Books like Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

Jack Holloway, a solitary independent contractor, spends his days prospecting and surveying on the Earth‑like planet Zarathustra, 178 light‑years from ZaraCorp’s headquarters on Earth. When an accidental cliff collapse reveals a seam of invaluable jewels, Jack lays a legal claim that forces ZaraCorp to negotiate with him, bringing the corporation into a partnership to extract the wealth. ZaraCorp’s entire legal right to exploit Zarathustra rests on a false claim that the planet is free of sentient life. That claim comes under threat when a small, furry alien and its family appear in Jack’s outback home. As Jack realizes they are a sentient species, he suspects ZaraCorp will go to great lengths to silence the "fuzzys" before their existence becomes public. The novel explores corporate greed, the ethics of terraforming, and the unseen consequences of exploiting alien worlds.

First publish date: 2011