I’ve never had the pleasure of reading Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper, the 1962 science fiction novel that John Scalzi’s reimagined with Fuzzy Nation. Knowing Scalzi’s work and that the Piper estate approved of this reinterpretation of the material, I suspect he managed to capture the most important elements of the original novel while making it definitively his own by adding his particular brand of irreverent wit and snappy dialogue.
Jack Holloway, disbarred lawyer and independent surveyor for the ZaraCorp, is an antagonistic, impulsive, and peculiarly funny protagonist. When he stumbles upon what might be the largest seam of valuable sunstone on the planet when he allows his dog to detonate explosives yet again, Holloway maneuvers himself into a position to become far more wealthy than he’d ever imagined. Of course, everything changes when Holloway discovers an intruder in his remote cabin.
Appearing to be something in between a cat and a monkey, the intruder quickly ingratiates itself with Holloway, and it’s not alone. Encountering the previously unknown animals he decides to call Fuzzys, Holloway has no way of knowing how much upheaval he’s about to create when he shares the discovery with his ex-girlfriend, a biologist working for ZaraCorp.
Entertaining, heartwarming, and heartbreaking at different points, Scalzi’s reimagining of the introduction to the Fuzzys is a scathing commentary on capitalist predation, an evaluation of our humanity, and an exploration of the nature and presentation of sentience.
Wil Wheaton was the perfect choice for the narrator of this audiobook edition of the story. He captures the sarcasm and wit better than anyone else likely would have. His narration is captivating, articulate, and all-around fantastic.