Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about but haven’t yet read. Most of the time they’re books that have yet to be released, but not always. It’s based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme, which was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week my Can’t-Wait-For is A Half-Built Garden by Ruthanna Emrys!
Genres: Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Queernorm world, sapphic MC, F/F, major character with prosthetic limb, secondary trans characters, multiple neogenders
Published on: 26th July 2022
Goodreads
On a warm March night in 2083, Judy Wallach-Stevens wakes to a warning of unknown pollutants in the Chesapeake Bay. She heads out to check what she expects to be a false alarm--and stumbles upon the first alien visitors to Earth. These aliens have crossed the galaxy to save humanity, convinced that the people of Earth must leave their ecologically-ravaged planet behind and join them among the stars. And if humanity doesn't agree, they may need to be saved by force.
The watershed networks aren't ready to give up on Earth. Decades ago, they rose up to exile the last corporations to a few artificial islands, escape the dominance of nation-states, and reorganize humanity around the hope of keeping their world liveable. By sharing the burden of decision-making, they've started to heal the wounded planet.
But now corporations, nation-states, and networks all vie to represent humanity to these powerful new beings, and if any one accepts the aliens' offer, Earth may be lost. With everyone’s eyes turned skyward, everything hinges on the success of Judy's effort to create understanding, both within and beyond her own species.
“A Half-Built Garden deserves to be the first contact novel that defines a generation” is one a hell of a sell – and it’s being said by none other than Seanan McGuire, who’s not just one of my favourite authors, but one of the people I most admire.
So of course I’m interested in a book that got that kind of endorsement from her!
But I’m also genuinely in love with the premise – my love of worldbuilding naturally means I love seeing what authors do with aliens, but first-contact stories are often ‘hard’ sci-fi, which is rarely my jam. A Half-Built Garden takes place on Earth, though, which takes some of the things I rarely enjoy in first-contact stories – like humans exploring space – out of the picture. It’s a win/win! Actually, a win/win/win, because I’m dying to see Emrys’ future Earth – corporations exiled? Watershed networks? A world where humans (it sounds like) have finally got their act together??? I’m sure it won’t be a utopia, but I always love seeing what a hopeful future might look like.
(I also think it’s important – how are we supposed to build a better future if we can’t even imagine it? So imaginary better futures matter; they give us some of the building blocks to create real ones.)
Plus, I adore the idea of aliens coming to save humanity – by insisting humans leave Earth. That’s a twist I’ve never seen before, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out!
Also, I am unrepentantly in love with that cover. That title-font!!! I never thought I could be excited by title-font, BUT HERE WE ARE.
I’ve had this one preordered for ages – do you???
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