Rating: 
Summary: Two genres collide wonderfully
Review: If you're reading this review, you probably like science-fiction. But do you like mystery and court room drama too? Then you will very much enjoy "Illegal Alien." Sawyer takes a science-fiction concept and mingles it with a courtroom case. This Canadian author has done his research on the US Justice system. I felt that I was reading the transcripts from any one of the thousands of US court cases that occurs every day. The book holds your interest and twists just enough at the end to satisfy your desire for a good whodunnit. Highly recomemnded for both sci-fi and mystery fans.
Rating:
Summary: Two genres collide wonderfully
Review: If you're reading this review, you probably like science-fiction. But do you like mystery and court room drama too? Then you will very much enjoy "Illegal Alien." Sawyer takes a science-fiction concept and mingles it with a courtroom case. This Canadian author has done his research on the US Justice system. I felt that I was reading the transcripts from any one of the thousands of US court cases that occurs every day. The book holds your interest and twists just enough at the end to satisfy your desire for a good whodunnit. Highly recomemnded for both sci-fi and mystery fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing SF Murder Mystery
Review: Illegal Alien is a disappointing attempt at the difficult genre of science fiction/murder mystery. The plot begins when one of the first contact alien visitors is arrested on incredibly lame justification (i.e. he -along with 25 others- had opportunity). Next, Sawyer violates the first rule of a good murder mystery, and an essential requirement when mixing it with SF; the author _must_ supply the reader with all the information to solve the crime. But Sawyer pulls religious and cultural motivations out of thin air to explain things after the fact. Furthermore, the aliens are lame (media reviews of the book notwithstanding), and their anatomy is incredibly improbable (they can only bring one arm to bear, unless a item is over their heads.) Although the weapon used is one of Larry Niven's favorite tools, the calibre of this story doesn't even approach Niven's SF mystery stories. Sawyer's endless plugs for Canada get pretty old too. And finally, isn't an illeagle a sick bird?
Rating: 
Summary: Trashy - but cute and fun trashy
Review: Johnnie Cochran meets ET. A dime store novel that is fun and light, if not kind of dumb. If you can suspend belief and just take it for worth, you'll like it. If you want deep and real, go elsewhere. If you can believe that if aliens come to this planet the biggest problems we'll have is a murder trail and if Oprah or Barbra Walters will interview them, then go for it. I like Sawyer and I admit, I like this cheesy book.AND - HEY AMAZON - GET A HALF STAR ON THESE RATING. I really want to give this 2 1/2 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Best SF/legal book ever. Period.
Review: Met Sawyer in Melbourne at the World Science Fiction Convention. Liked his wit on panels, so bought two of his books, and loved both. Illegal Alien is the best SF/legal book I've ever read. Sawyer understands the law (which is complex enough!) but also astrophysics, extraterrestrial biology, and (lo and behold!) human beings. First rate, and lots of fun. Also recommended (but much different): his Starplex.
Rating: 
Summary: Alien OJ trial shows us human society's best and worst
Review: Robert J. Sawyer has created some fascinating science fiction over the years and ILLEGAL ALIEN is some of his best writing to date. The science fiction aspects are overshadowed by courtroom procedures and random (but fun) pokes at the US judicial system -- and yet they are at the very core of the mystery being played out. One of the best aspects of Sawyer's books to date is using the "alien" to expose the human condition -- and show us how our society is as bizarre as any alien society could be. That is shown here in profound and sometimes humorous ways that can be read between the lines of the story. An enjoyable read, sometimes contradictory, yet still worthy of note. Recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Adept genre-mixing, but not as good as it could have been
Review: Robert J. Sawyer has written some of the best and most imaginative science-fiction novels of recent years, so I read ILLEGAL ALIEN almost as soon as I found out about it. Sawyer adeptly mixes genres -- in particular, the first-contact subgenre of science-fiction and the trial subgenre of murder mystery -- and his wry and sardonic comments about the O.J. Simpson case and the problems of conducting and reporting celebrity trials are some of the best things in this book. The whole, however, turned out to be less than the sum of its parts. Without giving away key plot secrets, my major complaint was that we learned almost nothing of the aliens' ideas about law or their culture's legal institutions, which I had expected to hear about in a novel in which an alien is tried for murdering a human being. Also, there is a big contradiction between the book's early assertion that the aliens do not share humans' concepts of "good" and "bad" or "right" and "wrong" and some late but vital plot developments. In sum, even second-level Robert J. Sawyer is several cuts above the normal level of most science-fiction, but ILLEGAL ALIEN was not as good as it could have been. -- Richard B. Bernstein
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully creative aliens and brilliant cross-examinations
Review: Sawyer always entertains with good ideas and solid science--both are certainly present in this quick-paced enjoyable novel--but what I most enjoyed was the cleverness of the court scenes and the manner in which they were used to reveal the alien's oddities as well as the larger aspects of the case. I loved defender Dale Rice and his cross-examinations are some of the most enjoyable scenes I've lately come across. Not to mention the smooth manner in which Sawyer uses his tactics to give insights into our legal system. I admit I would have liked a bit more of the hard science I expect from Sawyer, but the secrets of the Tosok star system did deliver hours of daydreams about planets being...well, read, enjoy and dream for yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Suceeds both as SF *and* mystery.
Review: Sawyer gave a reading at our local library, and I was intrigued, so I bought the book. It's great! The kind of SF I used to enjoy, with social comment and real issues. I liked crafty lawyer Dale Rice much better than the attornies in recent Grisham works, and the aliens really are the best since Niven's Puppeteers (as one of the reviews on the book says). Great SF, and (from someone who reads a lot of mystery, too) great mystery, as well. Five stars.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent mix of courtroom drama with science fiction
Review: Take one part legal thriller, one part science fiction first contact with extraterrestrials, and one part murder mystery, and you've got Robert Sawyer's "Illegal Alien." Sawyer has developed a real talent for solid research with originality; his courtroom scenes and lawyers come across with every bit as much impact as John Gresham (whose novels all seem to come out of a xerox machine, more or less; fortunately, the original is still interesting). The alien Tosoks are unique as well. As always, Robert Sawyer puts it all together in a page-turning, clear prose style Isaac Asimov would have admired. A great read.
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