Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi

Zoë Boutin-Perry travels to the fledgling colony world of Roanoke with her adoptive parents, John Perry and Jane Sagan, who have accepted positions as administrators. When her biological father develops the technology to give the Obin consciousness and self-awareness, she suddenly becomes the center of a critical but endangered treaty between the Obin and the Colonial Union.

A sarcastic teenage girl tells an Old Man's War. Ugh.

Scalzi does a great job capturing the voice of a teenage girl. That's great writing... but Gilmore Girls in space is not my thing.

Just a Young Adult version of “The Last Colony”, completely unnecessary.

What can I tell you about Zoe's Tale other than the fact that I loved it and that you should definitely read it? I suppose I could tell you why right?

First of all the best part about Zoe's Tale is Zoe herself. A sarcastic, witty, intelligent girl I couldn't help but think if that her story was told by someone else with only half her charm the story would not have snared me quite as effectively. Zoe felt so real and she was so likable that I wish that I could meet her in person. I've never read a character so self-aware and honest with herself that I have to give props to Mr. Scalzi for writing a teenage girl so well. Read more

This seems to be a retelling of the events in [book:The Lost Colony] from Zoe's point of view. There are a few details that weren't told (or happened off-stage) in that book, but not enough to hold my attention. Did someone say, “Hey, Scalzi? You gotta write a Young Adult novel, man!” at some point? Blah.