What will happen if and when humanity ever makes contact with an alien race? Would “first contact” with an advanced culture be the beginning of a galactic war, or the first step in establishing a peaceful and profitable galactic community? Countless sci-fi books and movies have pondered this question, but I’ve rarely seen it dealt with as well as in The Mote in God’s Eye, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle.

In Mote, a group of soldiers and scientists travel to a distant star, following the path of an alien probe back to its source. There they encounter the “Moties”–a race of intelligent and advanced aliens whose culture and mindset differ drastically from humanity’s. These aren’t just humans with pointy ears–they’re genuine aliens with their own motives and goals.

The book depicts some very interesting and well-thought-out scenes of first contact, in which humans and aliens tentatively analyze and evaluate each other–and then, when complications and “incidents” inevitably occur, the tough ethical questions must be faced. Are the Moties genuinely friendly, or are they sizing up humanity for an attack? Are they hiding something–and is it prudent or simply paranoid for humans, too, to hide aspects of their history and technology? What do the Moties want from the meeting, and is it compatible with humanity’s own goals?

To say anything more would be to spoil the plot, much of which is concerned with slowly learning more about the Moties and what drives them. Suffice it to say, then, that Mote is just what I look for in serious science fiction: it’s imaginative, has interesting characters (mostly human, but a few aliens as well), and it deals with serious and believable issues. Its flaws–mostly seen in some inconsistent pacing, perhaps a consequence of being a collaborative writing project–are minor compared to its strengths. Mote left me morally uncomfortable about some of the events and decisions portrayed in it, but very glad to have read it. Recommended.