Looking for "First Contact" books, not necessarily scifi :) - Page 2

haydnfan · 01-02-2013, 11:03 AM

On a darker note The Forge of God by Bear or Revelation: Space by Reynolds.

One of my favorite contact novels is Speaker for the Dead by Card. I like the idea that an alien's custom would be so well... alien that we would completely misinterpret it.

fjtorres · 01-02-2013, 11:52 AM

James Blish: A CASE OF CONSCIENCE.
What does First Contact mean for the religious? Do aliens have souls?
Hal Clement: NEEDLE. Also, ICEWORLD.

Teknikal · 01-02-2013, 11:57 AM

I'm currently reading the Battle Earth series by Nick S thompson it's your typical Aliens invade Earth with a lot of focus on the military fighting back I wouldn't say it's brilliant but I have been flying through the books, another similar series of books I've read are Harry Turtledoves World War series again it's aliens invading earth but a lot more focus on characters effected and much deeper thought put into it.

Shadowplay · 01-02-2013, 12:40 PM

Hooboy, lots of responses since last night - thanks everyone! I'll do some research on what's been mentioned so far.

I've read almost everything from Alastair Reynolds. Good, fun space opera that's right up my alley. I've also read some of the work from C.J. Cherryh, Arthur C. Clarke, David Brin, Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle, etc. Haven't read all the specifics recommended so far though so certainly worth my time to check them out!

"Contact" - sadly I never got around to reading Sagan's book, but did enjoy the movie well enough. I've always loved "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Both movies (and I'm sure the original book version of Contact) have that great sense of wonder and the overpowering need to know the "other", to know that we are not alone in this universe.

Thanks again!

Apache · 01-02-2013, 01:19 PM

Troy Rising Series
A Hymn Before Battle
Into the Looking Glass
Von Neumann's War
All by John Ringo and considered Military Science Fiction.
Apache

fjtorres · 01-02-2013, 04:40 PM

Ooohh... One more:
Not necessarily SF?
David Weber and Linda Evans' HELLS GATE series.
Two cross-dimensional Empires collide. First Contact goes poorly and things go downhill from there. And since one side relies on magical bio-engineering and the other on psionics and mechanical tech...

Penforhire · 01-02-2013, 05:31 PM

Look at Orson Scott Card's "Speaker for the Dead." I think that is one of his best works. His alien "piggies" are fascinating.

SeaKing · 01-02-2013, 11:42 PM

Was there a book for "Event Horizon" movie?
Were there books for the "Prophecy" movie series.

Many of the horror stories are actually 1st contact. Humans and them others.

Were the 2000 series mentioned?

dreams · 01-03-2013, 03:00 AM

The sticky thread in this forum, Recommendations for Your Favorite Book Genre, shows an older thread with a lot of suggestions - First Contact books.

I added this thread to that section also.

David Munch · 01-03-2013, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Look at Orson Scott Card's "Speaker for the Dead." I think that is one of his best works. His alien "piggies" are fascinating.

Absolutely. Was just about to recommend it. My favorite of his books! You'd preferably read Enders Game first though.. But it also has some "Hey, we just met you and already you want to kill us?"-alien interaction..

artifact · 01-04-2013, 01:14 AM

The Fresco
Sheri S. Tepper

Lifted from Amazon: Benita Alvarez-Shipton, an empty nester in her mid-30s, whose life is changed when two aliens ask her to carry their greetings to Washington, D.C. Chosen as intermediary because she is both ordinary and beyond political reproach....

Bookpossum · 01-04-2013, 02:02 AM

Something quite different from the above, and an important book particularly from the Australian point of view. However, its importance goes beyond Australia: most of us have benefitted from the dispossession of others.

The Secret River by Kate Grenville.

Winner of the Commonwealth Writers Prize and Australian Book Industry Awards, Book of the Year.
After a childhood of poverty and petty crime in the slums of London, William Thornhill is transported to New South Wales for the term of his natural life. With his wife Sal and children in tow, he arrives in a harsh land that feels at first like a death sentence. But among the convicts there is a whisper that freedom can be bought, an opportunity to start afresh. As Thornhill stakes his claim on a patch of ground by the Hawkesbury River, the battle lines between the old and new inhabitants are drawn.

Inspired by research into her own family history, Kate Grenville vividly creates the reality of settler life, its longings, dangers and dilemmas. The Secret River is a groundbreaking story about identity, belonging and ownership.

'There is no doubt Grenville is one of our greatest writers … A book everyone should read. It is evocative, gracefully written, terrible and confronting. And it has resonance for every Australian.' Sunday Mail

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01-02-2013, 11:03 AM	#16
haydnfan Guru Posts: 649 Karma: 5632362 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: Kindle PW 4, Oasis 2	On a darker note The Forge of God by Bear or Revelation: Space by Reynolds. One of my favorite contact novels is Speaker for the Dead by Card. I like the idea that an alien's custom would be so well... alien that we would completely misinterpret it.

01-02-2013, 11:52 AM	#17
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	James Blish: A CASE OF CONSCIENCE. What does First Contact mean for the religious? Do aliens have souls? Hal Clement: NEEDLE. Also, ICEWORLD.

01-02-2013, 11:57 AM	#18
Teknikal Fanatic Posts: 574 Karma: 5264318 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belfast Device: Sony T1, Note Pro 12.2, Honor 10	I'm currently reading the Battle Earth series by Nick S thompson it's your typical Aliens invade Earth with a lot of focus on the military fighting back I wouldn't say it's brilliant but I have been flying through the books, another similar series of books I've read are Harry Turtledoves World War series again it's aliens invading earth but a lot more focus on characters effected and much deeper thought put into it.

01-02-2013, 12:40 PM	#19
Shadowplay Groupie Posts: 185 Karma: 1096228 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Colorado Device: Kindle Oasis	Hooboy, lots of responses since last night - thanks everyone! I'll do some research on what's been mentioned so far. I've read almost everything from Alastair Reynolds. Good, fun space opera that's right up my alley. I've also read some of the work from C.J. Cherryh, Arthur C. Clarke, David Brin, Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle, etc. Haven't read all the specifics recommended so far though so certainly worth my time to check them out! "Contact" - sadly I never got around to reading Sagan's book, but did enjoy the movie well enough. I've always loved "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Both movies (and I'm sure the original book version of Contact) have that great sense of wonder and the overpowering need to know the "other", to know that we are not alone in this universe. Thanks again!

01-02-2013, 01:19 PM	#20
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,137 Karma: 89858112 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	Troy Rising Series A Hymn Before Battle Into the Looking Glass Von Neumann's War All by John Ringo and considered Military Science Fiction. Apache

01-02-2013, 04:40 PM	#21
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	Ooohh... One more: Not necessarily SF? David Weber and Linda Evans' HELLS GATE series. Two cross-dimensional Empires collide. First Contact goes poorly and things go downhill from there. And since one side relies on magical bio-engineering and the other on psionics and mechanical tech...

01-02-2013, 05:31 PM	#22
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Look at Orson Scott Card's "Speaker for the Dead." I think that is one of his best works. His alien "piggies" are fascinating.

01-02-2013, 11:42 PM	#23
SeaKing Frequent Flier Posts: 1,282 Karma: 2058993297 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: KB kindle aboard, Galx Tab 7.0 Plus, trying out Droid 1 as mini-tab	Was there a book for "Event Horizon" movie? Were there books for the "Prophecy" movie series. Many of the horror stories are actually 1st contact. Humans and them others. Were the 2000 series mentioned?

01-03-2013, 03:00 AM	#24
dreams It's about the umbrella Posts: 25,112 Karma: 56250158 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony 505\| K Fire \| KK 3G+Wi-Fi \| iPhone 3Gs \|Vista 32-bit Hm Prem w/FF	The sticky thread in this forum, Recommendations for Your Favorite Book Genre, shows an older thread with a lot of suggestions - First Contact books. I added this thread to that section also.

01-04-2013, 01:14 AM	#26
artifact Addict Posts: 276 Karma: 3569616 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: jetBook (RIP), Kobo Touch	The Fresco Sheri S. Tepper Lifted from Amazon: Benita Alvarez-Shipton, an empty nester in her mid-30s, whose life is changed when two aliens ask her to carry their greetings to Washington, D.C. Chosen as intermediary because she is both ordinary and beyond political reproach....

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01-04-2013, 02:02 AM	#27
Bookpossum Snoozing in the sun Posts: 10,137 Karma: 115423645 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: iPad Mini, Kobo Touch	Something quite different from the above, and an important book particularly from the Australian point of view. However, its importance goes beyond Australia: most of us have benefitted from the dispossession of others. The Secret River by Kate Grenville. Winner of the Commonwealth Writers Prize and Australian Book Industry Awards, Book of the Year. After a childhood of poverty and petty crime in the slums of London, William Thornhill is transported to New South Wales for the term of his natural life. With his wife Sal and children in tow, he arrives in a harsh land that feels at first like a death sentence. But among the convicts there is a whisper that freedom can be bought, an opportunity to start afresh. As Thornhill stakes his claim on a patch of ground by the Hawkesbury River, the battle lines between the old and new inhabitants are drawn. Inspired by research into her own family history, Kate Grenville vividly creates the reality of settler life, its longings, dangers and dilemmas. The Secret River is a groundbreaking story about identity, belonging and ownership. 'There is no doubt Grenville is one of our greatest writers … A book everyone should read. It is evocative, gracefully written, terrible and confronting. And it has resonance for every Australian.' Sunday Mail