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There are currently 20 member reviews
for Hole in the Sky
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Ann B. (Kernville, CA)
Set in Oklahoma's Cherokee Nation, a first contact situation ignites a convergence of worlds
In Hole in the Sky, Daniel H. Wilson drops an alien mystery into the red dirt of Oklahoma's Cherokee Nation. Humanity faces first contact when a strange object plummets to Earth, setting off a convergence of characters—a collision of worlds—between a widowed father and his estranged daughter, a haunted NASA astrophysicist, and a shadowy government "Man Downstairs." The author, himself a Cherokee citizen, fuses Indigenous wisdom with cosmic wonder, crafting a "new weird" speculative fiction novel both intimate and vast—a meditation on belonging, inheritance, and what it means to face the unknown. I was rapt reading it even though one character made me feel stressed and overstimulated every time her POV took its turn. Interesting since she was likely but not explicitly on the spectrum.
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Jan B. (Driggs, ID)
A different first contact story
What a great read! Hole In the Sky was a page turner for me, I read it in one evening. In it you travel with the math genius working for NASA with the special Voyager program, who wears augmented reality glasses/goggles that start talking to her, she is very excited about the first contact becoming a reality. You also meet a Father/Daughter team, who had just restarted the relationship. The Dad is Native American, seeped in his Grandmothers stories, remembering some of the language and stories. It is from this perspective that he leads him and his daughter and others forward toward the unknown. And there is a government guy, part of the top-secret mission who is mysterious, and depends on his computer and the guy from the top secret mission, somewhere else, telling him what to do. And then you meet the military special ops team. Old behavior, old tactics, and it's nothing they have ever seen before. It's a fast paced story. Engaging and a delightful departure from my normal reads.
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Jo S. (Tonganoxie, KS)
Indigenous cosmic horror
Hole in the Sky by Daniel H. Wilson is a fast paced sci-fi thriller that blends Native American perspectives and mythology with modern science, creating an interesting first-contact narrative. Wilson, a Cherokee Nation citizen and former Air Force threat forecaster, weaves together the stories of four main characters as they confront an alien entity heading toward Earth. The story unfolds through the eyes of Jim Hardgray (a Cherokee father reconnecting with his daughter), Mikayla Johnson (a NASA astrophysicist who's social awkwardness is holding her back from her true potential), Gavin Clark (a government specialist on emerging threats), and the Man Downstairs (called the MD who is a mysterious government employee in charge of threat forecasting ).
The narrative is character driven and explores personal struggles and relationships amidst a potentially fatal extraterrestrial threat. I enjoyed reading this novel it was a fun and absolutely crazy read! I also enjoyed learning about Cherokee Nation mythology.
I would say Hole in the Sky is definitely a unique novel that merges science, Indigenous culture, and suspense. If you enjoy reading about Native American cultures and enjoy sci-fi horror or thrillers then you will want to read this book !
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Luisa H. (Las Vegas, NV)
Reality Gets Complicated
With many countries closely following the movements of 3I/ATLAS, this might be the perfect time to read Daniel H. Wilson's latest novel, "Hole in the Sky." It approaches "first contact" from the perspectives of a dysfunctional Cherokee family living in the area of the Mounds of Spiro, Oklahoma, and of socially impaired U.S. government bureaucrats and specialized military personnel.
Wilson is a talented author, but this novel is definitely not for everyone. It gets into the weeds – strange Native ancestors, enormous underground tunnels, humans melding with sentient tech, "perversion of the future of war" with violent humanoid-robot soldiers, reality "conjured from our worst fears," prayerful offerings, life, death (including a dead soul returning to life), and even, possibly, the apocalypse.
Don't read too fast and skip over his descriptions and the phrases used to describe things existing in circumstances of "incalculable chaos." You also might want to brush the dust off your books on ontology.
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Beryn H. (Ramrod Key, FL)
Indigenous Culture Meshes with Science Fiction
I had never read anything before by Daniel Wilson, even though I am a fan of science and speculative futures fiction. This novel made me consciously think about how well Indigenous histories and traditions could be meshed in the genre, something which I had not previously considered. Any book which makes one think differently, or approach topics in a new way, is worth reading. I wished more extensive explanations of some of the traditional stories and teachings had been included, though, rather than what I felt were small, somewhat piecemeal mentions. It took me a bit to adjust to the rotating first person narratives of four different and distinct characters, but I thought the author successfully captured and presented their individuality and importance to the plot. I felt that the story progression was a bit choppy or disconnected in spots, making me back track to see what I had missed. Overall, I did find the plot and presentation interesting enough that I will try another of his novels. As a disclosure, I received an Advance Reading Copy through BookBrowse.
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Lesley F. (San Diego, CA)
Is This the End???
Not one to grab the latest in science fiction books right off the shelf asap, I was pleasantly surprised by the clever combination of indigenous understanding of the universe and the latest in UFOs, now referred to as UAPs - Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena.
I didn't come away much scientifically smarter but am feeling much better about the future suggested in this book. The author, Daniel H. Wilson, as pointed out by the Executive Editor of Doubleday, has the perfect background of work with the U.S.A.F. and ties to Native culture to make this not just sci-fi or a thriller - but a warmer feeling of possibilities ahead. Should be great fun at a book club discussion!
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Gabi J
They Are Here
The premise of a science fiction read uniquely infused with Native American lore made this book intriguing to me. The first part of the book with the build up to the first contact was fast-paced and extremely engaging — quite a page turner. However, the actual encounter fell flat for me, feeling a bit stereotypical as I expecting and hoping for a stronger and more developed tie-in to the Mississippian / Cherokee cultures. I also liked the story told from a three character perspective but did find the female character's storyline somewhat confusing. Despite a mixed reaction, I enjoyed "Hole in the Sky" and would recommend it to readers looking for a quick and entertaining sci-fi read.
