozen books spanning the gamut from young adult, thriller, several anthologies, and has scripted two original graphic novels. She has also published traditional fantasy under the name Dawn Cook. Kim is currently working on a new Hollows book between other, non related, urban fantasy projects.
Kim reaches out to her audience at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KimHarrisons...
Instagram
https://instagram.com/kim_harrison_au...
and her blog http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/
other pseudonyms: Dawn Cook
Kim reaches out to her audience at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KimHarrisons...
https://instagram.com/kim_harrison_au...
and her blog http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/
other pseudonyms: Dawn Cook
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews
April 6, 2024
First Contact
By Kim Harrison
Wow, I love this book! The author has really taken her fans out of this world! This has another species from a dying world that manages a portal to escape. They are unsure where it will take them, but they take their chances, and they arrive on Earth. It all goes south when man captures them.
The plot, characters, and especially the new species are very intriguing.I finished it in one go!
By Kim Harrison
Wow, I love this book! The author has really taken her fans out of this world! This has another species from a dying world that manages a portal to escape. They are unsure where it will take them, but they take their chances, and they arrive on Earth. It all goes south when man captures them.
The plot, characters, and especially the new species are very intriguing.I finished it in one go!
April 22, 2024
Interesting take on alien life, although not a surprising reaction from the military. I would like to see how the story and characters develop in future books!
April 8, 2024
Wow, this was fantastic. Harrison not only introduced us to a paranormal alien species, but shared the sharp contrast between scientists and military reactions and attitudes.
At just under six hours, this was a tight, engaging tale. We meet Dr. Renee Caisson, who is studying the “Neighbors,” for contagions that might impact humans. I immediately liked Renee, who admits to a questionable past. She quickly comes to understand and respect these intelligent creatures, who only wish to find plants to save their planet. I loved watching them interact with each other as Renee attempts to communicate.
The Neighbors are highly intelligent, with abilities beyond our scope and are not aggressive. In contrast, the military has them caged, and are performing tests. There is a romance, but it is secondary to the story. It involves humans and added layers to the characters. I would say it is character driven story, as the focus is Renee’s engagement with the leader of the Neighbors.
Xe Sands is a wonderful narrator, and I quite enjoyed her voices and tone. This is an audio first trilogy, the books won’t release until summer. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
At just under six hours, this was a tight, engaging tale. We meet Dr. Renee Caisson, who is studying the “Neighbors,” for contagions that might impact humans. I immediately liked Renee, who admits to a questionable past. She quickly comes to understand and respect these intelligent creatures, who only wish to find plants to save their planet. I loved watching them interact with each other as Renee attempts to communicate.
The Neighbors are highly intelligent, with abilities beyond our scope and are not aggressive. In contrast, the military has them caged, and are performing tests. There is a romance, but it is secondary to the story. It involves humans and added layers to the characters. I would say it is character driven story, as the focus is Renee’s engagement with the leader of the Neighbors.
Xe Sands is a wonderful narrator, and I quite enjoyed her voices and tone. This is an audio first trilogy, the books won’t release until summer. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
May 25, 2024
Dr. Renee Caisson is drafting into a military project without knowing aliens are at the center of her study. However, once she discovers them her insights help them to connect and communicate with them in a way they hadn’t before. The aliens came to Earth for help, but the higher-ups are concerned about their intentions, as would be expected.
First Contact was a quick listen and captured my attention from the beginning! There are good and bad players here and Renee is one of the good ones! I really liked and connected with her! She applied her smarts and instincts, and I applauded her courage fighting for what’s right. There is a potential for romance (I think) and I’m interested in seeing where that goes.
I’m eager to pick up with the next installment as this one ended in a “to-be-continued” situation.
I listened to an audio version and enjoyed Xe Sands’ performance of all voices.
A copy was kindly provided by Penguin Audio in exchange for an honest review.
First Contact was a quick listen and captured my attention from the beginning! There are good and bad players here and Renee is one of the good ones! I really liked and connected with her! She applied her smarts and instincts, and I applauded her courage fighting for what’s right. There is a potential for romance (I think) and I’m interested in seeing where that goes.
I’m eager to pick up with the next installment as this one ended in a “to-be-continued” situation.
I listened to an audio version and enjoyed Xe Sands’ performance of all voices.
A copy was kindly provided by Penguin Audio in exchange for an honest review.
May 8, 2024
How many times can you use the word "nictitated" in a book? I'm going to have to read book 2 with shots if this continues.... onto the next! Drink every time "he nictitated his eyes!"
June 2, 2024
This is my first book by the author and I listened to the audiobook version. I’m trying to get through it still so I will update this review and rating once complete, but I wanted to start with an initial note regarding the narration.
***UPDATED PORTION MARKED BY ⭐️***
I found this to be extremely hard to understand due to the way the narrator reads. She runs some words together, some are actually slurred together while some words are just slurred alone. She also fades off on words both mid word and at the end of the word making it extremely hard to understand what she is saying. I believe she is trying to produce a “too cool” or “swagger” persona for the female MC but instead she just makes each sentence the MC says too difficult to understand. I had to slow some parts down to .5 speed just to understand what she was saying and even then many times I just simply could not.
She also leans towards being too monotone, too dull, emotionless and drab so I had a hard time getting into this story and focusing on it. It made it incredibly boring and hard to follow.
The premise sounded very interesting and I wanted something involving an eclipse (this was for an April read, but the wait time at the library pushed it to the end of may by the time it was available to borrow). I tried to find this in ebook form and just couldn’t at a library or KU. I think I would enjoy this story more, understand it better, and jt be more interesting and appealing if I read it in ebook.
I definitely do not recommend the audiobook. You definitely need to read this in physical or ebook for to enjoy it and understand it.
Also, I’m just not feeling the writing style or the dialogue. The dialogue is choppy and unrealistic. It’s does not flow well or have a realistic exchange to it. There’s also too much flowery detail, too many comparisons and side thoughts that aren’t value added or necessary. To be honest I’m at chapter 4 and I still have no clue what’s going on, what has happened in the world to lead to whatever the military experiments are seeking (if that’s what the military project even is), when this storyline takes place, or if the characters are aware there are aliens somewhere in this story. It felt like it jumped into a story already in progress and has given zero backstory, world building, scene setting, or character background.
At the current place in this book, this story is extremely boring and confusing with no explanation or development of setting/time/character/plot.
Rating middle range for now simply as a place holder, the current rating is not a true opinion of this book other than this will not be a 5 star book and quite possibly not a 4 star either. I just felt strongly about notating the very poorly done narration so I could recommend this be a physical read, not an audio listen and to note if you are expecting an exciting, thrilling, start with a clear understanding of what’s going on and who everyone is, this is not that book. I will update if I make it through the book.
⭐️Updated:
I stand by notes previously made above.
The narration of this book is atrocious. The over dramatic attempt at making characters have a too cool for school swagger where their words are slurred, run on, faded, and screamed mid word is too distracting. This would make a far better physical read. The narrator used is one of the worst next to AI voices I’ve experienced. Many parts I could not understand her the way she spoke, slurred, faded and many times legitimately screamed causing me to miss entire passages of dialogue. If she is the narrator for the rest of the series, I will not continue this series despite curiosity as to what happens with the neighbors as I cannot listen to her again and I cannot find these books at the library or KU.
The writing style remains very choppy in my opinion and unrealistic. Further in the book we start getting leopard/car purr/rolled R sounds from the neighbors randomly mis sentence/word when notations of these noises have never been made by any characters. The only sound effect noises referenced by other characters are whistles, clicks and pops. None of which are seen…or performed rather…by then narrator or addressed in then writing. Just suddenly August starts leopard purring like someone who makes a joke reference to a good looking woman or sexy situation. Completely out of left field and continues about chapter 7 on more and more frequently despite August learning more and more English.
Another thing that was referenced to the point of purely nauseating frequency was every other sentence, maybe sometimes we get two sentences in between, of the author stating Augusts eyes are nictitating. Literally. Every other sentence Renee comments about his eyes nictitating, his eyes nictitated, he flashed his nictitating membrane. Was this a word count obligation or did the author just like the sound of the word nictitating? It was like she found a new word, watching a reptile documentary on the Discovery channel while writing, or figured out a new creature feature she’s never heard of and obsessed over it. It was so distracting and repetitive I almost stopped the book solely for that. I lost count at how many references there were in the last 20 min of the book alone, which was well over 20. If I could find this in ebook form I would highlight the word because it is every other sentence no exaggeration but this book is not worth paying for. We get it. They have reptile like eyes. He blinks a lot. We don’t need to be told every time he blinks throughout the day, which we are. It was to the point it was comical that something could be written so poorly. Imagine if someone commented on how often someone blinked as they talked to them. That’s this book. Renee tell him how many snake species we have, he replies with his but she had to note his eyes nictitated during his answer. She offers him a blueberry, he says no as his eyes are nictitating again. She pulls the blanket around herself as he watches her nictitating his eyes. See? It’s nauseating. That’s the entirety of this book. A editor is needed badly for this series to tell the author we don’t need a play by play of everytime the alien blinks. It’s an involuntary action, don’t make it where your readers want to voluntarily quit reading your book over it. It just distracted from every possible interesting thing that could have happened in this boring book. They’d be mid conversation and the boring story would maybe start to get interesting then it would be destroyed by the next sentence having to reference the alien blinked again. Clearly the author had a weird obsession with reptile eyes or something.
The story itself is actually incredibly boring. The only action that happens is around chapter 7 when Renee seems to decide to make an incredible stupid decision that if it doesn’t get her killed, will make sure she never sees the outside of a prison cell again as well as risk another many life and yet another man’s career and freedom. Then there is nothing again until the last 10 min of the book. I understand this is the first in the series, but for a set up book to a long running story, it is incredibly boring. If you enjoy long discussions about little red riding hood, being told every time an aliens eyes are nictitating, reading about the MC describing her food, and being argumentative with everyone around her, this book is great. If you want have a well developed story with well developed characters and some action other than the nictitating count of the day, avoid this one. Also if you want to understand your narrator, avoid this one.
The MC to me is just unlikeable. She doesn’t know what’s going on or anything about military operations, protecting everyone involved, doesn’t ask questions and has a very argumentative, combative, and holier than thou attitude. She also has no regard for the safety or careers of others around her. She makes rash decisions based on her own wants. She is no different than Dr. Taylor here. Sure she’s not cruelly experimenting on the neighbors, but she does cruelly experiment with Will’s life (the linguist). Not once did she plead her stance with rational, well thought out, scientific reasoning. She only thought to herself how insulted she always is and argues very combatively that her way is better (why? She doesn’t give a why). She is too emotional and self absorbed to make a rational decision or present a rational argument. While I wanted the neighbors to be reunited, free and able to return home, I found myself hating this MC and hoping she was wrong and wouldn’t be able to stay around them. I don’t trust her actions or her reliability. She’s also another classic “regular nobody female” who is smarter than everyone else around her and only she can figure out how to communicate with them, teach them, set them free who refuses to work with anyone else or follow the rules. Another worn out female MC trope. Another full of even scientist, evil military, dumb male boss, even dumber higher ups, poor decisions solve everything tropes.
One thing I did like was the acknowledgment that interacting with them could be harmful to both them and/or the humans as they aren’t the same species. I wish this would’ve been less Renee’s thoughts and more backstory for why their world is dying, why so little in the way of plan and animal life, what is their food, why is protein a choice for them and not necessary to survival, why did they land at different places, why do they know things not said, etc. I didn’t really feel this bad romance to it as noted I. Other reviews. There’s a small allusion to it with August asking about it but I didn’t even see anything hinting at this until the end and I felt even then, Renee wouldn’t have been thinking about it had August not asked about it and put it in her head. I don’t care for romance so I’m glad this wasn’t saturated with it. I prefer the sci fi aspect.
I dropping the star rating to a 2 now that I’ve finished because there was just too many plot holes, poor wiring, tired, worn out tropes, random things that didn’t fit/make sense/not explained, undeveloped boring story with such a poor narrator choice it was painful to get through. This narrator is being saved to my do not listen to list. Maybe the series gets better with the action picking up, things explained, and the storyline developed. It’s hard to want to continue a series when the first is such a flop and slog to get through. We’ll see. If there is a different narrator, I’d like to know what comes of the neighbors and why their planet is dying, but not enough to listen to this narrator again.
***UPDATED PORTION MARKED BY ⭐️***
I found this to be extremely hard to understand due to the way the narrator reads. She runs some words together, some are actually slurred together while some words are just slurred alone. She also fades off on words both mid word and at the end of the word making it extremely hard to understand what she is saying. I believe she is trying to produce a “too cool” or “swagger” persona for the female MC but instead she just makes each sentence the MC says too difficult to understand. I had to slow some parts down to .5 speed just to understand what she was saying and even then many times I just simply could not.
She also leans towards being too monotone, too dull, emotionless and drab so I had a hard time getting into this story and focusing on it. It made it incredibly boring and hard to follow.
The premise sounded very interesting and I wanted something involving an eclipse (this was for an April read, but the wait time at the library pushed it to the end of may by the time it was available to borrow). I tried to find this in ebook form and just couldn’t at a library or KU. I think I would enjoy this story more, understand it better, and jt be more interesting and appealing if I read it in ebook.
I definitely do not recommend the audiobook. You definitely need to read this in physical or ebook for to enjoy it and understand it.
Also, I’m just not feeling the writing style or the dialogue. The dialogue is choppy and unrealistic. It’s does not flow well or have a realistic exchange to it. There’s also too much flowery detail, too many comparisons and side thoughts that aren’t value added or necessary. To be honest I’m at chapter 4 and I still have no clue what’s going on, what has happened in the world to lead to whatever the military experiments are seeking (if that’s what the military project even is), when this storyline takes place, or if the characters are aware there are aliens somewhere in this story. It felt like it jumped into a story already in progress and has given zero backstory, world building, scene setting, or character background.
At the current place in this book, this story is extremely boring and confusing with no explanation or development of setting/time/character/plot.
Rating middle range for now simply as a place holder, the current rating is not a true opinion of this book other than this will not be a 5 star book and quite possibly not a 4 star either. I just felt strongly about notating the very poorly done narration so I could recommend this be a physical read, not an audio listen and to note if you are expecting an exciting, thrilling, start with a clear understanding of what’s going on and who everyone is, this is not that book. I will update if I make it through the book.
⭐️Updated:
I stand by notes previously made above.
The narration of this book is atrocious. The over dramatic attempt at making characters have a too cool for school swagger where their words are slurred, run on, faded, and screamed mid word is too distracting. This would make a far better physical read. The narrator used is one of the worst next to AI voices I’ve experienced. Many parts I could not understand her the way she spoke, slurred, faded and many times legitimately screamed causing me to miss entire passages of dialogue. If she is the narrator for the rest of the series, I will not continue this series despite curiosity as to what happens with the neighbors as I cannot listen to her again and I cannot find these books at the library or KU.
The writing style remains very choppy in my opinion and unrealistic. Further in the book we start getting leopard/car purr/rolled R sounds from the neighbors randomly mis sentence/word when notations of these noises have never been made by any characters. The only sound effect noises referenced by other characters are whistles, clicks and pops. None of which are seen…or performed rather…by then narrator or addressed in then writing. Just suddenly August starts leopard purring like someone who makes a joke reference to a good looking woman or sexy situation. Completely out of left field and continues about chapter 7 on more and more frequently despite August learning more and more English.
Another thing that was referenced to the point of purely nauseating frequency was every other sentence, maybe sometimes we get two sentences in between, of the author stating Augusts eyes are nictitating. Literally. Every other sentence Renee comments about his eyes nictitating, his eyes nictitated, he flashed his nictitating membrane. Was this a word count obligation or did the author just like the sound of the word nictitating? It was like she found a new word, watching a reptile documentary on the Discovery channel while writing, or figured out a new creature feature she’s never heard of and obsessed over it. It was so distracting and repetitive I almost stopped the book solely for that. I lost count at how many references there were in the last 20 min of the book alone, which was well over 20. If I could find this in ebook form I would highlight the word because it is every other sentence no exaggeration but this book is not worth paying for. We get it. They have reptile like eyes. He blinks a lot. We don’t need to be told every time he blinks throughout the day, which we are. It was to the point it was comical that something could be written so poorly. Imagine if someone commented on how often someone blinked as they talked to them. That’s this book. Renee tell him how many snake species we have, he replies with his but she had to note his eyes nictitated during his answer. She offers him a blueberry, he says no as his eyes are nictitating again. She pulls the blanket around herself as he watches her nictitating his eyes. See? It’s nauseating. That’s the entirety of this book. A editor is needed badly for this series to tell the author we don’t need a play by play of everytime the alien blinks. It’s an involuntary action, don’t make it where your readers want to voluntarily quit reading your book over it. It just distracted from every possible interesting thing that could have happened in this boring book. They’d be mid conversation and the boring story would maybe start to get interesting then it would be destroyed by the next sentence having to reference the alien blinked again. Clearly the author had a weird obsession with reptile eyes or something.
The story itself is actually incredibly boring. The only action that happens is around chapter 7 when Renee seems to decide to make an incredible stupid decision that if it doesn’t get her killed, will make sure she never sees the outside of a prison cell again as well as risk another many life and yet another man’s career and freedom. Then there is nothing again until the last 10 min of the book. I understand this is the first in the series, but for a set up book to a long running story, it is incredibly boring. If you enjoy long discussions about little red riding hood, being told every time an aliens eyes are nictitating, reading about the MC describing her food, and being argumentative with everyone around her, this book is great. If you want have a well developed story with well developed characters and some action other than the nictitating count of the day, avoid this one. Also if you want to understand your narrator, avoid this one.
The MC to me is just unlikeable. She doesn’t know what’s going on or anything about military operations, protecting everyone involved, doesn’t ask questions and has a very argumentative, combative, and holier than thou attitude. She also has no regard for the safety or careers of others around her. She makes rash decisions based on her own wants. She is no different than Dr. Taylor here. Sure she’s not cruelly experimenting on the neighbors, but she does cruelly experiment with Will’s life (the linguist). Not once did she plead her stance with rational, well thought out, scientific reasoning. She only thought to herself how insulted she always is and argues very combatively that her way is better (why? She doesn’t give a why). She is too emotional and self absorbed to make a rational decision or present a rational argument. While I wanted the neighbors to be reunited, free and able to return home, I found myself hating this MC and hoping she was wrong and wouldn’t be able to stay around them. I don’t trust her actions or her reliability. She’s also another classic “regular nobody female” who is smarter than everyone else around her and only she can figure out how to communicate with them, teach them, set them free who refuses to work with anyone else or follow the rules. Another worn out female MC trope. Another full of even scientist, evil military, dumb male boss, even dumber higher ups, poor decisions solve everything tropes.
One thing I did like was the acknowledgment that interacting with them could be harmful to both them and/or the humans as they aren’t the same species. I wish this would’ve been less Renee’s thoughts and more backstory for why their world is dying, why so little in the way of plan and animal life, what is their food, why is protein a choice for them and not necessary to survival, why did they land at different places, why do they know things not said, etc. I didn’t really feel this bad romance to it as noted I. Other reviews. There’s a small allusion to it with August asking about it but I didn’t even see anything hinting at this until the end and I felt even then, Renee wouldn’t have been thinking about it had August not asked about it and put it in her head. I don’t care for romance so I’m glad this wasn’t saturated with it. I prefer the sci fi aspect.
I dropping the star rating to a 2 now that I’ve finished because there was just too many plot holes, poor wiring, tired, worn out tropes, random things that didn’t fit/make sense/not explained, undeveloped boring story with such a poor narrator choice it was painful to get through. This narrator is being saved to my do not listen to list. Maybe the series gets better with the action picking up, things explained, and the storyline developed. It’s hard to want to continue a series when the first is such a flop and slog to get through. We’ll see. If there is a different narrator, I’d like to know what comes of the neighbors and why their planet is dying, but not enough to listen to this narrator again.
September 30, 2024
This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: First Contact
The militaristic and absolutely disrespectful environment Renee must endure adds a creepy undertone to the overall story. As she begins to run her toxicology tests and put together the pieces of what she is studying, she knows something is up, yet those around her would pretend otherwise. But Renee isn’t one to allow others to push her around, even if they’re a high ranking military officer. Then again she isn’t great at moving around those same people delicately. Instead, she bulldozes her way through causing quite the upstart and interesting conflict in her effort to interact with the Neighbors.
The Neighbors themselves are a wonderful blend of fantasy and sci-fi. What some humans may perceive as demonic fae creatures, use what seems to be magic to those of us familiar with fantasy settings. Yet the characters in the book perceive it as technology. First Contact just brushes the surface of what The Neighbors are capable of, but it is certainly enough to tantalize readers into reading book two.
Kim Harrison has a way of tying the main character’s emotions so intricately with the reader’s. As Renee struggles for The Neighbors to be treated as the sentient beings they are, it will strike a nerve within the reader. Especially when Renee begins to build working relationships with The Neighbors and discovers some of the less than savory tactics the military has been using. Not to mention the slow build up of teaching the Neighbors how to communicate is fascinating. There is emotion tied into the interactions as Renee learns the body language and the way the neighbors perceive the humans at the base. Their interactions and high attention to emotional details allow Renee to discover some feelings she didn’t quite pick up on initially.
First Contact is a fast-paced look into an exciting new world created by Kim Harrison. And with the way book two ends on a crescendo of activity, readers will demand book two for answers.
The militaristic and absolutely disrespectful environment Renee must endure adds a creepy undertone to the overall story. As she begins to run her toxicology tests and put together the pieces of what she is studying, she knows something is up, yet those around her would pretend otherwise. But Renee isn’t one to allow others to push her around, even if they’re a high ranking military officer. Then again she isn’t great at moving around those same people delicately. Instead, she bulldozes her way through causing quite the upstart and interesting conflict in her effort to interact with the Neighbors.
The Neighbors themselves are a wonderful blend of fantasy and sci-fi. What some humans may perceive as demonic fae creatures, use what seems to be magic to those of us familiar with fantasy settings. Yet the characters in the book perceive it as technology. First Contact just brushes the surface of what The Neighbors are capable of, but it is certainly enough to tantalize readers into reading book two.
Kim Harrison has a way of tying the main character’s emotions so intricately with the reader’s. As Renee struggles for The Neighbors to be treated as the sentient beings they are, it will strike a nerve within the reader. Especially when Renee begins to build working relationships with The Neighbors and discovers some of the less than savory tactics the military has been using. Not to mention the slow build up of teaching the Neighbors how to communicate is fascinating. There is emotion tied into the interactions as Renee learns the body language and the way the neighbors perceive the humans at the base. Their interactions and high attention to emotional details allow Renee to discover some feelings she didn’t quite pick up on initially.
First Contact is a fast-paced look into an exciting new world created by Kim Harrison. And with the way book two ends on a crescendo of activity, readers will demand book two for answers.
April 16, 2024
2.5/5
I’m not normally hypercritical of books but I need this to be run by an editing team at least one more time. If I had a physical copy I would’ve been tallying the number of times the word “nictitate” was used and it would’ve been FAR too many times. It read like the author discovered this word in a textbook describing evolutionary characteristics and was so excited about it that they needed to include it in every other paragraph.
Perhaps this would have stood out less in a physical copy than in the audiobook but I actually cringed each time I heard it 🥴
Otherwise, the story concept was very intriguing! It gave off Avatar vibes for anyone who enjoys those types of movies/stories. I just personally hate when something so small like the overuse of a word or a phrase brings me out of the story, which leads to the lower rating on this book for me.
I’m not normally hypercritical of books but I need this to be run by an editing team at least one more time. If I had a physical copy I would’ve been tallying the number of times the word “nictitate” was used and it would’ve been FAR too many times. It read like the author discovered this word in a textbook describing evolutionary characteristics and was so excited about it that they needed to include it in every other paragraph.
Perhaps this would have stood out less in a physical copy than in the audiobook but I actually cringed each time I heard it 🥴
Otherwise, the story concept was very intriguing! It gave off Avatar vibes for anyone who enjoys those types of movies/stories. I just personally hate when something so small like the overuse of a word or a phrase brings me out of the story, which leads to the lower rating on this book for me.
April 11, 2024
This one was weird for me. It took me so long to get into it and honestly the only reason I didn't dnf it was because I didn't have any other audios to listen to. Now that I'm done, I feel horror at what the neighbors went through, especially the second group. I liked that Renee made a concerted effort to communicate with them and how it all turned out. I also think that if I go back and listen to this one again right now, I won't be so confused at the start and end up liking it more. A good thing, because I won't sure if I was going to continue to read this series, but now I think I'll give the next one a try.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2024
If this had been a full length novel, I would have dnfed
The concept, I like. The Neighbors, I like. The best part of the book is the exploration of the biological differences the Neighbors have and the communication/language aspect.
Everything else was just not it for me. Having both povs (even if for only two chapters) I think removed some very interesting aspects we could have spent time exploring. Any mystery is lost. As an example, we don't buy in to the idea that maybe Renee is wrong, that there isn't a second group, because we already KNOW it does exist...
Renee is a boring character at best and an annoying one at worst. She changes based on what the plot needs her to be - gets brought in as a toxicologist but then spends more (page) time acting as a linguist (successfully) and then oh, she's actually an environment
impact specialist by degree. It's actually frustrating just how many insights about the Neighbors she has on first meeting them. And don't get me started on how she speaks. It's simply not how it works.
The love triangle thing that's happening you couldn't pay me to care about.
Won't say much in regards to the science since thats really not my field. But certain things felt like they didn't make that much sense... just from a common sense kind of view.
Then there's this stupid mistake
Chapter 13 "From August’s reaction, it was a safe bet that all Neighbors were vegetarian."
Chapter 4 “Omnivore,” she said again, remembering Jackson had asked her something. “Look at his teeth. Just like ours. He eats meat and plants both. [...]"
PS. just realized that the title could technically be considered as being untrue...
The concept, I like. The Neighbors, I like. The best part of the book is the exploration of the biological differences the Neighbors have and the communication/language aspect.
Everything else was just not it for me. Having both povs (even if for only two chapters) I think removed some very interesting aspects we could have spent time exploring. Any mystery is lost. As an example, we don't buy in to the idea that maybe Renee is wrong, that there isn't a second group, because we already KNOW it does exist...
Renee is a boring character at best and an annoying one at worst. She changes based on what the plot needs her to be - gets brought in as a toxicologist but then spends more (page) time acting as a linguist (successfully) and then oh, she's actually an environment
impact specialist by degree. It's actually frustrating just how many insights about the Neighbors she has on first meeting them. And don't get me started on how she speaks. It's simply not how it works.
The love triangle thing that's happening you couldn't pay me to care about.
Won't say much in regards to the science since thats really not my field. But certain things felt like they didn't make that much sense... just from a common sense kind of view.
Then there's this stupid mistake
Chapter 13 "From August’s reaction, it was a safe bet that all Neighbors were vegetarian."
Chapter 4 “Omnivore,” she said again, remembering Jackson had asked her something. “Look at his teeth. Just like ours. He eats meat and plants both. [...]"
PS. just realized that the title could technically be considered as being untrue...
April 2, 2024
I picked this one up because I was enticed by a sci-fi novella that centered first contact with an alien species, but unfortunately, this is story that desperately needs some sort of backstory. While the interactions between Renee and August were fascinating, I felt like this novella was just one long conversation without any other context.
September 6, 2024
audiobook narrated by a drowsy mumbling drunk lady.
female protagonist is an annoying person.
Dr. Renee Caisson is written like five year old child pretending to be a grown .
the story is so silly ,bad that it pulls you out thinking ,this is so babyish.
and every minute feels like torture.
i don,t think Kim Harrison wrote this.
female protagonist is an annoying person.
Dr. Renee Caisson is written like five year old child pretending to be a grown .
the story is so silly ,bad that it pulls you out thinking ,this is so babyish.
and every minute feels like torture.
i don,t think Kim Harrison wrote this.
May 16, 2024
This was such a interesting concept. Very short but i liked it.
In our world a portable has been opened and "demonic looking alien" beings called Neighbours have made their way through. They dont speak the language and have been quarantined by a military and scientist group. Why are they here, why are they slowly dying, who are they and what is their tech.
I initially got a bit confused about whom the "aliens" were as they have very regular names similar to humans. We get a beginning POV from them before jumping to our Dr Renee. I loved the exploration of rights of extraterrestrial beings unlike us, and trying to understand who are actually the bad guys here.
In our world a portable has been opened and "demonic looking alien" beings called Neighbours have made their way through. They dont speak the language and have been quarantined by a military and scientist group. Why are they here, why are they slowly dying, who are they and what is their tech.
I initially got a bit confused about whom the "aliens" were as they have very regular names similar to humans. We get a beginning POV from them before jumping to our Dr Renee. I loved the exploration of rights of extraterrestrial beings unlike us, and trying to understand who are actually the bad guys here.
October 19, 2024
-5 stars. i enjoyed it, and read it all in one day. it made me sad in places (expected military treatment of aliens).
it felt like it ended mid chapter. i turned the page expecting more but it was the end.
"thanks to his creation spark, his body had an incredible ability to evolve to a new environment."
"i prefer not to talk to you at all, Vaughn. nothing personal. i simply don't see a reason to shake my dirty laundry out in front of you when i've already washed it, dried it, folded it, and sent it to goodwill."
"so the person who has done the worst is in charge. that makes a lot of sense. oh, right, military."
it felt like it ended mid chapter. i turned the page expecting more but it was the end.
"thanks to his creation spark, his body had an incredible ability to evolve to a new environment."
"i prefer not to talk to you at all, Vaughn. nothing personal. i simply don't see a reason to shake my dirty laundry out in front of you when i've already washed it, dried it, folded it, and sent it to goodwill."
"so the person who has done the worst is in charge. that makes a lot of sense. oh, right, military."
June 28, 2024
Delightfully refreshing and enthralling. While this probably isn’t anything ground breaking, it felt new and fresh to me. I didn’t want to stop listening to the audiobook; it completely sucked me in. This is a novella and a quick, easy read/listen (clocking in at about 5 hours on audio). I can’t wait for the second in the series to become available to me through the library.
January 19, 2025
3.75 ⭐️ An excellent start to a highly scientific-based fantasy. I didn’t buy Jackson and Renee as love interests, in fact for a long time I didn’t trust Jackson at all. I did, however, respect Renee as a character and lowkey thought that she and August would be the romantic interest. Regardless, they have a good basis for an alliance. I was never bored but the end was a little choppy and rushed. Overall, I look forward to reading Phase 2.
April 13, 2024
This was so engaging and made me want to know what happens next. It’s so clever with themes while still being interesting. Can’t wait for the next installment.
April 23, 2024
Not my favorite book by her. Not bad either, indifferent and didn’t really excite me
June 2, 2024
I can't wait for the next one! Super quick. More of a short story than anything else but I love the ideas and am looking forward to reading more.
August 15, 2024
A rocky start, but I ended up really getting into it. I'm excited to get my hands on the next volume ^_^
Read
November 27, 2024During the first few pages of this book, I didn't think I would finish it. But I ended up really enjoying it, the characters and the story.
A short book. I will read the rest of the series.
A short book. I will read the rest of the series.
January 27, 2025
Listened to the audiobook this year and can’t wait for the next book in series to be available.
February 5, 2025
*3/5 Stars
Hmm…I liked this story, but it wasn’t one that completely blew me away and left me stunned in awe.
Hmm…I liked this story, but it wasn’t one that completely blew me away and left me stunned in awe.
June 8, 2024
I liked aspects of the story, but the audio narrator was so painfully droll that I couldn’t stay focused. I think I’d like to pick this up again as a physical book instead.
August 11, 2024
Ooooh I am very much enjoying this story already. The characters are good, the interactions between the aliens and humans are funny at times but also insightful. Very well done for such a short book. Can't wait for the next audiobook to come through for me!
March 17, 2025
that was fun :) nothing groundbreaking here. probably not really 4 stars but i haven't devoured an audiobook like this in forever so. if nothing else it gets bonus points for possibly slumpbreaking.
and it's me so of course i'm saying this but: she should date the alien demon too. let her have both.
and it's me so of course i'm saying this but: she should date the alien demon too. let her have both.
July 24, 2025
Nothing too original, but solid entertainment
We have seen almost every trope from this novel before - aliens resembling demons, rigid, sometimes stupid soldiers who occasionally allow to be reached through their thick skulls anyway, a sadistic "mad scientist", another lone scientist achieving communication with astonishing speed... Regardless, this first part of a trilogy is quite serviceable entertainment, as are the two sequels.
(Update: the third installment ends in an abrupt, obvious cliff-hanger, while the first two didn't. It just screamed "sequel!!!". Sure enough, the author's website admits that this "trilogy" actually consists of three sizeable novellas comprising the first long novel in the planned "trilogy of trilogies". I think I will continue with it once the sequels go out.)
Take this rating as 3 1/2 stars - 1-5 is too coarse a resolution. But, I mean, if I give 4 stars to Robert Silverberg's Downward to the Earth Vol. 1 or The Pride of Chanur, I cannot give this effort the same.
We have seen almost every trope from this novel before - aliens resembling demons, rigid, sometimes stupid soldiers who occasionally allow to be reached through their thick skulls anyway, a sadistic "mad scientist", another lone scientist achieving communication with astonishing speed... Regardless, this first part of a trilogy is quite serviceable entertainment, as are the two sequels.
(Update: the third installment ends in an abrupt, obvious cliff-hanger, while the first two didn't. It just screamed "sequel!!!". Sure enough, the author's website admits that this "trilogy" actually consists of three sizeable novellas comprising the first long novel in the planned "trilogy of trilogies". I think I will continue with it once the sequels go out.)
Take this rating as 3 1/2 stars - 1-5 is too coarse a resolution. But, I mean, if I give 4 stars to Robert Silverberg's Downward to the Earth Vol. 1 or The Pride of Chanur, I cannot give this effort the same.
September 1, 2024
Started a little confusing but got fascinating.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews