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Learning "Human"
Will Sigma understand love or will he become the monster humans think he is?
After the longest war, humans live in camps, trained as soldiers, stuck in an endless battle against the planet itself. As Earth's enemy, empath alien Sigma has trouble learning about his new confusing human life while sensing everyone's overwhelming hatred. So when Rho behaves different, he wonders: what is this warmth he feels inside? Will Rho's friends Phi and Mu accept him as one of their own? And can Sigma survive Rho's best friend Xi's attempts in painting him as a monster and destroying him from the inside?
Genres: Sci-fi, LGBT+, Paranormal Romance. Multiple POV. Recommended age: 12+ (EU)/18+ (US). Contains one explicit chapter.
After the longest war, humans live in camps, trained as soldiers, stuck in an endless battle against the planet itself. As Earth's enemy, empath alien Sigma has trouble learning about his new confusing human life while sensing everyone's overwhelming hatred. So when Rho behaves different, he wonders: what is this warmth he feels inside? Will Rho's friends Phi and Mu accept him as one of their own? And can Sigma survive Rho's best friend Xi's attempts in painting him as a monster and destroying him from the inside?
Genres: Sci-fi, LGBT+, Paranormal Romance. Multiple POV. Recommended age: 12+ (EU)/18+ (US). Contains one explicit chapter.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 9, 2021
2 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
N.J. de Natris
1 book6 followersHello, I'm NJ alias Yinello! 30+ old queer multiracial mom and part-time dreamer living in The Netherlands. Writing is my favorite escapist hobby and in these strange times, an outlet that keeps me steady. I love sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, thriller and anything extraordinary as long as it comes in LGBTQ+ flavor.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 30, 2022
Intense worldbuilding, great characters with lots of depth and development and wow, this blew me away! I really enjoyed reading it and I kinda lost my heart to Sigma. He is so precious!
But not only him, all the characters were well fleshed out and their way of acting was (mostly) relatable (mostly because we need a villain, don't we?).
The author is a queer multiracial person and the books starts with some heartfelt words about how queer representation is so important and still mostly banished into the background of most media. And it shows in this book, because we get lots of representation! Trans, gay, lesbians, nonbinary people with all skin colours and more! It's such a joy and a great asset of Sci Fi because we can still hope that it will be as easy for us queer people in the future as it is in this wonderful book. ♡
The only thing that bothered me a bit is the circumstance that the story is told by many characters from their own point of few and I was confused at the beginning of most chapters because I always had to figure out whose point of view we would be following now. A short notice of the character's name would have prevented that.
But not only him, all the characters were well fleshed out and their way of acting was (mostly) relatable (mostly because we need a villain, don't we?).
The author is a queer multiracial person and the books starts with some heartfelt words about how queer representation is so important and still mostly banished into the background of most media. And it shows in this book, because we get lots of representation! Trans, gay, lesbians, nonbinary people with all skin colours and more! It's such a joy and a great asset of Sci Fi because we can still hope that it will be as easy for us queer people in the future as it is in this wonderful book. ♡
The only thing that bothered me a bit is the circumstance that the story is told by many characters from their own point of few and I was confused at the beginning of most chapters because I always had to figure out whose point of view we would be following now. A short notice of the character's name would have prevented that.
September 2, 2021
It took me a few chapters to get into this book, but I'm so glad I stuck with it. Sigma is a fantastic character I really empathized with. The world building was great, too. de Natris has a unique perspective and I'm so glad I got to read this story!
July 1, 2021
[A free copy was provided by the author]
Coming from someone who tends to skip the romance genre, this novel was an absolute delight. Early on the worldbuilding and hints to the world's history will keep your attention, until you suddenly find yourself invested in all of the characters.
The story revolves around the alien Sigma, who can take a humanoid form, and his human friend Rho. Sigma is still learning human behavior and customs, while distrust of him starts forming in his fellow campmates. The characters' relationships are explored alongside the history and current state of their world.
All the characters are written in a very "human" and realistic way and the romance feels well-earned at the end. With there being enough setup for a follow-up, I hope you give it a try and we can see more of Sigma and Rho in the future.
Coming from someone who tends to skip the romance genre, this novel was an absolute delight. Early on the worldbuilding and hints to the world's history will keep your attention, until you suddenly find yourself invested in all of the characters.
The story revolves around the alien Sigma, who can take a humanoid form, and his human friend Rho. Sigma is still learning human behavior and customs, while distrust of him starts forming in his fellow campmates. The characters' relationships are explored alongside the history and current state of their world.
All the characters are written in a very "human" and realistic way and the romance feels well-earned at the end. With there being enough setup for a follow-up, I hope you give it a try and we can see more of Sigma and Rho in the future.
August 2, 2021
A surprisingly good read. Can recommend from the unique perspective of how someone experiences emotion, but most importantly from the unique dystopian future that does not feel gloomy as dystopians usually do. The LGBTQ aspect in the book is well embedded and feels like a natural part of the future. A hidden gem.
June 27, 2021
Wonderful, sweet and queer.
Going through the journey of humanity with Sigma is a delight, and the world building leaves you wanting for more, an itch to uncover all the mysteries that turned Earth into a wasteland.
10/10
Going through the journey of humanity with Sigma is a delight, and the world building leaves you wanting for more, an itch to uncover all the mysteries that turned Earth into a wasteland.
10/10
December 23, 2021
I forgot to mark this as finished! Im so thankful I got to read this book. All the characters are a power house - from the main ones to the side characters. The relationships are perfect. The world is intriguing. I cant wait to see more
November 6, 2021
Incredible worldbuilding introduced very organically, and a colorful cast of diverse characters to explore! (Sigma in particular is a favorite, love me some good ol "local nonhuman creature has to learn how the whole human thing works." Learning "human" ain't no false title!)
The writing itself also slaps a lot, with really powerful lines that sucker punch you in the guts. Every chapter follows a different pov, and it really does a good job highlighting how differently these people think & percieve the world.
My only gripe is that around midway through, the pacing suddenly drops imo. It got a lot harder to me to pass these few chapters, while everything before & after these specific spots got me glued on my seat.
Overall, really good for a first book, and totes a rec! If you like queer sci-fi & monster/human relationships, you ought to give it a try!
The writing itself also slaps a lot, with really powerful lines that sucker punch you in the guts. Every chapter follows a different pov, and it really does a good job highlighting how differently these people think & percieve the world.
My only gripe is that around midway through, the pacing suddenly drops imo. It got a lot harder to me to pass these few chapters, while everything before & after these specific spots got me glued on my seat.
Overall, really good for a first book, and totes a rec! If you like queer sci-fi & monster/human relationships, you ought to give it a try!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews