Otherworldly yet grounded, ominous yet tender, The Asterist is a captivating first contact story that will appeal to readers of Andy Weir and John Scalzi.

Dull days drift by at the dead end of the galaxy for misanthrope Bill Jeffries fulfilling his mundane duties as an Asteroid Station Commander, or “Asterist.” But everything changes when his only companion, the monotone computer he has nicknamed “Nag,” alerts him to an unknown spacecraft that has crashed near the station. Thus begins A. T. Sayre’s science fiction novel with equal parts humor and suspense.

Suddenly thrust into circumstances far beyond his experience or pay grade, Jeffries investigates the puzzling wreckage and makes the shocking discovery of a four-foot-long spider-like being inside. If the alien still lives, Jeffries and his superiors from light years away debate if it should be treated as an ambassador, a test subject, or a threat. But as Jeffries studies the alien and attempts to communicate with it, his cynical exterior begins to shatter and a bond grows.

With the alien’s life in his hands, Jeffries must race against the clock to understand its origins and save it before his superiors arrive to determine their fate. Otherwise, both of them may be forced to commit the ultimate sacrifice.