A City in the North
A wealthy human explorer becomes obsessed with visiting an ancient ruin on a planet whose enigmatic native inhabitants want outsiders to stay away. In just 222 pages, Marta Randall delivers a fascinating, character-driven exploration of alien cultures, colonialism, and the limits of human understanding.
A Door Into Ocean
On an ocean-covered moon, an all-female society of gifted biologists faces a growing threat from a militaristic civilization. An extraordinary exploration of ecology, identity, culture, and nonviolent resistance, with rich characterization and a gripping second half that was almost too tense for me.