[Chefelf]

I'd just like to thank ernesttomlinson for introducing me to the book Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper in this topic a few months back.

I finally read the book a few weeks ago and it was thoroughly enjoyable. Being written in 1964, it is quite dated but extremely fun to read nonetheless. It tells the story of Jack Holloway who unwittingly discovers a new race of sapient creatures he dubs "Fuzzies". While the title of the book does little to conjure up images of Sci-Fi, the book itself is quite enjoyable.

I managed to get this one for $0.13 on Amazon.com. The price has since increased to a whopping $2.42 but it's worth the investment.

Like all Sci-Fi from the 60's it features inferior technology (the character getting film developed at several poitns springs to mind). Also if you track some scenes in the book properly you may find continuity problems as the characters may appear to be smoking three forms of tobacco and drinking two types of alcohol at once. There is rarely a scene in the book where a pipe, cigar or cigarette is not being lit and at one point the protagonist even teaches a Fuzzy to smoke.

The Fuzzies, at first glance, may seem like the basis for Lucas' Ewoks in Return of the Jedi but upon closer inspection they are something more.

The book also interestingly explores the question: What makes a lifeform sapient?

Buy Little Fuzzy on Amazon.com

[Heccubus]

I can't shake the connection to the rather bland webcomic of the same name.

[J m HofMarN]

I think you have sentient confused with sapient my good man, however this does sound like an interesting read.

[Chefelf]

I think you have sentient confused with sapient my good man, however this does sound like an interesting read.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, I am not confused. H. Beam Piper elects to use the term "sapient" in place of "sentient". The words are similar in definition. While the word "sentient" does not appear int he book, the word "sapient" seems to account for about 20% of the book's entire text. H. Beam Piper, or the future society he has created, defines "sapience" as "being able to talk and build a fire".

What can I say? The sixties were a crazy time.