Meet New Books
Book Cover

Illegal Alien

Save:
Find on Amazon

Illegal Alien by Robert J. Sawyer is a science fiction novel that delves into the intersection of legal systems and alien encounters. The story follows the trial of an alien named Hask, who is accused of murder after a human scientist is killed during the aliens' visit to Earth. The book intricately weaves together elements of courtroom drama, mystery, and science fiction, exploring themes of justice, trust, and deception. Sawyer's writing style captivates readers with compelling characters, detailed world-building, and a surprise ending that keeps them intrigued until the last page.

Characters:

Characters are distinct with strong development, particularly the lawyer and the alien.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is engaging, blending science fiction with courtroom drama and incorporating humor.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers around an alien accused of murder, delving into courtroom dynamics and the complexities of the justice system.

Setting:

The setting includes contemporary Earth with a focus on a Los Angeles courtroom amidst an alien first contact scenario.

Pacing:

The pacing is tight and fast, keeping readers engaged with continuous suspense.
Francis Nobilio, a short white man of fifty with wavy hair mixed evenly between brown and gray, was sitting in a vinyl-upholstered metal chair. He was wearing a two-piece dark-blue business suit and a...

Notes:

The book was published in 1997, during the OJ Simpson murder trial.
The main character, Dale Rice, is a 70-year-old black lawyer who knew Martin Luther King Jr.
The plot focuses on an alien named Hask accused of murdering a human scientist.
Sawyer researched the American justice system extensively for this book.
Themes include racism, trust, deception, and perseverance.
The alien species in the book, the Tosoks, are described as having four eyes and two mouths.
The courtroom testimony by the alien Hask includes humorous moments, like singing to the jury.
Sawyer's writing blends science fiction with legal and courtroom drama.
The book was well-received and has been described as a blend of science fiction and a good mystery.
A movie adaptation for 'Illegal Alien' is reportedly in the works.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Medium content warnings are applicable due to some gruesome details related to the murder and themes addressing racism.

From The Publisher:

When a disabled spaceship enters Earth's atmosphere, seven members of the advanced Tosok race are welcomed by the world. Then a popular scientist is murdered, and all evidence points to one of the Tosoks. Now, an alien is tried in a court of law-and there may be far more at stake than accounting for one human life.

Ratings (1)

Loved It (1)

Reader Stats (1):

Read It (1)

About the Author:

Robert J. Sawyer has been called "the dean of Canadian science fiction" by The Ottawa Citizen.

He is one of only seven writers in history-and the only Canadian-to win all three of the world's top awards for best science-fiction novel of the year: the Hugo (which he won in 2003 for Hominids), the Nebula (which he won in 1995 for The Terminal Experiment), and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award (which he won in 2005 for Mindscan).

In total, Rob has authored over 18 science-fiction novels and won forty-one national and international awards for his fiction, including a record-setting ten Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards ("Auroras") and the Toronto Public Library Celebrates Reading Award, one of Canada's most significant literary honors. In 2008, he received his tenth Hugo Award nomination for his novel Rollback.

His novels have been translated into 14 languages. They are top-ten national mainstream bestsellers in Canada and have hit number one on the Locus bestsellers' list.

Born in Ottawa in 1960, Rob grew up in Toronto and now lives in Mississauga (just west of Toronto), with poet Carolyn Clink, his wife of twenty-four years.

He was the first science-fiction writer to have a website, and that site now contains more than one million words of material.

 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.