/lit/ - Literature

>>15882722
Fuzzies and Other People - H. Beam Piper, Fuzzy Sapiens #3 (1984)

Wah! Problematic!* As one reviewer wrote, "If one tosses off all care for moral considerations, this story is nothing but pure fun." I think that's an extreme statement used to explain the rest of their review and rating. I wouldn't endorse many of the politics or actions taken in this trilogy, but I also don't see that as particularly relevant. Is it possible to read enjoy something that doesn't agree with your personal beliefs? I think so. Unfortunately, it increasingly seems that people don't believe that and take great personal offense when they read something they find even moderately disagreeable. This book was first published 20 years after the author's suicide. There have been other "continuations" by other people, but it seems unlikely that I will read them or Scalzi's remake of the first book, but it could happen since enjoyed these so much. As for the book itself, half of it is from the fuzzy and the other half is from the human point of view. I continued to find them to be very comfortable and enjoying reads. On the fuzzy side, a group of 8 is journeying to The Wonderful Place as they wonder through the wilderness not knowing where they are heading but assured that a better life awaits them there if they are willing to endure all the hardship they will have to face. On the human side, it's resolving the issues caused by the events of the 2nd book and how to best accommodate the needs of all fuzzies.

*Content warning 1: white man's burden, white savior complex, colonialism, capitalism, promotion of smoking and drinking, not vegan, doesn't do well enough on the Bechdel test, not feminist, death penalty for many crimes, suspected anti-semitism, insufficient diversity, anti-tax, and many other problematic issues.
*Content warning 2: pro-immigration, promotion of multiculturalism, promotion of welfare, reparations (sort of), anti-xenophobia, women can be more capable then men, insufficiently anthropocentric, continual increase in minority and immigrant rights, some concern for the environment, and many other failures of common sense.

Rating: 5/5