Exo by Fonda Lee (review)

Around a century ago, aliens landed on Earth, prompting a fierce war that destroyed huge areas of the planet and a significant portion of the population. The aliens are still here, and though pockets of people still quietly oppose the Zhree, most of humanity has adjusted to the benefits of overlords that have cool stuff. Donovan is so firmly on the side of working with their advanced technology that he has been Hardened, a procedure that injects you with alien material to give you remarkable strength and healing properties. After rebels capture him, though, he discovers that an important family member who he believed abandoned him actually left under duress and has been working against the Zhree (and his father) since. It’s a lot to take in for a literal guy like Donovan, and when you add in an attraction to a girl on the wrong side and impending attacks that might put both humans and the Zhree at risk, it’s little wonder that Donovan is overwhelmed and prone to rash action. The world building is impeccable here—characters do not always behave in ways that are admirable or easy to read, but they are reacting logically within this setting and the rules of this world. Setting-driven sci-fi buffs who appreciate a thoughtful pace will likely find this novel an ideal fit, and Lee’s Zeroboxer fans will be thrilled to see the same mix of adventure, violence, and intensity that shaped her earlier novel.