Semiosis
by Sue Burke · first published 2018
9mentions
7recommended by
9HN commenters
2018–2026first – last mentioned
78% recommend22% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Science fiction about first contact with intelligent plant life, where plant wars, competition, and cooperation drive the plot. Recommended for readers who enjoy evolutionary, idea-driven sci-fi.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
"Colonists from Earth wanted the perfect home, but they'll have to survive on the one they found. They don't realize another life form watches...and waits...Only mutual communication can forge an alliance with the planet's sentient species and prove that humans are more than tools."--
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
For those enticed by this article, I recommend the wonderful science fiction book, "Semiosis" by Sue Burke. Plant wars, competition, and cooperation are central to the plot.
on “When Plants Go to War” ↗Recently finished reading Semiosis by Sue Burke (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35018907-semiosis) that's a great fictional fictional exploration of this taken to extremes. Highly recommended.
on “How plants evolved to make ants their servants” ↗Here to recommend Sue Burke's Semiosis/Interference sci-fi duology about first contact with a intelligent plant life.
on “Language of fungi derived from their electrical spiking activity” ↗For a wonderful scifi novel on this very theme, check out Sue Burke’s excellent Semiosis: https://bookshop.org/p/books/semiosis-sue-burke/7103931
on “Are Plants Farming Us?” ↗Blindsight by Peter Watts Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds Startide Rising by David Brin A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks Semiosis by Sue Burke Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Dragon's Egg by Robert L. Forward Solaris by Stanisław Lem The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers…
on “Sins of the Children (Adrian Tchaikovsky)” ↗Honestly, I thought the Behemoth pair dragged a bit - I suspect it might have worked better as a more tightly-edited single volume. (Sue Burke's Semiosis trilogy is worth a read, too, in a similar evolutionary SF vein.)
on “Starfish by Peter Watts (1999)” ↗Reminds me of the excellent sci-fi novel Semiosis
on “Mushrooms communicate with each other using up to 50 'words', scientist claims (2022)” ↗Semi related tangent incoming: I’m reminded of a book I read last year named Semiosis by Sue Burke. Tiny spoiler warning I guess though not really, it’s just background world building that was used as motivation for side character’s growth. In the book, there was a Hitler-esque villain…
on “Neuralink patient controls games by thinking during interview” ↗This reminds me of the novel Semiosis. Some similar concepts.
on “The Big Alien Theory” ↗