4 1/2 Stars
This book gave me chills. Forfeiture takes a first-contact premise and turns it into something deeply human and painfully relevant. It starts with Indigenous communities tapping into ancient memories to call back the Indigo—these alien explorers who once saw Earth as a “temple of Life.” They return, 8-foot-tall, color-shifting, and deeply alien, only to find a world wrecked by greed, pollution, and war. Their response? One year. One chance for humanity to undo centuries of harm before they pass judgment.

What makes this story shine is how grounded it feels despite its massive scale. Nebra doesn’t romanticize anyone—Indigenous characters are complex and flawed, the aliens themselves are divided about whether we’re worth saving, and humanity as a whole comes across as… well, complicated. There are moments of horror (especially when the aliens confront the damage we’ve done to wildlife and ecosystems) but also flashes of beauty and hope that make you root for us anyway. It’s part thriller, part moral reckoning, and part love letter to Earth itself. If you like your science fiction full of big ideas, heart, and a serious punch, add this one to your list.