bonding with a sentient member of a species is the most atrocious act among the Yherjak, and also that Michelle committed suicide. Upon further inspection, and learning that Michelle had suffocated by accident, the Yherjak agree and Michelle reemerges, now a mental amalgam of Michelle, Joshua, Carl, and Ralph the dog. Tom stumbles on the idea of casting Michelle in the Holocaust film Hard Memories. After meeting Tom's grandmother Sarah Rosenthal, a Holocaust survivor, Michelle absorbs her memories and delivers a blistering audition. The movie is an unparalleled success, and Michelle wins an Academy Award for Best Actress. During her acceptance speech, she gradually asserts her normal, clear gelatinous shape, while making a call for acceptance regardless of appearance or form. The Yherjak, revealed at last, are widely accepted. Reception Publishers Weekly considered it to be "slick" and "lightweight", with a "predictable plot" that was nonetheless "entertaining". Amazing Stories described it as "disposable, cynical fun with a big heart" and "rather low-key for a first contact story", with a "knowingly silly set-up", "reasonably sharp" characters and dialogue, and a realistic-feeling portrayal of life in a talent agency. The SF Site compared it to the work of Spider Robinson and Robert Heinlein, calling it "(t)hought-provoking and entertaining", and praising Scalzi for exploring the human tendency to couple morality with esthetics. References External links Agent to the Stars -- An Online Novel Unshelved Book Club on Agent to the Stars 1997 American novels Novels first published online Novels by John Scalzi Hollywood novels Novels about extraterrestrial life 1997 science fiction novels Subterranean Press books