by John Scalzi
First published 2005
Humanity's first contact with an alien race is a PR nightmare. The Yherajk are hideously ugly and smell like rotting fish, making them a tough sell to skeptical humans. Enter Thomas Stein, a Hollywood hotshot agent tasked with brokering this out-of-this-world deal. But while Stein knows how to close a movie contract, negotiating for an entire alien species is a whole different ballgame. He'll need every ounce of his cunning and charisma to win over humanity and make this partnership work.
Genres: fiction, science-fiction, aliens, comedy
Vibes: fast-paced, humorous, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, unlikely-hero
286 pages · Hardcover · Subterranean