A review by pine_wulf
Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper
4.0
What is sapience? That is what this book tries to answer. The accepted definition is if it talks and builds fire, it's sapient. Then along comes a species which seems to do neither, yet it IS smart. But is it sapient smart? There are supporters for both sides of the argument, and they end up going to court to duke it out.
I found it most disconcerting that people treated the fuzzies like pets even when the same people were trying to convince others they were a sapient race. I also had problems telling some of the characters apart; there is a rather large cast.
Take note beforehand, this is very much a book of its time. There is a LOT of smoking and drinking. Also, the female cast is rather small, having only one significant character.
Spoiler
I found the plot to be well thought out and the answers satisfying. I was disappointed at first when it was discovered the fuzzies did have language; I thought for sure they would just use that to say that they were sapient and ignore the question, "Is it possible to be sapient and not have language?" The summary of sapience at the end thankfully did not say they have to talk, although, it did allude to it in another way.I found it most disconcerting that people treated the fuzzies like pets even when the same people were trying to convince others they were a sapient race. I also had problems telling some of the characters apart; there is a rather large cast.
Take note beforehand, this is very much a book of its time. There is a LOT of smoking and drinking. Also, the female cast is rather small, having only one significant character.