>>8923335

Not quite xeno but, there was a novel called "Light on Shattered Water" or something like that involving a dude who got warped to a land of cat-people. He was an architect or graphic designer IIRC, and his only real advantage was that he had a laptop with a bunch of movies and an encyclopedia; and he was clever enough to figure out how to ask for help by eavesdropping on a classroom and learning the phrase "Please help me."

I'm generally fine with any kind of protag so long as there's believable logic to how he ingratiates himself into a xeno society enough to bang a female.

That said, I'd much rather see group dynamics among xeno stories, instead of just having the whole narrative rely on one single human. Something like Deep Space Nine, where humans and aliens with various viewpoints having to get along for the sake of a mission or goal. Sure, there's banging but also deeper themes and ideas bouncing around in the narrative. My favorite xeno stories involve reluctant or even racist humans or xenos who eventually grow bonds between each other or just those cultural/biological misunderstandings.

For example; if a xeno-species experiences heat, it makes sense to have them bang a human but after they feel used and abused because it's barely consensual but now the human is chasing said xeno trying to establish a real relationship. Human finds out that xeno's courtship is complicated and very intense, requiring extreme devotion. Eventually proves himself.

That kind of story feels more real to me.