Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi Review

Zoe’s Tale, the fourth book in the series, goes back to the inciting incident of The Last Colony and retells the story from Zoe’s POV.

Throughout this novel, Zoe matures from a somewhat typical—albeit sharp-witted—teenager into a significant diplomatic figure, filling in many of the blanks The Last Colony left wide open. 

While Zoe faces some of the typical trials of adolescence, including forming deep friendships and experiencing first love, she also faces the complexities of interstellar politics and the challenges of forging her own identity while standing in the shadows of her parents—both her biological father and her adoptive mom and dad, John and Jane.

One of the key moments in the novel involves Zoe negotiating with a small group of Roanoke’s hostile native aliens. 

Through her ingenuity, her bravery, and her almost preternatural ability to recognize the good in others, she manages to not only save her imperiled friends, but also establish fledgling diplomatic relations with the natives.

It’s an incredibly effective scene that speaks volumes to Zoe’s character and lays a foundation for some of the even more demanding diplomacy that would come later in the novel.

The climax of Zoe’s Tale is indeed a powerful and emotionally charged moment that epitomizes Zoe’s journey of self-discovery and her evolution into a formidable individual in her own right, distinct from the legacies of her parents and her biological father. 

In the first book, we were introduced to the Consu—an absurdly advanced and unknowable alien race, infamous for their meddling in other species’ development, as well as their zealous adherence to a convoluted set of religious beliefs.

The Consu’s actions and motivations are often altogether inscrutable, making them a wildcard in the galaxy’s political and military dynamics.

The lead-up to the climax involves Zoe being sent with her Obin protectors on a diplomatic mission to obtain strategic assistance for Roanoke, and this culminates in a showdown between the Consu and the Obin, wherein Zoe is asked to make an incredible sacrifice in the name of expedience.

Zoe’s stance in this climactic moment, differentiating between what she is—a symbol, a political pawn, a person of interest due to her biological father’s legacy—and who she is—a young woman with her own beliefs, values, and desires—is a poignant theme throughout the story. 

It is in this climax that Zoe firmly asserts her agency, making choices based on her understanding of right and wrong, rather than being swayed by the immense pressures placed upon her due to her unique status.

Her ability to stand firm in her convictions, to leverage her unique position for the greater good while also asserting her individuality, is what makes this climax so affecting, and it left both my wife and me weeping with pride as Zoe truly and ultimately comes into her own.

Central to the book is Zoe’s own coming-of-age story. 

She is grappling with her identity amidst extraordinary circumstances, and the novel explores her journey from adolescence to adulthood, marked by her struggles with the legacy of her biological father, the expectations placed upon her, and her desire to carve out her own path. 

While this theme inherently gives the book a sort of YA flavor, I think it’s a universal aspect of the human experience, making Zoe’s extraordinary story relatable to readers through the process of growing up and finding one’s place in the world.

Zoe is both blessed and burdened by the legacy of her biological father, which brings with it immense responsibility. 

The theme of legacy in the novel prompts questions about how one navigates the expectations and responsibilities inherited from previous generations, and how one can honor a legacy while also making independent choices.

Like The Last Colony, Zoe’s Tale delves into the complexities of diplomacy and politics on an interstellar scale, highlighting the challenges of negotiation, alliance-building, and conflict resolution among diverse species with hugely different cultures, values, and technological capabilities. 

Zoe’s role in these diplomatic efforts displays the importance of understanding, empathy, and strategic thinking in resolving conflicts and attempting to build peace.

The book also explores various facets of family and belonging, from Zoe’s relationship with her adoptive parents, John and Jane, to her connection with her Obin protectors, Hickory and Dickory. 

It examines the bonds that form families, both biological and chosen, and how these relationships shape individuals and their understanding of home and belonging.

When I first picked up Zoe’s Tale, I was somewhat skeptical about its necessity, given its parallel narrative to The Last Colony—but Scalzi, true to form, managed to craft a story that not only paced itself beautifully but also  supplements and compliments The Last Colony in a meaningful way, addressing and essentially mitigating my most searing criticism of the previous book.

While both The Last Colony and Zoe’s Tale stand out as impressive works in their own right, I do think that combining them into a single, unified narrative would have made for a more even-keeled experience, despite effectively doubling the page count of one book.

Look, these books aren’t exactly high art, by any means.

For the most part, they’re the literary equivalent of popcorn flicks—they’re fun, they’re engaging, and they’re emotionally resonant.

But they’re not really challenging in terms of complexity or depth; Scalzi’s prose isn’t exactly innovative or exceptionally intellectual.

But it’s not trying to be, and it doesn’t need to be in order to tell really good stories—and that’s exactly what this series is so far: a really good story.

Overall, Zoe’s Tale offers a fresh perspective on the events of The Last Colony, bringing some nuance to the saga that might have been missed otherwise.

With this book, Scalzi proves that even in a genre dominated by grand ideas of a cosmic scale, the personal journeys of well-crafted characters can be the most compelling stories of all.

It’s a vivid reminder of the power of perspective in storytelling, and it’s a valuable addition to the Old Man’s War series.