Kawokee is a sci-fi novel written by husband and wife team Reid Minnich and Stacy Bender, self-published in 2020. It's an independent title but packs the sophistication of a book by any major sci-fi author, in my opinion.

Kawokee pulls you into a far-flung future where people scrape a living on an underdeveloped world. Humanity is on its knees from an insidious epidemic that prevents natural births and if a cure isn’t found soon, civilization won’t survive. But the Kawokee, sapient furry creatures native to the world of the same name, may possess the secret to overcoming the virus.

Scientists recognize that Kawokee may hold the key, but their methods of research are contaminated by humanistic elitism, often relying on brutal experimentation. Jasmine Char, the story’s primary protagonist, has new ideas and a unique motivation to discover a cure. Against all advice, she reaches out to the Kawokee, who are similarly affected by the virus, to help find a cure for all. But she must first earn their trust, which doesn’t come easy. What she discovers in her journey is beautiful, sobering, prejudice-shattering, and heartwarming.

Rarely does a book grab me and hold my attention firmly for the entire journey. Kawokee did just that. The immersion is first-rate and doesn’t rely on tedious info dumping or technical jargon. Descriptions of technology and setting are carefully meted out so as to not burden the reader or stifle their own imagination in filling in the details. It’s an excellent balance, particularly for those familiar with sci-fi. If I were to compare to another franchise, I'd say Avatar, mainly for its immersion into an alien hunter-gatherer society that shirks technology yet adheres to complicated social rules which value sustainability and sharing above individual wealth.

The book also handles science realistically. With my medical background, I found the epidemiological details believable yet described in a way that lay persons can follow. Clearly one of the two authors has a background in science or did their homework well. I also found the handling of anthropological contamination and aboriginal rights to be treated sensitively, as well as the ethical treatment of research subjects. There are times when the unnecessarily brutal techniques of the mainstream scientists are contrasted with the less-sophisticated, but successful techniques, of the Kawokee. It leaves you yearning for the community, compassion, and balance that modern humanity has largely forsaken. Stacy Bender also added a woman’s perspective that makes Jasmine a believable figure who longs to be a mother herself, in addition to being a scientist and humanitarian.

An astute reader will detect clues that shape your expectation of the ending, but rest assured that you will be surprised regardless. I guarantee that if you like sci-fi and immersion in simpler ways of life, you will ride this book swiftly through to a satisfying, but unexpected, ending.

Full disclosure: No compensation was provided for this review. The title is available at furry cons where the authors frequently set up vending tables, or on Amazon.