While I was back at the World Future Society in July, my long-time friend and roommate, Gisele Peterson, was reading an advanced copy of “Yesterday’s Kin,” by Nancy Kress. I was jealous.

We had both heard Nancy read from the beginning of this novella at Worldcon in San Antonio, and been hungry for the rest of the story ever since.  Gisele finished and let me pry the ARC out of her hands. I devoured it on the plane.  My plane ticket is still stuck in the last page.  I’ve just been waiting until people could get it before I wrote up a recommendation.

Yesterday’s Kin is a fabulous look at first contact through the eyes of a family.  Like all of Nancy’s work, the characterization and the science is impeccable, and the story so well done that I was sad when it was over.  Nancy delivers a complete package, and shows her chops as one of our best modern science fiction writers.

I can’t say too much without delivering spoilers, but this is well worth your time.