The colonists find an abandoned alien city made of glass and relocate their colony there. But they soon notice that some of the plant life is sentient, and are manipulating them to further their own ends. They find the world is rich in flora and fauna, and appears to be ideally suited for establishing a new colony. To escape war and ecological disasters on Earth in the 2060's, a group of colonists attempt to forge a new life on a distant earth-like planet they name Pax (Latin for 'peace'). Burke also wrote three short stories set on the planet Pax: 'Adaptation', written before she began Semiosis, and 'Spiders' and 'Cinderella Faraway', written after she completed the novel, but before it was published.

The sequel to Semiosis, Interference was published in October 2019 by Tor Books. Semiosis also featured in the Chicago Review of Books ' '10 Best Science Fiction Books of 2018'. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, the Kitschies Golden Tentacle for Best Debut Novel, and the Locus Award for Best First Novel. It was shortlisted for the 2019 Arthur C. The title of the book refers to semiosis, a communicative process using signs. Semiosis is about colonists starting a new life on the planet Pax and their alliances with sentient indigenous plant species.

The book was translated into French by Florence Bury, and published in France in September 2019 by Albin Michel.

It was first published in February 2018 in the United States by Tor Books, and in August 2018 in the United Kingdom by HarperVoyager. It is her debut novel and is the first book of her Semiosis Duology series. Semiosis is a 2018 science fiction novel by American writer and translator Sue Burke.

Semiosis by sue burke