Escape Artists

Escape Pod => Science Fiction Discussion => Topic started by: CJK on April 02, 2020, 11:46:27 PM

Title: Looking for more first contact stories
Post by: CJK on April 02, 2020, 11:46:27 PM

I just read An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green and loved it. Ditto for Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang and Arrival. I'm new here and was looking for some good suggestions for more first contact fiction.
Thanks!

Title: Re: Looking for more first contact stories
Post by: Languorous Lass on April 03, 2020, 01:09:14 AM

Hi CJK— I’m a big fan of classic 70s feminist SF, so the first two stories that pop into my head are James Tiptree, Jr.’s “The Women Men Don’t See” and Joanna Russ’s “When It Changed” (although the second one isn’t as much as an alien-contact story as you may be looking for). 

Have you read Michel Faber’s The Book of Strange New Things?  It’s a first-contact book in a religious context, which would usually not be my thing at all.  I found the book to be intriguing, though.

Will post again if I think of anything else.  The forums have been disappointingly quiet lately, so if you don’t get much of a response, it’s not you.   :)

Title: Re: Looking for more first contact stories
Post by: CJK on April 03, 2020, 05:36:41 PM

Thanks so much! I've never dove into 70s feminist SF but it sounds like my kind of read! I haven't read The Book of Strange New Things but I'll have to check it out! Thanks again for the recommendations and hopefully the forums will liven up soon with the flash fiction contest.   :D

Title: Re: Looking for more first contact stories
Post by: Languorous Lass on April 04, 2020, 05:23:47 AM

The last flash fiction contest was when (and why) I joined the forums.  Participating was more fun than I’d had in a long while! 

And if you like games, you might want to check out the Picture Association thread in the Gallimaufry section.  It’s been going on since 2009 — no joke.  Right now the two main players are Fenrix and me, with occasional (but high-quality) contributions from Ocicat and Lowky — all of whom have been playing literally for years longer than me.  I love seeing the twisted ways everyone’s minds work.   8)

Title: Re: Looking for more first contact stories
Post by: LinkP on April 06, 2020, 07:07:33 PM

These are all older, but I'm older, too. Dawn/Octavia E. Butler, The Mote in God’s Eye/Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven, and  Roadside Picnic/Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. Three very different looks at first contact. Hope you find something you like--I'll be busy re-reading "Story of your Life."