Much better than Artemis! Almost as good as The Martian! Is that enough? This book was my SIL's choice for the family book club and a great choice.
Spoilers below
So Dr. Grace, a junior high science teacher (don't ask) is enlisted to help the world (as in the capital-E Earth) find a solution to the sudden dimming of the sun. A microscopic life form is responsible. All stars in our general neighborhood (on lightyear scale) are dimming, except Tau Ceti.
Fast forward 4 years (or 13 if you're sitting here in slowly darkening Earth) and Grace is stuck on a ship, temporarily amnesiac, only remembering that he has to find a solution. Why is Tau Ceti not dimming?
In short order, he finds another ship out there. Turns out this ship is manned by one life form (out of 24) whom he names Rocky. This five-legged spider-like creature is a master engineer. And before long, Dr Grace the junior high teacher figures out how they can both communicate. And they figure out how to defeat the tiny creatures eating each of their suns.
Problems come up of course, but they work through them. The ending, frankly, was kinda dumb. I would have rather Grace, the coward, continue to type and actually go back to Earth. Alas, the author had to make a point about our angels, school teachers.
Spoilers done.
Despite the ending, it really was good. Especially after we read the horrible Artemis.
