First Contact/Alien Integration wanted

artifact · 07-09-2014, 04:15 PM

I'm on an 'Earth meets Aliens' kick and am running out of items in my TBR pile. Preference is for books that make my inner anthropologist go 'squee!' Romance is fine as long as its part of a plot with some depth. Please nothing in first person.

Examples I've already read:
Anne McCaffery (Restoree; Pern)
Sheri S. Tepper (Grass; Fresco)
R. Lee Smith (Cottonwood; Last Hour of Gann)
Lisanne Norman's Sholan series
J.L. Hilton Stellarnet Rebel
Kate Elliott's Jaran Series
Vonda N. McIntyre
Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Just finished J.M Fry's Triptych and Elizabeth Bear's Undertow

Some of the above are classified as 'SciFi Romance' and I've about reached my limit of those -- not enough juicy cultural bits.

HarryT · 07-09-2014, 04:21 PM

There have been several other threads on this topic that you may find interesting to read. Searching for "first contact", in quotes, will find them.

ApK · 07-09-2014, 04:28 PM

You might want to try the "Star Corpsman" books by Ian Douglass: "Bloodstar" and "Abyss Deep"

EDIT: Oops. Missed the 'no first person' part. These both are. Sorry.

Dazrin · 07-09-2014, 04:38 PM

I enjoyed Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke last year. It won both the Hugo and Nebula awards when it was published (1973?). Excellent read.

I also read Blindsight by Peter Watts which also talks about a first contact and was Hugo nominated/Locus Award winning. Blindsight is available free on his website* through a Creative Commons license.

Neither book really get into integration, but are interesting nonetheless.

*His website is blocked where I am at, so I hope that link is correct.

GeoffR · 07-09-2014, 05:20 PM

Some I read in the last year or so and will be re-reading again in the future:
Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow, Children of God.
Karen Traviss, City of Pearl. (Wess'har Wars series)

A pity you don't like first-person, because this one is great. Not first contact, but ticks the anthropology/xenopology boxes:
Gene Wolfe, The Fifth Head of Cerberus.

varlog · 07-09-2014, 06:01 PM

Ultimate in 'Earth meets Aliens' would be Solaris by Stanislaw Lem - but it's first person and not fantasy - which you, judging on your authors, seem to prefer. The romance in it is very disturbing, too...

cpegg · 07-09-2014, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by artifact

I'm on an 'Earth meets Aliens' kick and am running out of items in my TBR pile. Preference is for books that make my inner anthropologist go 'squee!'.

Eifelheim by Michael Flynn.

I'll add another vote for Blindsight.

davidfor · 07-10-2014, 04:55 AM

I don't know about making your "inner anthropologist go 'squee!'", but:

- "In the Ocean of Night" and "Across the Sea of Suns" by Gregory Benford
- "Speaker for the Dead" by Orson Scott Card. You should read "Ender's Game" first, but this and the next books are the ones for your "inner anthropologist".
- "Footfall" and "The Mote in God's Eye" by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
- "Childhood’s End" by Arthur C. Clarke

crossi · 07-10-2014, 10:03 AM

"Fool's Run" by Patricia Mckillip. They don't actually physically meet the alien (or possibly living sentinent spaceship) but there is mental contact. Paper only unfortunately and hard to find.

xg4bx · 07-10-2014, 10:15 AM

The Frozen Sky by Jeff Carlson

Quote:

Something is alive inside Jupiter's ice moon Europa. Robot probes find an ancient tunnel beneath the surface, its walls carved with strange hieroglyphics. Led by elite engineer Alexis Vonderach, a team of scientists descends into the dark... where they confront a savage race older than mankind...

Dazrin · 07-10-2014, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpegg

Eifelheim by Michael Flynn.

A review for this showed up today on FantasyLiterature.com, they give it a "Highly Recommended" too. First contact story set in middle ages Germany.

ApK · 07-10-2014, 01:56 PM

'My Close Encounter' by Michelle Obama.

It doesn't exist, but if it did, it would be first lady first person first contact.

WillAdams · 07-10-2014, 02:16 PM

_Alien Tongue_ by Stephen Leigh: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1988395.Alien_Tongue

mewmartigan · 07-11-2014, 06:04 AM

I recommend The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. Good first contact book.

davidfor · 07-11-2014, 08:39 AM

I don't know why I didn't think of them yesterday, but "Dragon's Egg" and "Rocheworld" by Robert L Forward have interesting aliens. In interesting worlds. He created a few other unusual aliens in his other books as well. But these two are his best books.

07-09-2014, 04:15 PM	#1
artifact Addict Posts: 276 Karma: 3569616 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: jetBook (RIP), Kobo Touch	First Contact/Alien Integration wanted I'm on an 'Earth meets Aliens' kick and am running out of items in my TBR pile. Preference is for books that make my inner anthropologist go 'squee!' Romance is fine as long as its part of a plot with some depth. Please nothing in first person. Examples I've already read: Anne McCaffery (Restoree; Pern) Sheri S. Tepper (Grass; Fresco) R. Lee Smith (Cottonwood; Last Hour of Gann) Lisanne Norman's Sholan series J.L. Hilton Stellarnet Rebel Kate Elliott's Jaran Series Vonda N. McIntyre Sharon Lee & Steve Miller Just finished J.M Fry's Triptych and Elizabeth Bear's Undertow Some of the above are classified as 'SciFi Romance' and I've about reached my limit of those -- not enough juicy cultural bits.

07-09-2014, 04:28 PM	#3
ApK Award-Winning Participant Posts: 7,316 Karma: 67862884 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ, USA Device: Kindle	You might want to try the "Star Corpsman" books by Ian Douglass: "Bloodstar" and "Abyss Deep" EDIT: Oops. Missed the 'no first person' part. These both are. Sorry. Last edited by ApK; 07-09-2014 at 10:35 PM. Reason: missed the 'no first person' part....

07-09-2014, 04:38 PM	#4
Dazrin Wizard Posts: 2,631 Karma: 73864785 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: PDXish Device: Kindle Voyage, various Android devices	I enjoyed Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke last year. It won both the Hugo and Nebula awards when it was published (1973?). Excellent read. I also read Blindsight by Peter Watts which also talks about a first contact and was Hugo nominated/Locus Award winning. Blindsight is available free on his website* through a Creative Commons license. Neither book really get into integration, but are interesting nonetheless. His website is blocked where I am at, so I hope that link is correct. Last edited by Dazrin; 07-09-2014 at 04:45 PM. Reason: Edit: Removed direct link to the story, just in case.*

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07-09-2014, 04:21 PM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	There have been several other threads on this topic that you may find interesting to read. Searching for "first contact", in quotes, will find them.

07-09-2014, 05:20 PM	#5
GeoffR Wizard Posts: 3,821 Karma: 19162882 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Te Riu-a-Māui Device: Kobo Glo	Some I read in the last year or so and will be re-reading again in the future: Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow, Children of God. Karen Traviss, City of Pearl. (Wess'har Wars series) A pity you don't like first-person, because this one is great. Not first contact, but ticks the anthropology/xenopology boxes: Gene Wolfe, The Fifth Head of Cerberus.

07-09-2014, 06:01 PM	#6
varlog actually it is /var/log Posts: 341 Karma: 2994236 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: usually Europa Device: prs t1	Ultimate in 'Earth meets Aliens' would be Solaris by Stanislaw Lem - but it's first person and not fantasy - which you, judging on your authors, seem to prefer. The romance in it is very disturbing, too...

07-10-2014, 04:55 AM	#8
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,907 Karma: 47303748 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	I don't know about making your "inner anthropologist go 'squee!'", but: - "In the Ocean of Night" and "Across the Sea of Suns" by Gregory Benford - "Speaker for the Dead" by Orson Scott Card. You should read "Ender's Game" first, but this and the next books are the ones for your "inner anthropologist". - "Footfall" and "The Mote in God's Eye" by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle - "Childhood’s End" by Arthur C. Clarke

07-10-2014, 10:03 AM	#9
crossi Guru Posts: 992 Karma: 12000001 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Seattle Wahington U.S. Device: kindle	"Fool's Run" by Patricia Mckillip. They don't actually physically meet the alien (or possibly living sentinent spaceship) but there is mental contact. Paper only unfortunately and hard to find.

07-10-2014, 01:56 PM	#12
ApK Award-Winning Participant Posts: 7,316 Karma: 67862884 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ, USA Device: Kindle	'My Close Encounter' by Michelle Obama. It doesn't exist, but if it did, it would be first lady first person first contact.

07-10-2014, 02:16 PM	#13
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,234 Karma: 3350652 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	_Alien Tongue_ by Stephen Leigh: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1988395.Alien_Tongue

07-11-2014, 06:04 AM	#14
mewmartigan Guru Posts: 852 Karma: 8242060 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Kindle Oasis (2019)	I recommend The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. Good first contact book.

07-11-2014, 08:39 AM	#15
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,907 Karma: 47303748 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	I don't know why I didn't think of them yesterday, but "Dragon's Egg" and "Rocheworld" by Robert L Forward have interesting aliens. In interesting worlds. He created a few other unusual aliens in his other books as well. But these two are his best books.

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