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Prodigals
If they’re coming for us, who’s coming for them?
The galaxy is vast, and not everything is what it seems. The invasion we always feared is here.
Which begs the question: what do the invaders fear? If not us, then what…or who
And what happens to the would-be peacemakers when they find themselves in the middle of something else? Something dangerous, something highly advanced, and … something familiar?
If humanity is wise, we will prepare for everything we can imagine.
But we cannot prepare for what we cannot imagine.
It might be benign, it might be malign, or it might be a sign.
You just have to know where to look.
The galaxy is vast, and not everything is what it seems. The invasion we always feared is here.
Which begs the question: what do the invaders fear? If not us, then what…or who
And what happens to the would-be peacemakers when they find themselves in the middle of something else? Something dangerous, something highly advanced, and … something familiar?
If humanity is wise, we will prepare for everything we can imagine.
But we cannot prepare for what we cannot imagine.
It might be benign, it might be malign, or it might be a sign.
You just have to know where to look.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2022
61 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Alan Dean Foster
498 books2,033 followersBestselling science fiction writer Alan Dean Foster was born in New York City in 1946, but raised mainly in California. He received a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA in 1968, and a M.F.A. in 1969. Foster lives in Arizona with his wife, but he enjoys traveling because it gives him opportunities to meet new people and explore new places and cultures. This interest is carried over to his writing, but with a twist: the new places encountered in his books are likely to be on another planet, and the people may belong to an alien race.
Foster began his career as an author when a letter he sent to Arkham Collection was purchased by the editor and published in the magazine in 1968. His first novel, The Tar-Aiym Krang, introduced the Humanx Commonwealth, a galactic alliance between humans and an insectlike race called Thranx. Several other novels, including the Icerigger trilogy, are also set in the world of the Commonwealth. The Tar-Aiym Krang also marked the first appearance of Flinx, a young man with paranormal abilities, who reappears in other books, including Orphan Star, For Love of Mother-Not, and Flinx in Flux.
Foster has also written The Damned series and the Spellsinger series, which includes The Hour of the Gate, The Moment of the Magician, The Paths of the Perambulator, and Son of Spellsinger, among others. Other books include novelizations of science fiction movies and television shows such as Star Trek, The Black Hole, Starman, Star Wars, and the Alien movies. Splinter of the Mind's Eye, a bestselling novel based on the Star Wars movies, received the Galaxy Award in 1979. The book Cyber Way won the Southwest Book Award for Fiction in 1990. His novel Our Lady of the Machine won him the UPC Award (Spain) in 1993. He also won the Ignotus Award (Spain) in 1994 and the Stannik Award (Russia) in 2000.
Foster began his career as an author when a letter he sent to Arkham Collection was purchased by the editor and published in the magazine in 1968. His first novel, The Tar-Aiym Krang, introduced the Humanx Commonwealth, a galactic alliance between humans and an insectlike race called Thranx. Several other novels, including the Icerigger trilogy, are also set in the world of the Commonwealth. The Tar-Aiym Krang also marked the first appearance of Flinx, a young man with paranormal abilities, who reappears in other books, including Orphan Star, For Love of Mother-Not, and Flinx in Flux.
Foster has also written The Damned series and the Spellsinger series, which includes The Hour of the Gate, The Moment of the Magician, The Paths of the Perambulator, and Son of Spellsinger, among others. Other books include novelizations of science fiction movies and television shows such as Star Trek, The Black Hole, Starman, Star Wars, and the Alien movies. Splinter of the Mind's Eye, a bestselling novel based on the Star Wars movies, received the Galaxy Award in 1979. The book Cyber Way won the Southwest Book Award for Fiction in 1990. His novel Our Lady of the Machine won him the UPC Award (Spain) in 1993. He also won the Ignotus Award (Spain) in 1994 and the Stannik Award (Russia) in 2000.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 16, 2024
Slow pace; only got interesting at the end
This novel has a bit of a surprise ending, so I won’t give it away, but it’s one of those stories that drags on and on and then gets interesting right at the end. I’ve been a fan of the author’s works for most of my life, but I didn’t particularly enjoy this one.
The description in the product listing isn’t very useful in explaining what this book is about. It’s a first contact story, which is evident in the first few pages. Then the contact team is “accidentally“ abducted by the aliens, and the story goes on from there.
The ending was a bit thought-provoking, but it also appeared to be promoting an agenda in regard to a certain kind of racism.
I found that the main characters were quite slow in arriving at conclusions that I figured out early on. It was a bit annoying to see them struggle to figure something out when I already knew what it was. Also, their responses to certain events were not what I would have expected and seemed a bit contrived at times. I found it hard to get immersed in the story because I kept thinking about what I would have done instead, in a similar situation.
The narrative also didn’t flow very well. It seemed like the author was trying to make certain points and included them in a way that seemed stiff and disjointed. This was unexpected and is quite different from what I’ve experienced in the author’s other novels.
I don’t recommend this novel unless you are a connoisseur of first contact stories or are a hard-core fan of Alan Dean Foster. I give it 3/5 stars.
This novel has a bit of a surprise ending, so I won’t give it away, but it’s one of those stories that drags on and on and then gets interesting right at the end. I’ve been a fan of the author’s works for most of my life, but I didn’t particularly enjoy this one.
The description in the product listing isn’t very useful in explaining what this book is about. It’s a first contact story, which is evident in the first few pages. Then the contact team is “accidentally“ abducted by the aliens, and the story goes on from there.
The ending was a bit thought-provoking, but it also appeared to be promoting an agenda in regard to a certain kind of racism.
I found that the main characters were quite slow in arriving at conclusions that I figured out early on. It was a bit annoying to see them struggle to figure something out when I already knew what it was. Also, their responses to certain events were not what I would have expected and seemed a bit contrived at times. I found it hard to get immersed in the story because I kept thinking about what I would have done instead, in a similar situation.
The narrative also didn’t flow very well. It seemed like the author was trying to make certain points and included them in a way that seemed stiff and disjointed. This was unexpected and is quite different from what I’ve experienced in the author’s other novels.
I don’t recommend this novel unless you are a connoisseur of first contact stories or are a hard-core fan of Alan Dean Foster. I give it 3/5 stars.
February 20, 2025
A different kind of read for me.
I liked that this book continually surprised me with little twists and unexpected storylines. Even the ending wasn't what I expected
I liked that this book continually surprised me with little twists and unexpected storylines. Even the ending wasn't what I expected
November 23, 2022
3.5
A fine book that tackles many sci-fi tropes in a novel way. I feel like it could’ve been pushed even even further, though, in order to compete with some of the greats.
A fine book that tackles many sci-fi tropes in a novel way. I feel like it could’ve been pushed even even further, though, in order to compete with some of the greats.
November 3, 2022
A truly fun read — I could not put this book down. Mr. Foster still knows how to spin a first-rate page turner.
January 14, 2023
Basic sci-fi competently written.
October 15, 2023
To much religion in the story.
October 24, 2022
I like a lot of what the author has written. I found out about this book through Woodfire Press, as they are have a section on Baen’s newsletter. The story is quirky, with some of the fun I found in his “The Damned” series or that found in Pip & Flinx. The premise was fun and different, but I found the ending to be forced and clunky.
The setup is standard enough. Aliens show up and demand something. Contact teams are hastily put together. But then the story swerves, in a good way. Humans want everything to be profound, but what happens when there is something simpler at the core of the alien behavior?
The tying up of the plot becomes a bit silly. The aliens turn out to be something else, which then leads to other aliens and then the super linguist has a purpose. But the quirkiness of the first set of aliens is replaced by even more serious aliens. I do wish we had the 3d printer capability of the human rooms on the ship. That would make an even bigger impact than aliens appearing and then leaving.
The setup is standard enough. Aliens show up and demand something. Contact teams are hastily put together. But then the story swerves, in a good way. Humans want everything to be profound, but what happens when there is something simpler at the core of the alien behavior?
The tying up of the plot becomes a bit silly. The aliens turn out to be something else, which then leads to other aliens and then the super linguist has a purpose. But the quirkiness of the first set of aliens is replaced by even more serious aliens. I do wish we had the 3d printer capability of the human rooms on the ship. That would make an even bigger impact than aliens appearing and then leaving.
December 7, 2022
Enjoyable Read
A good enough book to read in a day. I would recommend this book.
The first two thirds of this book were fantastic. A story line that continued at a rapid and interesting pace with enjoyable surprises. The conclusion while feasible and “possible” just seemed a little weaker then expected from this quality of writer. But the ramifications of the conclusion did make me think, as did the whole book, about preconceived notions pertaining to how aliens could change the world.
A good enough book to read in a day. I would recommend this book.
The first two thirds of this book were fantastic. A story line that continued at a rapid and interesting pace with enjoyable surprises. The conclusion while feasible and “possible” just seemed a little weaker then expected from this quality of writer. But the ramifications of the conclusion did make me think, as did the whole book, about preconceived notions pertaining to how aliens could change the world.
August 2, 2024
Riveting
I have been reading the author's books since I was a teenager. His imagination and vocabulary have always captivated me. This book didn't go as I expected. Much of the behavior seemed immature, unexpected, and disappointing. Nonetheless, I could barely put it down. I enjoyed the story. The twist was unexpected and amusing, especially taking tiny phrases from historical documents and expanding them beyond expectation. Now where is that next Flinx book? 😁
I have been reading the author's books since I was a teenager. His imagination and vocabulary have always captivated me. This book didn't go as I expected. Much of the behavior seemed immature, unexpected, and disappointing. Nonetheless, I could barely put it down. I enjoyed the story. The twist was unexpected and amusing, especially taking tiny phrases from historical documents and expanding them beyond expectation. Now where is that next Flinx book? 😁
August 24, 2024
The first sci-fi book in a long time that captured my attention from beginning to end. Although relatively short, this was an excellent story of space and the human condition. I look forward to reading more from Alan Dean Foster and am ashamed it has taken me so long to read one of his works.
November 10, 2025
Began the story of first contact gone awry. Perfidious aliens contact group. OK.
Some mild peril. Bonding of contactees
But then at the end the story was finished with some "genteel antisemitism".
alien ex machina.....
Do better....
Some mild peril. Bonding of contactees
But then at the end the story was finished with some "genteel antisemitism".
alien ex machina.....
Do better....
January 16, 2023
A strange first contact novel with a surprise ending. A few of the characters felt a bit flat, but still a decent read.
August 13, 2023
A fun story
I like all of the twists that Prodigals took. It started out as a first contact story and moved into. A story that was more interesting. It's a nice lite read.
I like all of the twists that Prodigals took. It started out as a first contact story and moved into. A story that was more interesting. It's a nice lite read.
August 18, 2024
Not my favorite Foster book.
Actually, It's my least favorite.
Actually, It's my least favorite.
April 2, 2025
What to do?
I don't know if I was given the opportunity I would take it. But it does make me appreciate all that I would be giving up. It definitely makes you think.
I don't know if I was given the opportunity I would take it. But it does make me appreciate all that I would be giving up. It definitely makes you think.
September 16, 2022
A slow burn for sure, but not bad. If you're looking for battles, chases or well action of any kind, this won't be for you. If you want something slower and more thought provoking, take a look. The premise was interesting enough to keep my attention.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews