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After the Syzygy by J.D. Sanderson Book Review

  • Writer: Tabitha Tomala
    Tabitha Tomala
  • Sep 15
  • 2 min read

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After the Syzygy by J.D. Sanderson book cover
After the Syzygy by J.D. Sanderson

After the Syzygy Book Review


Thank you to J.D. Sanderson for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!


When humans sent a message to the far reaches of space, they hoped one day for a reply. But when a message is received from an alien race, it throws parts of the world into chaos. With a race to decode the message, some governments will band together, and yet still it will take decades to understand even the basics of the signal. And even if the signal is understood one day, will it be too late?

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First contact is a hope many have held since the 70s. After the Syzygy takes this hope and weaves together a realistic tale of the possibilities once contact is achieved. However, instead of our words being discovered, it is an alien language. The process of decoding it is massive, and it is no simple fix; it takes many different entities across different countries and expertise. The camaraderie, the likes of which can only be seen in novellas such as this.

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And as the language learning develops, so too does the plot as time passes and technologies gain more finesse. This is a story for those who enjoy research and development, as there is more brainstorming and discussion than action. But it will also lead to the eventual space travel some sci-fi readers seek. And as much of a focus on sci-fi this novella was, it also tackles in the background appropriate uses for AI and regulations that are enforced with it.


​After the Syzygy is a science fiction novel for those who enjoy exploring the possibility of first contact and its effects on the world. With a thorough focus on puzzling out an intricate language and how to attain contact with an alien race, it is sure to be a novella for sci-fi fans.


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