The best one I've found so far is The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. C.S. Lewis's Out of the Silent Planet had a similar plot as well. I'm most interested in conceptions of sentient alien species from an anthropological perspective. Thanks!
2006-10-18 12:10:51 · 9 answers · asked by innocencemocker 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Forever war
by
Joe Haldeman
2006-10-18 12:12:34 · answer #1 · answered by Xae 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Balance of Power by Harry Turtledove. It's actually the first book of an 8-book series (each book around 450-500 pages long with font 10, single space) so it'll take you a good year to finish that off. He's an "alternate history author" and it's basically aliens invading during WWII and how the world was forced to work together to survive. I give this series 6 out of 5 stars because it was just that good.
2006-10-18 19:20:21 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
From the anthrological perspecive, at least, you found a real winner with the Space Trilogy; "Out of the Silent Planet" is only the first of three books; if you enjoyed it, be sure to read the others ("Perelandra", and "That Hideous Strength").
Otherwise, I would highly reccommend the always incredible Clarke's "Space Odyssey" series. ("2001: A Space Odyssey", "2010: Odyssey Two", "2061: Odyssey Three", and "3001: The Final Odyssey")
There are more philosophical, rather than anthropological, implication in Clarke's work. The extraterrestrials themselves aren't discussed in painstaking detail, it's more about the external effect they had on humanity.
Either way, though, you've got a great start with the literature you mentioned; Have fun searching for possibilities. =D
2006-10-18 19:19:33 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you should definitely read the Ender series by Orson Scott Card. While Ender's Game may not be quite what you had in mind, it's the first book in the series, the rest of the books fit your description perfectly. It is Speaker For The Dead (the second book) that I'm particularly thinking of. It is about a team of anthropologists, I believe, who are studying an alien species. Very interesting book. If you like to read, I suggest reading the whole series. Otherwise you can pick up Speaker for the Dead on its own and see if you can make sense of it. I don't think you'd need to know much of what happens in Ender's Game, just what happens in the last bit--maybe the last few chapters and epilogue.
2006-10-19 11:55:42 · answer #4 · answered by laney_po 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Decision at Doona" by Ann Macaffery is an excellent first contact novel, one of the all too rare ones in which Humans and Aliens don't immediately get into a war. Also, several of Andre Nortons science fiction novels dealt with the idea of first contact with alien species, one I would very much recommend is "Storm Over Warlock". Don't let the "young adult" tag on much of Nortons sci-fi put you off, she was a wonderful writer and had a rare knack for creating alien species that really seemed alien, not just humans in another skin.
2006-10-18 21:19:09 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke
Very good. The aliens come down and demand a change in human society before they can join forces with the Universe. Rendevous with Rama was a three or four book series also by him that was on the subject. Great stuff.
2006-10-18 19:14:34 · answer #6 · answered by Gremlin 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Contact by Carl Sagan. Forget the movie, the book is much better. The story is more about human politics than aliens though.
2006-10-18 19:59:09 · answer #7 · answered by George C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not strickly whay your asking but its a sci-fi book non the less.
The original Day of the triffids book is quite frankly terrific.
Dont let the dodgy films put you off .
2006-10-18 19:14:11 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Bible.
2006-10-18 19:13:03 · answer #9 · answered by Saffernellie 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋