Aliens come to visit Earth, but because they resemble globs of gelatinous goo, they decide to hire a Hollywood agent to represent them, and figure out how best to introduce themselves to humanity. It’s a simple idea, cleverly executed.

This is actually John Scalzi’s first novel, but it wasn’t published until earlier this year, after the success of Old Man’s War. And like Old Man’s War, it’s a thoroughly engaging read. No, scratch that–it’s more than engaging. It’s actually the most straightforwardly enjoyable book I’ve read this year. It’s not the most intellectually demanding piece of science fiction, but it’s still good science fiction with lots of ideas–not just a collection of special effects and plot devices. And it’s funny. I can’t remember the last time I read an SF comedy, or even wanted to, but Agent To The Stars kept me up until 3 a.m. to finish it. Highly recommended.

(You can order Agent To The Stars from Amazon, or you could support a small press publisher by buying it directly from Subterranean Press.)