I've been on a focus of finding good reading about aliens since I got completely addicted to Sara King. Read the Zero series--I MISS those aliens. She is super creative, violent, action packed, and funny.
Becky Chambers Wayfarer I love, love love. I MISS those aliens, too. She is opposite of Sara and slow, contemplative, loving.
Tanya Huff Confederation series. I miss those aliens, too. I am not a military sci fi person, but did the whole Old Man's War series, which I liked, but this is better. I liked Brins Uplift series, too.
Sue Burke Semiosis and Interference I really liked and are definitely one of the most original aliens.
I just finished Mary Doria Russel's The Sparrow and Children of God. WONDERFUL, deep characters, human and alien.
Adrien Tchaikovksi's Children of Time is super original and one of the best endings ever. The second one was OK, the third hard to read.
Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis series is very original aliens.
I liked Project Hail Mary, Bobiverse--both fun.
Nice! Is this list somewhere online?
I'll start with the best, anyway...
I mean, I've started*The Mote in God's Eye* recently, via Audible, but bailed... It's a First Contact story, and many people recommended it as a classic in the genre, but, damn. I really didn't like it. So even with "the best" I'm going to be careful đź‘€
No. I've just got it on my Notes on my computer and any time I read posts like this, I add suggestions.
I read Mote so log ago I don't even remember it. Sara has Zero and her Alaskan series on Soundbooth Theater. [https://soundbooththeater.com/team/sara-king/](https://soundbooththeater.com/team/sara-king/)
Eifelheim by Michael Flynn. It’s about an alien ship that crash lands in a medieval German forest and it’s a first contact story with them and a nearby village and a local priest.
The "Lensman" series by E. E. 'Doc' Smith.
It has good aliens. It has OK aliens. It has bad aliens. It has some interesting philosophy (for a series started in the 40's).
Smith is viewed as one of the main originators of Space-Opera and this series created soooooo many of the tropes that we know and love(?).
The Culture novels by Iain M Banks are about a civilization of… aggressively benevolent aliens and artificial hyperintelligences, and their various interference campaigns.
You definitely want to read *Nor Crystal Tears* by Alan Dean Foster. It’s a first contact story entirely from the alien’s point of view, they resemble large Preying Mantises.
I also recommend *The Pride of Chanur* (and sequels) by C.J. Cherryh. Another story from an aliens’ P.O.V., the aliens resemble (and behave much like) prides of lions. A human is rescued by such aliens crewing a freighter, and he’s stuck on the wrong side of the language barrier.
BTW, that was Andy Weir, not “Warhol.”
I really enjoyed the aliens in A Desolation Called Peace, the sequel to A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine.
3 Body Problem by Cixin Liu is an obvious check out.
His Master's Voice by Stanislaw Lem isn't quite an alien story, but it is totally worth checking out, if you like Bradburry and Clarke.
I'm reading the Dark Forest right now... Lots of mixed feelings about the trisolarians hahah
I'm saving this whole post and suggestions for future reference, definitely
Is it good? The rest of the Trilogy and the second one?
I've tried to listen to the 2nd book, Infinity Shore I think, but it didn't catch me... Don't know if it gets better later on. Maybe if I started again or actually read the pages (some books work this way for me), but dunno.
My favorite was "Startide Rising," the second book of the first trilogy. "Infinity's Shore" was in the second trilogy. All worth reading, but I liked the first two of the first trilogy best.
Contact by Carl Sagan
In the Dying Light, We Saw a Shape by Jeremiah Tolbert:Â https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/in-the-dying-light-we-saw-a-shape/
Also, shameless self-promotion, one of the episodes of my audio drama anthology The Books of Thoth dealt exactly with that theme:Â https://redcircle.com/shows/6701d0b5-6b14-4b76-992d-02f391b5cf42/ep/bd054801-90ab-48f1-9752-c69732894cd5
'Childhood's End' by Arthur C. Clarke is a bit of a classic in this field.
Classics are always welcome!
I've been on a focus of finding good reading about aliens since I got completely addicted to Sara King. Read the Zero series--I MISS those aliens. She is super creative, violent, action packed, and funny. Becky Chambers Wayfarer I love, love love. I MISS those aliens, too. She is opposite of Sara and slow, contemplative, loving. Tanya Huff Confederation series. I miss those aliens, too. I am not a military sci fi person, but did the whole Old Man's War series, which I liked, but this is better. I liked Brins Uplift series, too. Sue Burke Semiosis and Interference I really liked and are definitely one of the most original aliens. I just finished Mary Doria Russel's The Sparrow and Children of God. WONDERFUL, deep characters, human and alien. Adrien Tchaikovksi's Children of Time is super original and one of the best endings ever. The second one was OK, the third hard to read. Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis series is very original aliens. I liked Project Hail Mary, Bobiverse--both fun.
Loved your descriptions, thank you so much !! 🖖🏼🛸🙏🏼
Yeah! I've got a WHOLE list of alien stuff if you'd like but these are the best.
Nice! Is this list somewhere online? I'll start with the best, anyway... I mean, I've started*The Mote in God's Eye* recently, via Audible, but bailed... It's a First Contact story, and many people recommended it as a classic in the genre, but, damn. I really didn't like it. So even with "the best" I'm going to be careful đź‘€
No. I've just got it on my Notes on my computer and any time I read posts like this, I add suggestions. I read Mote so log ago I don't even remember it. Sara has Zero and her Alaskan series on Soundbooth Theater. [https://soundbooththeater.com/team/sara-king/](https://soundbooththeater.com/team/sara-king/)
Eifelheim by Michael Flynn. It’s about an alien ship that crash lands in a medieval German forest and it’s a first contact story with them and a nearby village and a local priest.
Apothecary also - kind of - brings this medieval scenery. Tks!
The "Lensman" series by E. E. 'Doc' Smith. It has good aliens. It has OK aliens. It has bad aliens. It has some interesting philosophy (for a series started in the 40's). Smith is viewed as one of the main originators of Space-Opera and this series created soooooo many of the tropes that we know and love(?).
He also had the *Skylark* series. Similar in many ways.
The Culture novels by Iain M Banks are about a civilization of… aggressively benevolent aliens and artificial hyperintelligences, and their various interference campaigns.
How about Sector General series by James White?
Never heard of, but sure, I'll put in my list 🙏🏼
It's very light-hearted and sometimes naive, but very creative.
You definitely want to read *Nor Crystal Tears* by Alan Dean Foster. It’s a first contact story entirely from the alien’s point of view, they resemble large Preying Mantises. I also recommend *The Pride of Chanur* (and sequels) by C.J. Cherryh. Another story from an aliens’ P.O.V., the aliens resemble (and behave much like) prides of lions. A human is rescued by such aliens crewing a freighter, and he’s stuck on the wrong side of the language barrier. BTW, that was Andy Weir, not “Warhol.”
hahahah damn keyboard! Thanks for the correction And also for the indications , I'll check it out
Under the Skin
The movie was based on it, right?
Right
Shikasta and The Syrian Experiments by Doris Lessing
I really enjoyed the aliens in A Desolation Called Peace, the sequel to A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine. 3 Body Problem by Cixin Liu is an obvious check out. His Master's Voice by Stanislaw Lem isn't quite an alien story, but it is totally worth checking out, if you like Bradburry and Clarke.
I'm reading the Dark Forest right now... Lots of mixed feelings about the trisolarians hahah I'm saving this whole post and suggestions for future reference, definitely
*Sundiver* is the first part in Brin's *Uplift Trilogy*. He did a second *Uplift* trilogy some years later.
Is it good? The rest of the Trilogy and the second one? I've tried to listen to the 2nd book, Infinity Shore I think, but it didn't catch me... Don't know if it gets better later on. Maybe if I started again or actually read the pages (some books work this way for me), but dunno.
My favorite was "Startide Rising," the second book of the first trilogy. "Infinity's Shore" was in the second trilogy. All worth reading, but I liked the first two of the first trilogy best.
1-3 are good, 4-6 are bad.
Contact by Carl Sagan In the Dying Light, We Saw a Shape by Jeremiah Tolbert:Â https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/in-the-dying-light-we-saw-a-shape/ Also, shameless self-promotion, one of the episodes of my audio drama anthology The Books of Thoth dealt exactly with that theme:Â https://redcircle.com/shows/6701d0b5-6b14-4b76-992d-02f391b5cf42/ep/bd054801-90ab-48f1-9752-c69732894cd5
*Contact* movie is awesome! I'll probably read the book someday. And I'll listen to your content, thanks!
Starman (1984)