Book Review: Hex

Rendezvous with Rama meets Ringworld in this novel set in the Coyote series. Allen Steele's latest novel explores a new take on the Big Dumb Object trope. Only the BDO isn't quite so dumb.

Humanity receives an invitation to visit the home system of the danui. The crew sent to make contact discover a Dyson sphere around their star, only it's different than the normal spheres usually depicted. It's comprised of billions of hexagons, each an individual biosphere capable of supporting life. The crew begins exploring a couple of these hexes, and after a series of mistakes, finally makes contact with their hosts. Will the danui let them stay?

I didn't know what to expect going in to Hex. I haven't read any of the Coyote series, and this is supposedly the last in the series.That's a shame. Hex is a great novel that takes on the big dumb object with a modern sense of exploration, fear, and bull-headedness.

Great writing style, interesting characters, and a cool milieu. I should go back and read the rest of the Coyote Coyote series, and I'll definitely look up more by Allen Steele.

Hex was provided to me by the publisher for review. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars at GoodReads.
Hex is due on shelves June 7, 2011.