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Fuzzy Sapiens #2
Fuzzy Sapiens
Are Fuzzies People?
Pendarvis' Decision had finally declared the Fuzzies to be intelligent beings, and that meant some drastic changes for the Earthmen who had colonized their planet, changes that a lot of people weren't going to accept easily. But why worry? said others.
The Fuzzies seemed lovable, fun-loving creatures, only two feet high, and covered with soft, golden fur. Give them plenty of extee-three and they'd do anything you asked.
What ruling race of invaders could ask for a more ideal native population?
Pendarvis' Decision had finally declared the Fuzzies to be intelligent beings, and that meant some drastic changes for the Earthmen who had colonized their planet, changes that a lot of people weren't going to accept easily. But why worry? said others.
The Fuzzies seemed lovable, fun-loving creatures, only two feet high, and covered with soft, golden fur. Give them plenty of extee-three and they'd do anything you asked.
What ruling race of invaders could ask for a more ideal native population?
240 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1964
106 people are currently reading
829 people want to read
About the author
H. Beam Piper
304 books244 followersHenry Beam Piper was an American science fiction author. He wrote many short stories and several novels. He is best known for his extensive Terro-Human Future History series of stories and a shorter series of "Paratime" alternate history tales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
July 13, 2022
The Other Human Race is the second novel in Piper's Fuzzy trilogy, his best-known and most popular work. It picks up right where Little Fuzzy left off and continues the exploration (and possible exploitation) of the brilliantly conceived species. The world building and legal battle aspects were wrapped up in the first book (which I'd say would have to be read first in order to appreciate this one), so there's not as much plot, but the scientific procedures are quite captivating, as, of course, are the characterizations. The Fuzzies are more convincing than the humans. Ace reprinted this one in the mid-1970s under a different title, Fuzzy Sapiens, with a lovely Michael Whelan cover. The cover of my Avon edition has faded into a black shadow over the years. Good, classic stuff!
December 2, 2014
A sequel that picks up the narrative immediately after the first book (as will the 3rd book in the series Fuzzies and Other People) - your best bet is to read these books together one after the other.
There is, however, a distinct drop in story quality and in reader impact in this second book. Most of it comes across as quite boring, and it's during this book that one really begins to feel antagonistic towards the paternalistic and patronizing attitudes the humans have toward the fuzzies. Fuzzies are cute and playful, yet primitive, so therefore they must be children. Let's adopt them!
The book also suffered in the way it dramatically yet simplistically flipped Victor Grego's character. He was the boss bad guy in the first novel, but fuzzies are just so cute that he can be won over and become good. So now we need some new bad guys... And thus good vs evil is once again starkly black-and-white.
It's worth reading this book to bridge to the 3rd book, which deals with the events in this story and finally begins getting some humanity into the human characters, as well as letting the fuzzies have some dignity as sapient beings and not just "cute kids".
3 stars at most.
There is, however, a distinct drop in story quality and in reader impact in this second book. Most of it comes across as quite boring, and it's during this book that one really begins to feel antagonistic towards the paternalistic and patronizing attitudes the humans have toward the fuzzies. Fuzzies are cute and playful, yet primitive, so therefore they must be children. Let's adopt them!
The book also suffered in the way it dramatically yet simplistically flipped Victor Grego's character. He was the boss bad guy in the first novel, but fuzzies are just so cute that he can be won over and become good. So now we need some new bad guys... And thus good vs evil is once again starkly black-and-white.
It's worth reading this book to bridge to the 3rd book, which deals with the events in this story and finally begins getting some humanity into the human characters, as well as letting the fuzzies have some dignity as sapient beings and not just "cute kids".
3 stars at most.
August 3, 2019
Reading old school science fiction is always fun: seeing what the author predicts and what they can't imagine. This was published in 1964. Booze, smoking, and coffee have spread to all the worlds in 500 years. There are flying cars and video calling and enormous computers; but also paper for all the business, cocktail parties, and those wacky fifties gender norms that some mistakenly call "traditional". (It wouldn't pass the Bechdel test, but there are actually quite a few women working)
Piper new what he was doing. The humans are nearly interchangeable, but none of that matters because he gave all the personality to the Fuzzies. Who are adorable! Everybody wants one! I want one!
There is a crime investigation to provide plot, but the crime is no worse than that found in your average Nancy Drew. It really feels like Piper sat down to write a fun-for-the-whole-family book about how the Fuzzies can possibly survive the human invasion, especially with an incredibly rare and valuable natural resource on their world. He nailed it.
Library copy
Piper new what he was doing. The humans are nearly interchangeable, but none of that matters because he gave all the personality to the Fuzzies. Who are adorable! Everybody wants one! I want one!
There is a crime investigation to provide plot, but the crime is no worse than that found in your average Nancy Drew. It really feels like Piper sat down to write a fun-for-the-whole-family book about how the Fuzzies can possibly survive the human invasion, especially with an incredibly rare and valuable natural resource on their world. He nailed it.
Library copy
August 24, 2014
Disappointing.
Not nearly as good as Little Fuzzy, but--once it finally got started--an enjoyable bit of historic science fiction. It's fun reading books written in the 1960s for the quaint social practices which the authors assume will remain centuries later, but in fact died in fifty years. And, of course, the changes in technology make much for humorous reading also.
For the complete review (including spoilers) see: http://amatteroffancy.wordpress.com/2014/08/24/fuzzy-sapiens-by-h-beam-piper-three-stars/
Still, a good read.
Not nearly as good as Little Fuzzy, but--once it finally got started--an enjoyable bit of historic science fiction. It's fun reading books written in the 1960s for the quaint social practices which the authors assume will remain centuries later, but in fact died in fifty years. And, of course, the changes in technology make much for humorous reading also.
For the complete review (including spoilers) see: http://amatteroffancy.wordpress.com/2014/08/24/fuzzy-sapiens-by-h-beam-piper-three-stars/
Still, a good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2013
Fuzzy Sapiens takes up a week after the book Little Fuzzy finishes. Though the Fuzzies have been deemed Sapient beings I found through this entire book they were treated more like pets (who can speak) and the whole adoption process felt to me just like going to the local pound to adopt a stray. Having a Fuzzy enter their lives seemed to instantly change the villains from the previous book into good guys.
All in all an ok read, if you enjoyed the first book, but only just!
All in all an ok read, if you enjoyed the first book, but only just!
June 16, 2025
4 Stars! A bit of a slow start but turned out to be thoroughly enjoyable. These are pretty fun books and I like how most of the people are actually pretty good. Looking forward to the last of the original trilogy. Enjoy!
Quotes:
- “There is a gunsmith here in town who has a sign in his shop, There are only twenty-four hours in a day and there is only one of me. I have often considered copying that sign in my laboratory.” (p241)
- “Wherever Terran humans went, they planted tobacco and coffee, to have coffee and cigarettes for breakfast, and wherever they went they found or introduced something that would ferment to produce C2H5OH, and around 1730-ish each day, they had Cocktail Hour.” (p244-245)
- “He forgot about the drink he was going to have with Mr. Victor Grego. You had a drink when the work was done, and there was still work to do.” (p247)
- “Why, it was unthinkable!.. Unthinkable, hell. He was thinking about it now, wasn't he?” (p275)
Quotes:
- “There is a gunsmith here in town who has a sign in his shop, There are only twenty-four hours in a day and there is only one of me. I have often considered copying that sign in my laboratory.” (p241)
- “Wherever Terran humans went, they planted tobacco and coffee, to have coffee and cigarettes for breakfast, and wherever they went they found or introduced something that would ferment to produce C2H5OH, and around 1730-ish each day, they had Cocktail Hour.” (p244-245)
- “He forgot about the drink he was going to have with Mr. Victor Grego. You had a drink when the work was done, and there was still work to do.” (p247)
- “Why, it was unthinkable!.. Unthinkable, hell. He was thinking about it now, wasn't he?” (p275)
February 18, 2011
This book takes up pretty much immediately after its predecessor, Little Fuzzy, finishes and continues the story of the (now legally protected as) sapient species Fuzzy Fuzzy Holloway on the colony world Zarathustra. The jacket blurb on my edition was actually misleading, hinting at an existential threat to the species that didn't turn up until pretty late in the book, and was then resolved pretty quickly and without much drama.
I was somewhat bemused throughout the book by the treatment of the Fuzzies by the Humans. Despite repeatedly stating that they were sentient, they were often treated like pets, although I'm not sure if this is was deliberately done by the author to show confusion in the colonists' minds or was an issue that Piper had.
One thing that I found quite quaint was the very mid-twentieth century attitudes on display, partially in the treatment of courting and women (not as bad as some, since it actually allowed women to work in serious jobs) and very much in the fact that everyone seemed to stop in the early evening for a cocktail hour. It somehow felt quite colonial, in the British Empire sense, and not really like a frontier colony world at all, but it was charming, in its own way.
Charming is a good word to describe the book as a whole, really. There's little sense of threat and the whole thing just feels like an extended footnote to the previous volume. I still found it enjoyable though and one thing that I did like was how it rehabilitated the villains from the previous book. In that, the Company that ran the planet had a vested interest in proving the Fuzzies non-sapient, since otherwise they would lose their claim to the planet, but now that that has happened, the company brass shrug and just get on with dealing with the aftermath, and are portrayed much more sympathetically than before.
In summary, the book was enjoyable and fun, but by no means essential reading for fans of Little Fuzzy.
I was somewhat bemused throughout the book by the treatment of the Fuzzies by the Humans. Despite repeatedly stating that they were sentient, they were often treated like pets, although I'm not sure if this is was deliberately done by the author to show confusion in the colonists' minds or was an issue that Piper had.
One thing that I found quite quaint was the very mid-twentieth century attitudes on display, partially in the treatment of courting and women (not as bad as some, since it actually allowed women to work in serious jobs) and very much in the fact that everyone seemed to stop in the early evening for a cocktail hour. It somehow felt quite colonial, in the British Empire sense, and not really like a frontier colony world at all, but it was charming, in its own way.
Charming is a good word to describe the book as a whole, really. There's little sense of threat and the whole thing just feels like an extended footnote to the previous volume. I still found it enjoyable though and one thing that I did like was how it rehabilitated the villains from the previous book. In that, the Company that ran the planet had a vested interest in proving the Fuzzies non-sapient, since otherwise they would lose their claim to the planet, but now that that has happened, the company brass shrug and just get on with dealing with the aftermath, and are portrayed much more sympathetically than before.
In summary, the book was enjoyable and fun, but by no means essential reading for fans of Little Fuzzy.
June 29, 2021
"Fuzzy Sapiens" is the sequel to "Little Fuzzy" and, as I enjoyed that book so much, I had to read the sequel. No surprise, it was not as good as the original story and I should give it only 2 stars. But the Little Fuzzies are such cute and lovable little creatures that I have to give this one 3 stars, not bad though not great. I want to point out that many science fiction fans reading this will think the Fuzzies are a rip-off of Star Wars' Ewoks. Nope. "Fuzzy Sapiens" was published in 1964 ( the original in 1962) so long before the Ewoks came along in 1983-was it? I think it's the other way around and someone (?) ripped-off the Fuzzies.
Anyway, in the original story, the Fuzzies have been saved by their human protectors on the planet of Zarathustra. In the sequel, we have a mystery. A group of the small creatures are missing....I will add that I'm somewhat leery about the humans adopting Fuzzies as pets...While the sequel is not as good as the original, I want to continue reading this series. FUZZY POWER!
A note on the author, H. Beam Piper (1904--1964). He was a late bloomer as a writer, beginning his writing career when he was in his forties. Then he died way too young when he took his own life. A tragic life story...but at least we have the Little Fuzzies.
Anyway, in the original story, the Fuzzies have been saved by their human protectors on the planet of Zarathustra. In the sequel, we have a mystery. A group of the small creatures are missing....I will add that I'm somewhat leery about the humans adopting Fuzzies as pets...While the sequel is not as good as the original, I want to continue reading this series. FUZZY POWER!
A note on the author, H. Beam Piper (1904--1964). He was a late bloomer as a writer, beginning his writing career when he was in his forties. Then he died way too young when he took his own life. A tragic life story...but at least we have the Little Fuzzies.
June 28, 2013
This is the second of the Fuzzy books that feature among the most memorable aliens in science fiction. Mind you, they're so cute as to induce sugar shock. Creatures "two feet tall, with wide-eyed... face... covered with soft golden fur," playful, sane, sweet and emotionally and intellectually about ten years old. The first book dealt with some sophisticated concepts. The "Fuzzies" are on a planet colonized by humans and largely owned and ruled by a corporation under a charter only valid if there are no sapient indigenous life forms. So when the Fuzzies first show up, it soon becomes a very serious matter indeed whether they're just cute animals--or people. The second novel develops some issues not resolved in the first one, and is still entertaining, although perhaps not as fresh in conception. I did like how in the second novel things were less black and white. Piper's not an elegant prose stylist. There are point-of-view jumps, and flaky section breaks (might be more an issue of bad editing than writing) and at times clumsy phrasing. But Piper's a good storyteller nevertheless and presents appealing characters--human and non-human alike. It's an good read.
March 13, 2022
@murph Finished Fuzzy Sapiens on the third one now and apparently there are about six other books by various authors including Scalzi, see Goodreads.
https://www.goodreads.com/series/4937...
The second Fuzzy novel takes place immediately after the Fuzzy trial (so does the third book, Fuzzies and Other People) that proves them sentient.
Maybe because it's the second Fuzzy book the quality drops a little and the story becomes a little dull.
The people in it get to be rather annoying in the way they treat the Fuzzies, treating them like children one minute then like pets the next, giving them cigarettes and pipes and teaching them how to smoke (different times eh) but what do you expect when nearly every human character in this book smokes like a chimney, drinks like a fish and goes around armed at all times, it's a wonder the place isn't a bloodbath.
Now there sentience is proven the Zarathustra company who lost possession of the planet to its indigenous natives and were the "bad guys" in the first novel have done a 180° turn and are now actively helping Jack Holloway and pals in protecting the~~Ewoks~~Fuzzies.
https://www.goodreads.com/series/4937...
The second Fuzzy novel takes place immediately after the Fuzzy trial (so does the third book, Fuzzies and Other People) that proves them sentient.
Maybe because it's the second Fuzzy book the quality drops a little and the story becomes a little dull.
The people in it get to be rather annoying in the way they treat the Fuzzies, treating them like children one minute then like pets the next, giving them cigarettes and pipes and teaching them how to smoke (different times eh) but what do you expect when nearly every human character in this book smokes like a chimney, drinks like a fish and goes around armed at all times, it's a wonder the place isn't a bloodbath.
Now there sentience is proven the Zarathustra company who lost possession of the planet to its indigenous natives and were the "bad guys" in the first novel have done a 180° turn and are now actively helping Jack Holloway and pals in protecting the~~Ewoks~~Fuzzies.
August 16, 2015
H. Beam Piper is a treasure. This isn't quite as exciting as "Little Fuzzy," but Piper keeps the tone, humor, and regret coming in a manner that is both uplifting and inspiring. If you love Dobby the elf, "The Wind in the Willows," or the passionate drive for social change found in the late Terry Pratchett's work, Piper's Fuzzy books might be just the gem you've been searching for.
April 19, 2013
Well this book hit it's sophomore slump. Lucky it was quite short. I hear the next one is a lot better so looking forward to reading that.
December 26, 2017
This book held a lot of promise, but I felt some of the major issues were somewhat glossed over and could have been dealt with better.
Still interested enough to try to seek out the third in the trilogy, but not a story I'd re-read multiple times.
Still interested enough to try to seek out the third in the trilogy, but not a story I'd re-read multiple times.
November 11, 2022
I read Little Fuzzy last month after picking the entire trilogy, alongside John Scalzi's reboot, up at a senior center. Of all the places to find nice vintage Science Fiction... well, I sure didn't complain when I found the series, and I'm still not complaining after reading the first two installments; I enjoyed Little Fuzzy a decent amount (7.5/10), and while Fuzzy Sapiens isn't quite as good, it's still a fun read.
I liken Fuzzy Sapiens to the sequel of a family/kids' movie sequel. It's got the entire cast of the first installment, and adds some new ones: here, we've got some nasty criminals playing around with the politics of Zarathustra's recent Federation incorporation to give us some baddies now that Victor and most of the other bad guys from book one have learned to love the Fuzzies in the course of a couple weeks. Unrealistic? Probably. Does it detract from the story? Not really. The other unfortunate element to this comparison is that, just like that box-office-induced animated sequel, Fuzzy Sapiens lacks a bit of Little Fuzzy's sophistication. One of the themes that elevated that book was the question: what does it mean to be sentient? There's no real philosophical or science fictional musing here, which brings the story down a notch.
There's still stuff going on: this shady criminal guy is trying to claim Zaratustran land through the legal system, pushing the Corporation and the Fuzzy Lovers closer together. A Fuzzy winds up in Victor's office and it sees him transformed into a kind and caring person. They try to figure out where the Fuzzy (Diamond) came from, and it leads to Mr Criminal trying to sell Fuzzies as pets. As they're sentient beings, that's a no-no. But apparently it's a yes-yes that the human government can divvie up all the Fuzzies that show up among the Fuzzy-seeking people of Zarathustra, even though they're sentient?... silly humans. The judge's wife is put in charge of the adoption board. In other news, some scientists discover that Fuzzy birth rates are morbidly low, and the species might be driven to extinction. This happens at the same time that the planet's Extee-Three (the emergency food that Fuzzies rabidly crave) is running out, and Victor wants to synthesize their own instead of waiting for six months for official Earth crap to come through. There are a few other plot threads running through the book, and I enjoyed them all. Piper did a good job of balancing everything that needed balancing. None of it was horribly significant or memorable (except for when the Fuzzies ). It was kind of weird having Corporation Victor as the main character, but I still enjoyed it.
Also, Piper's just a good writer. I continue to enjoy his prose, which consists both charm and substance. I don't have the toolbox necessary to analyze his influences, but whatever they are, they did him well. I will be reading more of this prose soon with the final book, Fuzzies and Other People, and then I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for some of Piper's non-Fuzzy work in the wild. I will also be reading the John Scalzi reboot, Fuzzy Nation, before the year is out. Don't know how I'll feel about that one... either way, this was a fun, if more lightweight, divergent into early cozy 60s science fiction.
I liken Fuzzy Sapiens to the sequel of a family/kids' movie sequel. It's got the entire cast of the first installment, and adds some new ones: here, we've got some nasty criminals playing around with the politics of Zarathustra's recent Federation incorporation to give us some baddies now that Victor and most of the other bad guys from book one have learned to love the Fuzzies in the course of a couple weeks. Unrealistic? Probably. Does it detract from the story? Not really. The other unfortunate element to this comparison is that, just like that box-office-induced animated sequel, Fuzzy Sapiens lacks a bit of Little Fuzzy's sophistication. One of the themes that elevated that book was the question: what does it mean to be sentient? There's no real philosophical or science fictional musing here, which brings the story down a notch.
There's still stuff going on: this shady criminal guy is trying to claim Zaratustran land through the legal system, pushing the Corporation and the Fuzzy Lovers closer together. A Fuzzy winds up in Victor's office and it sees him transformed into a kind and caring person. They try to figure out where the Fuzzy (Diamond) came from, and it leads to Mr Criminal trying to sell Fuzzies as pets. As they're sentient beings, that's a no-no. But apparently it's a yes-yes that the human government can divvie up all the Fuzzies that show up among the Fuzzy-seeking people of Zarathustra, even though they're sentient?... silly humans. The judge's wife is put in charge of the adoption board. In other news, some scientists discover that Fuzzy birth rates are morbidly low, and the species might be driven to extinction. This happens at the same time that the planet's Extee-Three (the emergency food that Fuzzies rabidly crave) is running out, and Victor wants to synthesize their own instead of waiting for six months for official Earth crap to come through. There are a few other plot threads running through the book, and I enjoyed them all. Piper did a good job of balancing everything that needed balancing. None of it was horribly significant or memorable (except for when the Fuzzies ). It was kind of weird having Corporation Victor as the main character, but I still enjoyed it.
Also, Piper's just a good writer. I continue to enjoy his prose, which consists both charm and substance. I don't have the toolbox necessary to analyze his influences, but whatever they are, they did him well. I will be reading more of this prose soon with the final book, Fuzzies and Other People, and then I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for some of Piper's non-Fuzzy work in the wild. I will also be reading the John Scalzi reboot, Fuzzy Nation, before the year is out. Don't know how I'll feel about that one... either way, this was a fun, if more lightweight, divergent into early cozy 60s science fiction.
June 6, 2019
This book is an OK read, and being an OK read is not a terrible thing. I sincerely enjoyed Little Fuzzy when I read it a few years ago. H. Beam Piper is one of those 'old school' sci-fi authors that I found quite late, but have enjoyed immensely. This sequel to Little Fuzzy is only a mediocre read, however, because of its slow pace and lack of dramatic plot. It tends toward the analytical side of the developing Fuzzy situation which is boring. The only real excitement happens in the last 5% of the book.
One of the strangest quirks (It's not necessarily a negative, but I didn't like it) I encountered while reading this book is the anachronistic feel of it. I've seen this in other books, especially from authors of the 40's, 50's & 60's who fail to generalize their scientific advancements enough to overcome the paradigm shift of the digital age. I usually can get past it, but this time the slow pace of things made it really stand out. I think I'll coin a new genre term to describe it called Anachronistic Analog Punk... Ananapunk. Ananapunk is where futuristic technology is still based off of analog technology that is now obsolete, but the story is not focused on being that (as Steampunk is toward the Victorian Era steam technologies, etc.), it simply IS that by virtue of being written prior to the digital tech curve. It's effectively Atompunk or Steelpunk, but written IN the era it depicts. I've seen it before. Sometimes I like it; sometimes I don't. This time I didn't. Thus the two star rating.
There's also the issue of the social customs of the 'era when written' being carried over so far into the future, and being a focal point of the story. Cocktail hour and tobacco smoking are a highly overused personal action for almost every character. It's the filler and transition to almost every scene. It is monotonous and cannot be avoided or ignored during the read.
But, still, the story of Fuzzies and the discovery of who and what they are, as well as human reactions to them are interesting enough to keep me reading to the end. In fact, the third book in the series looks to be more interesting than this one, so I will probably read it as well. It also has the benefit of being a 'manuscript found in a trunk after the author's death' which means I'm already interested.
So, while not being exactly a superlative story, it was interesting, and I am glad to have read it, if for no other reason than continuity of the series leading to the third book. I give it two stars and call it a Semi-Descent Read.
One of the strangest quirks (It's not necessarily a negative, but I didn't like it) I encountered while reading this book is the anachronistic feel of it. I've seen this in other books, especially from authors of the 40's, 50's & 60's who fail to generalize their scientific advancements enough to overcome the paradigm shift of the digital age. I usually can get past it, but this time the slow pace of things made it really stand out. I think I'll coin a new genre term to describe it called Anachronistic Analog Punk... Ananapunk. Ananapunk is where futuristic technology is still based off of analog technology that is now obsolete, but the story is not focused on being that (as Steampunk is toward the Victorian Era steam technologies, etc.), it simply IS that by virtue of being written prior to the digital tech curve. It's effectively Atompunk or Steelpunk, but written IN the era it depicts. I've seen it before. Sometimes I like it; sometimes I don't. This time I didn't. Thus the two star rating.
There's also the issue of the social customs of the 'era when written' being carried over so far into the future, and being a focal point of the story. Cocktail hour and tobacco smoking are a highly overused personal action for almost every character. It's the filler and transition to almost every scene. It is monotonous and cannot be avoided or ignored during the read.
But, still, the story of Fuzzies and the discovery of who and what they are, as well as human reactions to them are interesting enough to keep me reading to the end. In fact, the third book in the series looks to be more interesting than this one, so I will probably read it as well. It also has the benefit of being a 'manuscript found in a trunk after the author's death' which means I'm already interested.
So, while not being exactly a superlative story, it was interesting, and I am glad to have read it, if for no other reason than continuity of the series leading to the third book. I give it two stars and call it a Semi-Descent Read.
December 9, 2024
Fuzzy Sapiens by H. Beam Piper is a classic science fiction novel that continues Piper’s exploration of the “Fuzzy” universe. Set in a future where humans are on the brink of contact with an advanced alien species, the story follows the development of a society of intelligent, human-like beings known as Fuzzies. The novel combines elements of mystery, adventure, and social commentary as it delves into the nature of intelligence, consciousness, and the ethics of interaction between different species. Piper’s writing is sharp and engaging, painting a vivid picture of a world on the edge of discovery and change. The characters, particularly the Fuzzies, are endearing and well-developed, making it easy to connect with them emotionally.
Fuzzy Sapiens is an entertaining science fiction tale. It examines deep questions about what it means to be human and offers a unique perspective on the coexistence of different species. While the plot may feel a bit dated in places, it remains a timeless exploration of what makes us human.
Fuzzy Sapiens is an entertaining science fiction tale. It examines deep questions about what it means to be human and offers a unique perspective on the coexistence of different species. While the plot may feel a bit dated in places, it remains a timeless exploration of what makes us human.
August 20, 2025
I really liked 'Little Fuzzy," the first book in a trilogy about the fuzzies, but I didn't enjoy "Fuzzy Sapiens" as much. The first book centered around a debate as to whether or not fuzzies were sapient, which was an interesting philosophical/scientific issue and also made for a very entertaining plot. The question of the fuzzies' sapience is brought to a court of law and a ruling is issued. "Fuzzy Sapiens" is largely taken up with how the human population deals with that ruling. The book is very readable, but it lacks the drama of "Little Fuzzy." Also, I think the fuzzies could have been portrayed as more than just adorable and somewhat comical moppets. They lack any complexity and there is nothing alien about them. You would think a species that evolved on a planet other than Earth would be different in some way, but they mostly act like human children. Nonetheless, the book was a pleasant read.
June 20, 2024
This is a many, many times re-read; I have owned this same copy since my teenage years and re-read it often. It never disappoints, continuing on from Little Fuzzy on Zarathustra as the 'friends of little fuzzy' continue to try and protect the species, politically and otherwise. New revelations about the miniscule birth rate allow the author to bring in more types of science (with biology, embryology ect) than were commonly used in the first one. Great book
I also review it here;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UKop...
I also review it here;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UKop...
April 14, 2022
You gotta love a book that starts out with the premise that a love of coffee, cigarettes and the cocktail hour has been successfully exported from Earth to it's wider galactic neighbors. It's also a sequel to a pretty good book with some original ideas. It's just not as good. It unfolds a little slowly and really shows its' age when we humans treat this newly stamped sentient race as little better than living talking teddy bears that can be adopted out to humans as pets. It's worth a read once, then give it to your ten year old nephew.
May 4, 2022
I really enjoyed reading more about Fuzzies and the various plots and intrigues in the story. This book encompassed a lot of mini plots throughout instead of one significant drama unfolding, unless you count the five missing Fuzzies. One thing to note, this second book deals more with Victor Greggo and Diamond his Fuzzy. Jack Holloway and Little Fuzzy play a more secondary role. Most of the CZC characters also are more prominent in this book. I guess the author felt the need to rehabilitate those characters and bring forth new antagonists to root against.
June 26, 2016
The second of these little classics.
Life after the consequences of the crime (in Little Fuzzy). Discovering what it is that makes certain human foods attractive to Fuzzies, and discovering why there are so few children among them, and what is needed to keep the race alive. With some fun philosophical observations about dependence.
Life after the consequences of the crime (in Little Fuzzy). Discovering what it is that makes certain human foods attractive to Fuzzies, and discovering why there are so few children among them, and what is needed to keep the race alive. With some fun philosophical observations about dependence.
August 16, 2020
Almost as enjoyable as the first one. I'll admit I was distracted by some of the politics - I can't help wondering if someone pointed out to Piper that the first book could be read as anti-capitalist, and this book was an attempt to swing back the other way. The characters were always righteous in the author's eyes, but in my opinion, they had somewhat flexible morals. The big bad from the last book got a redemption arc, but all of his goons evidently deserved the death penalty.
April 12, 2021
It's a classic!
This is sequel to H Beam Piper's "Little Fuzzy". Be sure to read it first! This story is is definitely good, too. Oh, and "Little Fuzzy" is in the public domain for free. Enjoy!
This is sequel to H Beam Piper's "Little Fuzzy". Be sure to read it first! This story is is definitely good, too. Oh, and "Little Fuzzy" is in the public domain for free. Enjoy!
November 18, 2021
Great book to read for leasure
Read Fuzzy Sapiens first and you will love this book. Good character building and story. The Fuzzies are wonderful little people and their human friends are well developed
Read Fuzzy Sapiens first and you will love this book. Good character building and story. The Fuzzies are wonderful little people and their human friends are well developed
Read
August 21, 20143.5 stars. Not as amazing as the first book, but still pretty darn good. And fun too. Some great comedic moments.
May 29, 2018
Not as interesting as the first book, but a good read.
January 18, 2019
I very enjoyable read, by an old master.
December 5, 2025
review of
H. Beam Piper's Fuzzy Sapiens
by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - December 4, 2025
This picks up where Little Fuzzy left off. The Fuzzies have been recognized as sapient & are, therefore, a protected species. They've become very popular for adoption b/c everyone seems to feel happy around them. Nonetheless, there're forces at work who find them in the way for the satisfaction of their own personal greed b/c now the Fuzzy lands are also protected & that interferes w/ very profitable business.
""You know," Mallin said, "I'd like to take a few Fuzzies around through the other units of the sanatorium, to visit the patients. The patients here would like it. They don't have an awful lot of fun, you know."
"That was new for Ernst Mallin. He never seemed to recall that Mallin had thought having fun was important, before. Maybe the Fuzzies had taught him that it was." - p 151
Throughout most of my reading life, I've avoided series as things written too much w/ market success in mind. I've always preferred stand-alone works as having more integrity. W/ the 2 Fuzzy bks I'm happy to experience the serial & now I'm on an EC Tubb roll & I'm sure I'll enjoy that too.
"Snapping off the shiny new stenomemophone, Jack Holloway relit his pipe and pushed back his chair, looking around what had been the living room of his camp before it had become the office of the Commissioner of Native Affairs for the Class-IV Colonial Planet of Zarathustra." - p 8
Is serial SciFi the equivalent for geeks of Soap Operas for homemakers? I never got into Soap Operas, except for, maybe, "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman".
""We ought to teach them our language, so they can speak to anybody, and not just Fuzzyologists."
""I deplore that term, Mr. Grego. The suffix is Greek from logos. Fuzzy is not a Greek word, and should not be combined with it."
""Oh, rubbish, Ernst. We're not speaking Greek; we're speaking Lingua Terra. You know what Lingua Terra is? An indiscriminate mixture of English, Spanish,Portuguese and Afrikaans, mostly English. And you know what English is? The result of the efforts of Noman men-at-arms to make dates with Saxon barmaids in the Ninth Century Pre-Atomic, and no more legitimate than any of the other results. If a little Greek suffix gets into a mess like that, it'll have to take care of itself the best way it can. And you'd better learn to like the term, because it's your new titles, Chief Fuzzologist; fiften percent salary increase."" - pp 96-97
I can imagine Piper writing that & thinking about stuffier friends of his who think-they-know but don't, really. I've come into coflict over my language use all-too-often, always w/ people who strangely think they're better than me but who aren't writers & who barely read (at least in contrast to me). I find it annoying. An example: I write "alotof" - why, everyone knows that that's incorrect! It's a lot of. I explain that typewriter was once type writer & that lawnmower was once lawn mower. When 2 or more words are sd in sequence often enuf they become one word. Alotof is just an example of this prcoess that hasn't been accepted yet. I'm ahead of the game. If you were describing a person who'd argue against this wd you call them a shit head or a shithead? Point proven.
""But what for?" Diamond was insisting. "What for Big Ones first, bang, bang, make dead? Not good. What for not make friend, make help, have fun?"
""Well, some Big Ones bad, make trouble. Other Big Ones fight to stop trouble."
"Now how in Nifflheim could you answer a question like that? Maybe that was what Ernst Mallin meant when he said Fuzzies were the sanest people he'd ever seen. Maybe they were too sane to be bad, and how could a non-sane human explain to them?" - p 200
"What for not make friend, make help, have fun?": I feel like I've been asking that my whole life. Note that "Nifflheim" is used as a curse like "Hell" & that it hearkens back to Piper's Uller Uprising. Just today I was having an email exchange w/ a correspondent of mine about his feeling like the sane person at work. I think I'll quote the above for him.
H. Beam Piper's Fuzzy Sapiens
by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - December 4, 2025
This picks up where Little Fuzzy left off. The Fuzzies have been recognized as sapient & are, therefore, a protected species. They've become very popular for adoption b/c everyone seems to feel happy around them. Nonetheless, there're forces at work who find them in the way for the satisfaction of their own personal greed b/c now the Fuzzy lands are also protected & that interferes w/ very profitable business.
""You know," Mallin said, "I'd like to take a few Fuzzies around through the other units of the sanatorium, to visit the patients. The patients here would like it. They don't have an awful lot of fun, you know."
"That was new for Ernst Mallin. He never seemed to recall that Mallin had thought having fun was important, before. Maybe the Fuzzies had taught him that it was." - p 151
Throughout most of my reading life, I've avoided series as things written too much w/ market success in mind. I've always preferred stand-alone works as having more integrity. W/ the 2 Fuzzy bks I'm happy to experience the serial & now I'm on an EC Tubb roll & I'm sure I'll enjoy that too.
"Snapping off the shiny new stenomemophone, Jack Holloway relit his pipe and pushed back his chair, looking around what had been the living room of his camp before it had become the office of the Commissioner of Native Affairs for the Class-IV Colonial Planet of Zarathustra." - p 8
Is serial SciFi the equivalent for geeks of Soap Operas for homemakers? I never got into Soap Operas, except for, maybe, "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman".
""We ought to teach them our language, so they can speak to anybody, and not just Fuzzyologists."
""I deplore that term, Mr. Grego. The suffix is Greek from logos. Fuzzy is not a Greek word, and should not be combined with it."
""Oh, rubbish, Ernst. We're not speaking Greek; we're speaking Lingua Terra. You know what Lingua Terra is? An indiscriminate mixture of English, Spanish,Portuguese and Afrikaans, mostly English. And you know what English is? The result of the efforts of Noman men-at-arms to make dates with Saxon barmaids in the Ninth Century Pre-Atomic, and no more legitimate than any of the other results. If a little Greek suffix gets into a mess like that, it'll have to take care of itself the best way it can. And you'd better learn to like the term, because it's your new titles, Chief Fuzzologist; fiften percent salary increase."" - pp 96-97
I can imagine Piper writing that & thinking about stuffier friends of his who think-they-know but don't, really. I've come into coflict over my language use all-too-often, always w/ people who strangely think they're better than me but who aren't writers & who barely read (at least in contrast to me). I find it annoying. An example: I write "alotof" - why, everyone knows that that's incorrect! It's a lot of. I explain that typewriter was once type writer & that lawnmower was once lawn mower. When 2 or more words are sd in sequence often enuf they become one word. Alotof is just an example of this prcoess that hasn't been accepted yet. I'm ahead of the game. If you were describing a person who'd argue against this wd you call them a shit head or a shithead? Point proven.
""But what for?" Diamond was insisting. "What for Big Ones first, bang, bang, make dead? Not good. What for not make friend, make help, have fun?"
""Well, some Big Ones bad, make trouble. Other Big Ones fight to stop trouble."
"Now how in Nifflheim could you answer a question like that? Maybe that was what Ernst Mallin meant when he said Fuzzies were the sanest people he'd ever seen. Maybe they were too sane to be bad, and how could a non-sane human explain to them?" - p 200
"What for not make friend, make help, have fun?": I feel like I've been asking that my whole life. Note that "Nifflheim" is used as a curse like "Hell" & that it hearkens back to Piper's Uller Uprising. Just today I was having an email exchange w/ a correspondent of mine about his feeling like the sane person at work. I think I'll quote the above for him.
January 25, 2021
Read for January 2021 book group.
Fuzzy Sapiens picks up right where Fuzzy Nation left off. A Zarathrustra Corporation no longer has control of the planet, the planet is trying to establish a new government, and Jack Holloway is in charge of the Department of Native Liaisons. Zarathrustra Corporation has had a complete change of heart with its CEO finds a Fuzzy in his own apartment and realizes there are four missing Fuzzies. Enemies become allies as everyone discovers there's a larger problem at stake.
Loosely summarizing...
Written in 1964, this has all the makings of a classic science fiction book - planetary drama, futuristic society, newly discovered alien species, Good Guys vs Bad Guys and triumph over evil. The plot is still engaging, the story moves smartly along, and its an interesting look back at how authors were looking forward.
From a modern perspective I found it to be a bit cringe-worthy: patronizing, androcentric, and socially unbelievable. From a modern perspective. It amazes me how authors could create a space faring future with interstellar travel, float cars, and more, but keep people in a 1960's mindset of women as secretaries and fuzzy sitters and where everyone smokes. Scientifically looking forward, socially stuck. Rather fascinating and I wonder why that was.
I do believe it's worth reading when viewed with a historical eye. It an easy and entertaining read if that is kept in mind. Recommended.
Fuzzy Sapiens picks up right where Fuzzy Nation left off. A Zarathrustra Corporation no longer has control of the planet, the planet is trying to establish a new government, and Jack Holloway is in charge of the Department of Native Liaisons. Zarathrustra Corporation has had a complete change of heart with its CEO finds a Fuzzy in his own apartment and realizes there are four missing Fuzzies. Enemies become allies as everyone discovers there's a larger problem at stake.
Loosely summarizing...
Written in 1964, this has all the makings of a classic science fiction book - planetary drama, futuristic society, newly discovered alien species, Good Guys vs Bad Guys and triumph over evil. The plot is still engaging, the story moves smartly along, and its an interesting look back at how authors were looking forward.
From a modern perspective I found it to be a bit cringe-worthy: patronizing, androcentric, and socially unbelievable. From a modern perspective. It amazes me how authors could create a space faring future with interstellar travel, float cars, and more, but keep people in a 1960's mindset of women as secretaries and fuzzy sitters and where everyone smokes. Scientifically looking forward, socially stuck. Rather fascinating and I wonder why that was.
I do believe it's worth reading when viewed with a historical eye. It an easy and entertaining read if that is kept in mind. Recommended.
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