Take Us to Your Chief: And Other Stories: Classic Science-Fiction with a Contemporary First Nations Outlook

It’s hard to find a new spin on classic science-fiction tropes. First contact with aliens, government conspiracies, time travel, emergent artificial intelligence…They’ve all been done before. And yet they feel remarkably fresh when in the hands of author Drew Hayden Taylor.

Take Us to Your Chief is a collection of sci-fi stories from an intriguing angle: the perspective of someone with a First Nations background. The introduction of First Nations traditions, family ties, and cultural experiences to these recognizable sci-fi scenarios offers new insights into the human condition, and that’s what good sci-fi is all about.

From a conspiracy lurking behind dream catchers to a lost “calling song” that calls down something unexpected, from a glimpse into the past through stone petroglyphs to a well-intentioned superhero with bad luck, these are enjoyable, engaging tales (although some drift more into fantasy than sci-fi).

One story in particular, “Mr. Gizmo,” is the highlight of the collection, putting a brilliant spin on the concept of an inanimate object come to life while really hitting home for younger readers and anyone who has ever felt lost and alone. It’s absolutely wonderful stuff.

Take Us to Your Chief is sci-fi with heart, storytelling done right.