Hi everyone, I just got through watching the movie "Mission to Mars" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_to_Mars)and while it wasn't the best movie ever, I really enjoyed it. Can you all recommend any good, quality "First contact" type of books? I'd like to explore more perspectives on our first encounter with an alien species.

Hi everyone, I just got through watching the movie "Mission to Mars" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_to_Mars)and while it wasn't the best movie ever, I really enjoyed it. Can you all recommend any good, quality "First contact" type of books? I'd like to explore more perspectives on our first encounter with an alien species.

Check out McCollum's Antares and Gibralter serieses.

http://www.scifi-az.com/

BOb

Check out Sci-Fi writer Murray Leinster, who coined the phrase. His story First Contact set the tone for many stories to follow.

....and who can forget The War of the Worlds, by H.G. Wells.

And check out all these [not my compilation]:


Abbey, Lynn. "The Toshita Project." Alien Encounters. Edited by Jan Finder.
Adams, Terry A. Sentience: A Novel of First Contact. DAW, 1986
Aldrin, Buzz & John Barnes. Encounter with Tiber. Warner, 1996.
Anderson, Poul. The Enemy Stars. Lippincott, 1959.
Anderson, Poul. The High Crusade. , 1960.
Asimov, Isaac. The Gods Themselves. Ballentine, 1972.
Asimov, Isaac. "Found!." Omni, 10/78.
Asimov, Isaac. "Not Final!." Astounding, 10/41.
Asimov, Isaac. "Nothing for Nothing." IASFM, 2/79.
Asimov, Isaac. "Victory Unintentional." Super Science Stories, 8/42.
Baker, Linda P. "The Allure of Bone and Ice." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Bear, Greg. Anvil of Stars. Tor, 1992.
Bear, Greg. The Forge of God. Tor, 1987.
Berkwits, Jeff. "First Contact." Keen! 8/96.
Bilgrey, Marc. "Random Acts." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Bischoff, David. "The Xaxrling of J. Arnold Boysenberry." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Blish, James. A Case of Conscience. Ballantine, 1958.
Bova, Ben. Voyagers. Tor, 1981.
Bradbury, Ray. "Here There Be Tygers." Amazing, April-May, 1953.
Braunbeck, Gary A.. "Kite People." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Brin, David. "Fortitude." Science Fiction Age, January 1996.
Brown, Fredric. "The Waveries." Astounding, 1/45.
Butler, Octavia, Dawn Warner, 1987.
Campbell, John W. (as Don A. Stuart). "Who Goes There?" Astounding, 8/38.
Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game. Tor, 1985.
Carr, Carol & Karen Haber. "First Contact, Sort of." The Ultimate Alien. Edited by Keith R. A. DeCandido, John Betancourt and Byron Preiss. Dell, 1995.
Carr, Jayge. "The Wonderous Works of His Hands." Alien Encounters. Edited by Jan Finder.
Cherryh, C.J. Foreigner. DAW, 1994.
Clarke, Arthur C. 2001: A Space Odyssey. NAL, 1968.
Clarke, Arthur C. "Before Eden." Amazing, 6/61.
Clarke, Arthur C. Childhood's End. Ballantine, 1953.
Clarke, Arthur C. Expedition to Earth. Ballantine, 1953.
Clarke, Arthur C. "Loophole." Astounding, 4/46.
Clarke, Arthur C. "No Morning After." Time to Come, edited by August Derleth, Farrar, Starus & Young, 1954.
Clarke, Arthur C. "Publicity Campaign." 1953.
Clarke, Arthur C. Rendezvous with Rama. Harcourt Brace, 1973.
Clement, Hal. Cycle Of Fire. Ballantine, 1957.
Clement, Hal. Mission Of Gravity. Doubleday, 1954.
Clement, Hal. Needle. Doubleday, 1951.
Corrick, James. "A Perfect Day." Alien Encounters. Edited by Jan Finder.
Crowther, Peter. "Palindromic." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Czerneda, Julie E.. "First Contact, Inc." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
DeChancie, John. "The Seepage Factor." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Del Rey, Lester. Outpost Of Jupiter. Holt Rinehart, 1963.
Delaplace, Barbara. "Black Ops." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Dellinger, Paul. "Absolution." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Dickson, Gordon R. The Alien Way. Bantam, 1965.
Dickson, Gordon R. "Dolphin's Way." Analog, 6/64.
Dickson, Gordon R. "In The Bone." Worlds of IF, 10/66.
Dillard, J.M. Star Trek: First Contact. Pocket, 1996. Based on a screenplay by Brannon Bragga and Ron Moore
Dunteman, Jeff. "Marlowe." Alien Encounters. Edited by Jan Finder.
Edgehill, Rosemary. "We Have Met the Enemy." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Eklund, Gordon. "Objects Unidentified (Flying)." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Feintuch, David. Midshipman's Hope. Warner Aspect, 1994.
Forward, Robert L. Dragon's Egg. NEL, 1980.
Foster, Alan Dean. Nor Crystal Tears. Del Rey, 1982.
Foster, Alan Dean. Quozl. Ace, 1989.
Fowler, Karen Joy. Sarah Canary. Henry Holt, 1991.
Fyfe, H.B. "In Value Deceived." Astounding, 11/50.
Gier, Scott G. Genellan: Planetfall, Del Rey, 1995.
Gunn, James E. The Listeners. Scribner's, 1972.
Guthridge, George Florance . "Taken on Faith." Alien Encounters. Edited by Jan Finder.
Haldeman II, Jack C.. "If Pigs Could Fly." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Hamilton, Peter F. The Nano Flower. Pan, 1995.
Heinlein, Robert (as Anson MacDonald). "Goldfish Bowl." Astounding, 3/42.
Heinlein, Robert. Have Spacesuit, Will Travel. Scribners, 1958.
Henneberg, Charles. "The Blind Pilot." F&SF, 1/60.
Hogan, James P. Inherit the Stars. Del Rey, 1977.
Hoffman, Nina Kiriki. "Heavenly Host." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Killough, Lee. "The Lying Ear." Alien Encounters. Edited by Jan Finder.
Klass, Morton. "Earthman's Burden". Astounding, 5/54.
Kornbluth, C.M. "The Silly Season." F&SF, Fall 1950.
Leiber, Fritz. The Wanderer. Ballantine, 1964
Leigh, Stephen. Alien Tongue. Bantam Spectra, 1991.
Leigh, Stephen. Dark Water's Embrace. Avon Eos, 1998.
Leinster, Murray. "De Profundis". Thrilling Wonder Stories, Winter 1945.
Leinster, Murray. "The Castaway". Universe, 6/53.
Leinster, Murray. "First Contact", Astounding, 1945.
Leinster, Murray. The Greks Bring Gifts. MacFadden, 1964.
Leinster, Murray. "Nobody Saw The Ship". The Big Book of Science Fiction, edited by Groff Conklin. Crown, 1950.
Leinster, Murray. "Propagandist". Astounding, 8/47.
Leinster, Murray. "Proxima Centauri." Astounding Stories, 3/35.
Leinster, Murray. "This Star Shall Be Free". Invaders of Earth, edited by Groff Conklin, 1952.
Lewis, C.S. Out of The Silent Planet. Lane, 1938.
Lindskold, Jane. "Small Heroes." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Longyear, Barry B.. "Misencounter." Alien Encounters. Edited by Jan Finder.
McCaffrey, Anne. Decision at Doona. Del Rey, 1969.
McCaffrey, Anne. The Rowan. Ace, 1991.
McCaffrey, Anne and Jody Lynn Nye. Treaty at Doona. Ace, 1994.
McDevitt, Jack. The Hercules Text. Ace, 1986.
McDonald, Ian. Chaga (a.k.a. Evolution's Shore). Gollancz, 1995.
McGarry, Mark J. "Harmony." Alien Encounters. Edited by Jan Finder.
McKenna, Richard. "Mine Own Ways." Casey Agonistes, edited by Richard McKenna. 1960.
Moffitt, Donald. The Jupiter Theft. Del Rey 1977.
Monteleone, Richard F. & David F. Bischoff. Day of the Dragonstar. 1983.
Moon, Elizabeth. Remnant Population. Baen, 1996.
Montana, Ron. "Loosely Translated." Alien Encounters. Edited by Jan Finder.
Murphy, Derryl. "Lost Jenny." On Spec, Fall ,1999.
Nesvadba, Josef. "Captain Nemo's Last Adventure." Translated by Iris Unwin. View from Another Shore. Edited by Franz Rottensteiner. Liverpool University Press, 1999.
Niven, Larry & Jerry Pournelle. Footfall. Del Rey, 1985.
Niven, Larry & Jerry Pournelle. The Mote In God's Eye. Simon & Shuster, 1974.
Norman, Lisanne. Fortune's Wheel. DAW, 1995.
Norman, Lisanne. Turning Point. DAW, 1993.
Nye, Jody Lynn. "Take Me To Your Leader." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Paul, Barbara. "Earth Surrenders." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Pohl, Frederik. The Day the Martians Came. Tor, 1988.
Pollotta, Nick & Phil Foglio. Illegal Alien. TSR, 1988.
Pierce, Hayford. "Mail Supremacy". Analog, 3/75.
Robinson, Nigel. First Contact. Scholastic UK, 1994.
Rusch, Kristine Katherine. "Fit to Print." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Russell, Mary Doria. The Sparrow. Villard, 1996.
Sagan, Carl. Contact. Simon & Schuster, 1985.
Sawyer, Robert. Illegal Alien. Ace, 1997.
Sherman, Josepha. "A Game of Mehen." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Silverberg, Robert. Collision Course. Avalon, 1961.
Silverberg, Robert. Tower of Glass. Scribner's, 1970.
Simak, Clifford D. Way Station. Doubleday. 1963.
Smith, Dean Wesley. "Ambassador to the Promised Land." First Contact. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Larry Segriff. DAW, 1997.
Steussy, Marti. Forest of the Night. Del Rey, 1987.
Sturgeon, Theodore. "Affair With A Green Monkey". A Touch of Strange, edited by Theodore Sturgeon. Doubleday, 1958.
Sturgeon, Theodore. "The Hurkle is a Happy Beast." F&SF, Fall 1949.
Sturgeon, Theodore. "Killdozer". Astounding, 11/44
Sturgeon, Theodore. "To Marry Medusa". Galaxy, 8/58.
Tompkins, Dorothy Guin. "Gift." Alien Encounters. Edited by Jan Finder.
Turtledove, Harry. Noninterference. Del Rey, 1988.
Turtledove, Harry. "The Road Not Taken". Analog, 11/85.
Turtledove, Harry. A World of Difference. Del Rey, 1990.
Turtledove, Harry. Worldwar: In the Balance. Del Rey, 1992.
Walters, Hugh. First Contact?, Nelson, 1971.
Watson, Ian. "Now! You Can Banish Embarrassing Foot Odor Forever! The Ultimate One-Word First contact Story." Alien Encounters. Edited by Jan Finder.
Watson, Ian. "Peace." Alien Encounters. Edited by Jan Finder.
Weinbaum, Stanley G. "A Martian Odyssey". Wonder Stories, 1934
Wells, H.G. "In the Abyss". Pearson's Magazine, 8/1896
Wells, H.G. The War of the Worlds. Heinemann, 1898.
Wilder, Cherry. "The Ark of James Carlyle." New Writers in SF 24. 1974.
Williams, Ralph. "Pax Galactica." Astounding, 11/52.
Yefremov, Ivan. "Cor Serpentis (Serdtse Zmei)" ("Heart of the Serpent"), 1959.
Zahn, Timothy. Conqueror's Pride Bantam Spectra, 1994

Happy reading!


Don

It's not really a "book" per se, but the short story The Aliens by Murray Leinster (it's in Baen Books The World Turned Upside Down (http://webscriptions.net/p-476-the-world-turned-upside-down.aspx)) is quite good. Dr. Drib mentioned that Leinster is the fellow who also wrote the short story First Contact, I haven't read it, but I'm given to understand it's pretty good. :nice:

Can you all recommend any good, quality "First contact" type of books? I'd like to explore more perspectives on our first encounter with an alien species.

Just wondering if you have a preference whether the first contact is the result of us going to 'them'; or 'them' coming to us?

Epic post Dr. Drib :) that going to keep me going a good while.

Read "Blindsight" by Peter Watts. I just finished it. This novel is free to download by the way. I got mine from Feedbooks. Be sure tot check out the website Rifters.com. There's is a video to be found there about one of the characters from the book; it's great (background)material!

Wow, what a great thread. Thanks people. I'm combing through Dr. Drib's post and looking at the other recommendations as well.

Not your conventional first contact story, but "Knock" by Frederic Brown is interesting. I don't have the ebook, but attached is an episode of "X Minus One", which was a radio series from the 1950's (yes, this is out of copyright).

The opening line of the story has to be one of the best ever: "The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock at the door."

Arthur C. Clarke - Rendezvous with Rama and the subsequent 3 Rama novels.

"All Judgment Fled", by James White. It's similar to "Rendezvous with Rama" but was written in 1969.

I am currently reading Genellan Planetfall by Scott Gier. I am enjoying it so far. It was in the free library at webscriptions (www.webscriptions.net).

Longyear, Barry B.. "Misencounter." Alien Encounters. Edited by Jan Finder.
McCaffrey, Anne. Decision at Doona. Del Rey, 1969.
McCaffrey, Anne. The Rowan. Ace, 1991.
McCaffrey, Anne and Jody Lynn Nye. Treaty at Doona. Ace, 1994.


Don

Have to Add a couple more to McCaffrey's List.
Her Nimisha's Ship Does deal with a First Contact situation, as do her Acorna series.

Her Nimisha's Ship Does deal with a First Contact situation, <snip>

That was a weird story if I recall.

BOb

Based on these recommendations I was able to borrow a copy of an anthology with "First Contact" and it was a really great read. I got through it in under two hours (with interruptions) and enjoyed it immensely.

Now I am working my way through the others. You guys and gals rock!

I was going to answer, but Dr Drib's post says it all. Best in my opinion is Mote in God's Eye. Look for the first ever mention of e-book readers.

wasn't H. Beam Piper's Little Fuzzy a first contact novel? I know I loved reading it the first time.