Space Opera Fans discussion

With the trailer for Arrival trending on YouTube, I'm reminded of one of my favorite SF subjects: first contact. I typically read SF that doesn't involve aliens, because I think humans are fascinating enough on their own. But every so often, I find myself returning. I think it's because first contact stories grapple with human polarity as no other story can. When we encounter aliens for the first time, do we consider that a hopeful event? Or a calamity?

I'm curious to see how different authors answer that question.

Can anyone recommend some good novels that explore first contact?

I'll name a few I've read off the top of my head.
- Sphere - the Crichton classic that Hollywood ruined (although I actually liked the movie)
- Saturn Run - hard SF in the vein of The Martian
- Childhood's End - the one that started it all

Nor Crystal Tears by Alan Dean Foster

Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds is a great First Contact novel as well as a Big Dumb Object novel.
Highly recommended :-)

Lori S. wrote: "Nor Crystal Tears by Alan Dean Foster"

That one came to mind immediately for me, as well.

Robert L. Forward's Dragon's Egg is brilliantly different from most other first contact novels.

H. Beam Piper's Fuzzy Sapien series as well as John Scalzi's remake Fuzzy Nation are all quite good.

James P. Hogan's Code of the Lifemaker I recall being pretty good. Well, I remember the opening prologue being really good. The rest is kind of hazy.

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell is excellent.

Protector by Larry Niven is probably my all-time favorite.

I have a number of First Contact novels in my TBR pile, such as Fluency and The Three-Body Problem.

Contact by Carl Sagan. It's probably my favourite book in the world. I highly recommend it to everyone.

It includes very thorough scientific explanations, a brilliant protagonist and many philosophical discussions. The movie distorted the message a bit, so read the book first.

Tom wrote: "When we encounter aliens for the first time, do we consider that a hopeful event? Or a calamity?

I'm curious to see how different authors answer that question.

Can anyone recommend some good novels that explore first contact? ."

I'd flag up two excellent explorations of first contact by Warren Dean who has made that topic the main basis of his science fiction to date.

These are The Forever Geneand Return of The Treasure Hunters with its prequel short The Treasure Hunters.

The ambivalence regarding the benefit or otherwise of the first contact described, is a strong thread in both stories but with very different outcomes.

Is what benefits humanity also what benefits the aliens? Even if the aliens give us incredible gifts of technology - would that really help us?

I found these books offered much food for thought on the topic.

I enjoyed Anne McCaffrey's "Decision at Doona"

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

I can second the recommendation of the Little Fuzzy series.

You can try The Cycle, where the first aliens' message is:
“Lords! Accept regards from your loyal servant! Are you willing to come now?”
(https://www.amazon.in/Cycle-Bhaswar-L...)
It is an Utopian Sci-Fi with not an iota of war ,invasion,slavery.

Also there's the book The Listeners by James Edwin Gunn which has to do with SETI and sounds pretty good but I haven't read it yet.

R. wrote: "I enjoyed Anne McCaffrey's "Decision at Doona"

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

I can second the recommendation of the Little Fuzzy series."

Decision at Doona - another good one!

Blindsight is AMAZING