Eifelheim - Michael Flynn
This is an incredible novel about a village priest who befriends alien visitors in the middle ages during the days of the Black Death. Flynn combines an authentic medievel setting and mindset with futuristic speculation about the nature of space, time, and matter. Though it initially sounds hoky, in execution, it is spell-binding. The main character, Father Dietrich, is a complex and brilliant man who knows his theology, philosophy, and science (in the context of his 14th century setting). The Christian faith is neither affirmed nor spurned in this captivating tale of the meeting of two worlds. What more can I say: If you are interested in an authentic look at medieval life and the medieval mind combined with some of the most interesting science fiction aliens, then Eifelheim is for you! If this does absolutely nothing for you, then know one thing: no matter what you might think about yourself, you will never qualify for the label, "geek."