Pretend you are an alien and just crashed to Earth accidentally. You see the destruction of Earth and how it goes against the pacifist ways among your own species. Would you want to help humanity enter the galaxy, if it meant you could return home? Is it worth the possible destruction that humans could bring with them? Sins of an Interstellar Species by Jacob Hefner made me ponder this question and more.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
To read more about this book: https://amzn.to/45Wu6NC
“A character-driven sci-fi novel about grief, morality, and the fragile line between survival and regret.“
Published on: June 27th, 2025
What I Liked About Sins of an Interstellar Species:
Let me put this out there first. I am not a big fan of science-fiction, so I was hesitant to read this author’s debut novel. I was pleasantly surprised how character-driven it was, and it satisfied my need to read about the relationships between the four main characters.
It was fun to read about a friendship between Adrian, the human, and Melek, the alien. I also liked that Liora, an alien, is a strong, female badass. Co-Pilot, also an alien, added to the strange relationship among all of them. I liked that the aliens weren’t little green men; in fact, I found myself picturing them as different versions of Alf, which was a fun departure from typical sci-fi tropes. (What did you picture?)
Each character has to struggle with their new reality once Melek crashes to Earth. The US government has no idea that a war is going on in the galaxy, and it plans to use this team of four to help them prepare, just in case. I laughed at how the aliens have to deal with the ways of our country and our government. It made me laugh because this book is filled with tiny messages about humankind, but it is up to the reader to interpret them. It is not an “in your face” message, which I appreciated. I don’t like when authors preach to me about the world.
Although the author set this book up for a sequel and is currently working on one, the book does have a satisfying ending.
Quotes:
** “Even on the most foreign of planets, intelligent life would rather dig out their electronics than face boredom.”
Isn’t this the truth?
** “The naivety struck me. How much protection was gained by polishing things, only for the gloss to wear away under scrutiny?”
I thought these were beautifully written sentences that made me think. It applies to so many aspects of life.
What I Would Include in a Sequel for The Sins of an Interstellar Species:
As a frequent reader, I often find that books benefit from either a strong romantic subplot or a clearly defined antagonist to heighten the stakes. Sins of an Interstellar Species had an opportunity to enhance the story with Liora to make her more relatable through one of these avenues, and I’m curious if the sequel will explore that path. Hint, hint to the author!
I hope Hefner delves into a deeper exploration of Adrian’s and Melek’s internal struggles. How did their past experiences specifically drive their motivations to help the government, especially for Adrian? I’m eager for more galactic exploration in the sequel. While Hefner provides an exciting glimpse into the cosmos in this book, I hope he expands on these interstellar sins and adventures further.
All in all, I was impressed with this author’s debut novel. His descriptive writing, and the unique idea of an alien and human working together definitely drew me into the story. I’m excited to read his sequel.
Extras:
You can buy The Sins of an Interstellar Species at: https://amzn.to/3GwDr4e
*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/
So, if you were an alien, would you help out humans become a permanent part of the galaxy? (As an alien myself, my answer is a definitely no!)
