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I've had this book in my head for ages and no Google search has found it. I read it in the primary school library approximately 10 years ago so it definitely had nothing sexual in it.

It was a sci fi novel where a human girl (I think) was taken as a pet by an alien scientist. He was being kind to her, but was still studying her. He would take her for walks on and off leash and if she was obedient and came when called, he'd give her greater freedom. The most striking thing I remember was that the gravity was heavier on the planet she was taken to, and so she talked about how she felt dragged down and heavy. Also, the scientist and the girl could talk to each other. She cooperated with him.

I thought for a long time it was 'Galax-Arena' by Gillian Rubinstein, but don't remember all the circus stuff, although the wiki synopsis does mention aliens taking human children as pets. I am pretty sure the book was very near the Rubinstein ones, so it might have been, but wanted to know if it rang any bells for anyone.

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  • Some of the themes sound similar to Foreigner by C. J. Cherryh.
    – Valorum
    Commented Jan 1, 2015 at 15:01
  • Thanks for the suggestion, but it sounds more complicated than what I remember. Does look very interesting though.
    – Liz
    Commented Jan 1, 2015 at 15:06
  • Sounds a bit like 'The City Of Gold And Lead';the second of the Tripods trilogy. There are 2 boys taken into the domed city to serve the aliens. The gravity is heavy, and they have to wear oxygen maks. One of the aliens treats his boy as a pet.
    – sueelleker
    Commented Jan 31, 2015 at 16:48

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Arghh, I just came across your question, and I have trying to find the name of this book for 15 years, you described it absolutely perfectly. I read it in 1999, so it was definitely written before then. All of the answers people have given to your question this far are wrong, it's none of those books. I remember the hardback cover having a picture of a child in a spacesuit, which is why I picked up the book in the first place, as a nerdy nine year old. For some reason I thought the word "egg" is in the title, but I'm starting to doubt that. If I find out, I will come back to post.

Edit: okay, figured it out, and now I realize why I thought 'egg' was in the title. It's called Star Hatchling by Margaret Bechard

Star Hatchling Cover Image

I found the answer on this other stack exchange thread: Sci fi story told from the alien's Point of View

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  • 1
    Welcome to the site. Your comment is likely to be deleted, as you used the answer function to post it, which isn't intended for that purpose. You need to earn a bit more reputation to unlock the actual comment function. You might want to consider posting your own version of this question though, including any and all details you can recollect yourself. The reason I say that is because a newly posted question stands a better chance of getting answered than one that's been been mostly inactive for six years.
    – LogicDictates
    Commented Feb 22, 2021 at 8:03
  • Sorry, thanks for letting me know. I actually did just add the answer in an edit, since I found the answer just now!
    – Blizpix
    Commented Feb 22, 2021 at 8:07
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    Well done. Unfortunately, even if your answer is correct, it probably won't be marked as accepted (which would increase your reputation by 15), since the user who asked the question is the only person who can do that, and they haven't been active here since 2015. You could still earn some reputation through upvotes from other users though. And since this now qualifies as an answer, it likely won't be deleted.
    – LogicDictates
    Commented Feb 22, 2021 at 9:12
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Could it be Stefan Wul's Fantastic Planet?

The last surviving humans are taken from Earth to the wild planet Ygam by the Traags, a race of blue-skinned, red-eyed giants. Here they become known as oms, used as lowly servants and regarded as savages.
But little by little, led by a young man of superior intelligence named Terr, the oms regain their thirst for liberty and rise up against the Traags to affirm their humanity in the face of oppression.

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