I loved both of these books. They are both technically science fiction, in that they both deal with alien invasions. But like the best scifi, the stories are less about aliens and more about what makes us human.
In Emily Jane’s On Earth As It Is On Television, the ships show up, hover for a day or so, and then just leave. What follows is a bit of a wacky adventure, featuring cats as main characters and an average dad just trying to hold it together in a suddenly unfamiliar world.
Chana Porter’s aliens in The Seep have infiltrated humanity before anyone knows what’s happening. And by infiltrated, I mean they’re in the blood. Well, sort of? The Seep is more of an interdimensional consciousness looking to experience physical sensation. But maybe not everyone is cut out for a perfect utopia.
Both of these books took turns I was not expecting. They are both much more emotional than traditional science fiction, the aliens may have kicked off the events, but they aren’t the main attraction. These authors are asking big questions about community and collectivism, gender and love and family, the difference between surviving and living. On Earth…asks how far you’ll go for your loved ones; The Seep asks how far you’ll go for you.
These are wildly different and pretty weird in their own right. They were both excellent, I was excited to read them and delighted by the stories. I’d say The Seep is a little more “out there” and proudly queer, while On Earth is a more straightforward tale, but I loved them both so so much and I can’t recommend them enough.