Haven't gotten to the Contact with aliens part since that's in book 3 of the trilogy I think, but would love to hear your thoughts on the Thessaly Trilogy by Jo Walton.
Andromeda's strain sounds really interesting. Dying to read Children of ruin but am deathly afraid of spiders. Will I make it through if I imagine them as giant sloths?
Have you read The War of the Worlds? And also check out The Starfishers trilogy by Glenn Cook, I loved the descriptions in those books and they are pretty short so they are easy to finish.
the fact that i don’t really like sci-fi and i have no interest in first contact with aliens whatsoever but I’m still watching this because I’d do anything but pick up the book I’m supposed to be reading ✨
Thanks for these book recommendations, they sound like interesting ones. For me, my favorite books about extraterrestrial contact are "The Allies of Humanity" and "Life in the Universe" by Marshall Vian Summers.
Great recommendations. Thank you. "Life in the Universe" absolutely blew me away. Talk about getting ones eyes open about the reality of the nature of the cosmos.
I actually recommend the three-body problem as a first-time sci-fi book. Especially if you are a science nut. It was the first sci-fi book I had read as an adult and it is what got me into sci-fi books and Alien Invasion novels. I loved it. I was skeptical at first because I heard it was written by a Chinese author and had to be translated. But I'm so glad I read it. The whole series just blew my mind.
The Sparrow is an INCREDIBLE book! But you HAVE TO read the sequel, Children of God. It takes the story line down a path you would never ever see coming, and it really ties things together. It answers a lot of questions. Hands down, the 2 combined are my favorite sci-fi books
You can tell that I watch your videos way too much because I've read most of these books! Almost everything I've picked up based on your recommendations has been 5 stars, so you're my #1 source for good reads. :D
I picked up The Humans just this morning. I haven't read sci-fi before so it seemed like the best one based on your recommendation. Plus it has a dog :)
I just finished Children of Time because of your recommendation. It was so good! The ending was awesome - did not see that coming.. I agree that it can stand alone, but I'm planning to pick up the sequel next month. (Also recommend the audiobook)
The Mote in Gods Eye is by many considered the best first contact novel ever written. It _is_ older, but you had quite a few others that were old - definitely worth reading, especially because the aliens are really alien. 'tis a hard sci-fi book with some military and space opera thrown in, and apparently some feel that it is patriachial (true, but there is a reason). It gets better and better and better - even after several rereads :)
The Humans is my favourite book. It just fit that it was the perfect subject for me (my master's thesis was kind of related to the Riemann hypothesis) and at the perfect time (when I was going through a hard time, Matt Haig supposedly outlined it during a breakdown when he was trying to understand what it meant to be human). Just a rare occurrence of something that fit so well.
Thank you for the recommendations for Children of Time and The Sparrow. Sci-fi is not my preferred genre so I was not that into Children of Time but I have understood and appreciated it. The Sparrow on the other hand I wouldn't have chosen to read until I saw your recommendation. I loved it. I'll also give Spin a try since it looks like I'll like it too. And Ted Chiang's stories were all very interesting. I'm even thinking of buying his second book. So once again thank you for the recommendations and for explaining the books in a way that I can understand if they are for me or not.
I upvote sci-fi content faster than Steve nabs those peanuts! Another science-heavy first-contact story with aliens and a heavy dose of unwholesome nihilism is Blindsight (the limegreen outlined book to Em's left). Definitely focuses more on its ideas than on characterization though so it might not come off as the most engaging story but I think the payoff is more than worth it. Plus a bonus, not much of a spoiler since it's mentioned straight away on the first page of chapter 1... there are vampires in the story if they're your jam!
I don't know why, but I like the color similarity between An Absolutely Remarkable Thing and The Three Body Problem and the fact they are randomly close when you put them on the shelf.
I hope you finished "Fire upon the deep", it's a very interesting first contact scenario. Here are two other recommendations: Greg Bear "The forge of god" and Ian Banks "The player of games".
Rendezvous with Rama was more of a “prequel.” Rama II, Garden of Rama and Rama Revealed are the REAL story and remain my absolute favorite series of Sci-Fi books to date. I believe they FAR surpass the Space Odyssey series that Arthur C. Clarke is more known for. I also believe the Rama series (and you can skip Rendezvous with Rama if you want) is a must read for anyone who loves first contact sci-fi. I know you kind of thought Rendezvous with Rama was weird, but seriously, do yourself a favor: read Rama II. I think you will find that the entire story across all three books will stick in your mind for a long time after. It was that good.
Really great review of books. Wow, I don't know how you can read so many books. You sure must read faster than me. But, then, I get distracted pretty easy, I guess, when I'm reading.
"Sphere" was about a large, super-advanced alien probe that came to Earth to determine if mankind would eventually advance enough to be a threat to the probe's creators. The probe was sentient, telepathic, and could somehow make things happen. It is implied that there are countless such probes throughout the galaxy. "The Mote in God's Eye" is widely considered to be the best first contact novel ever written. I was completely transfixed - I couldn't put it down.
Peter F Hamilton, Writer of big scary books. Yes he is, I recomend reading him via kindle that way you cant see how many trees gave their lives for your entertainment. Also Pandoras Star definatly about 1st contact and not fiddling with things you dont understand an extremely good book. The 2nd in the series is called Judas Unchained.
Salvation by PF Hamilton is also a good sci-fi pick! It's a far future society that already has alien contact, but in the first book there's a team of specialists from different backgrounds going to analyze a mystery ship found in a planet (including a hidden alien). Multiple timelines and stories that don't seem to be at all related... until they are! There's also an accompanying space atmospheric soundtrack that you can listen to while you read the book; it's a very fun and eerie addition
You should read Adrian Tchaikowsky’s fantasy series. The first one is the Tiger and the Wolf. I started it (didnt finish cause reasons) but I liked it and would be interested in your opinions of it 😄
Ahhhhhhh I am literally going to make a huge book order with a lot of these books on here! 😍 I have been obsessed with sci-fi recently and it's so hard to find recommendations because I feel like so many people don't like sci-fi 😂 So I was VERY EXCITED to find this video! 😁
Pandora's Star, Judas Unchained, and the Void trilogy are my favorite in the genre. Definitely worth reading - you just have to get through the slow start. It's not "first contact" though (humans had already met some harmless aliens), but it's the first contact with hostile aliens.
Oh my goodness, I'm so glad I found your channel completely by accident. Not just do I love your videos but I'm also a huge sci-fi fan and lots of the books you mentioned here are part of my favorites shelf! The other ones, I'm definitely going to try and read. "The Sparrow" really caught my attention. Thanks so much for this!
I've just finished the Three Body Problem book and i absolutely loved the story and the hard science was just right for me. An excellent book, and the translation was really well done. Cheers for making this video 👍
I have never read a sci fi but I have a feeling I would love the first contact with aliens type of sci fi. I have been watching x files since I was 5. Huge fan.
The humans was fantastic! One of my absolute favourite books. It’s also interesting when you take into account that the alien character was inspired by the authors experience with mental illness
I read Children of Time because of how much you rave about it and loved it! Had to read Children of Ruin right away. They are definately favorites now.
Amazing, amazing video, thank you for making this! I've been in the mood for sci fi lately and I haven't had that much experience with it yet, so any recommendation is more than helpful! Will be adding pretty much all of these onto my tbr (except maybe Hank Green to be honest). Stay safe
I'm almost done with The Three Body Problem and I like it, The Dark Forest has been delivered yesterday so I can read on immediately 😁 (you forgot The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham great first contact novel and you never even get to see the aliens)
Yayyyyyyy!!!!! I’m so excited for this video!! I’ve been really wanting to get more into sci-fi (mostly because of your channel😂) and this is perfect!! I know I want to read Sleeping Giants, I’ve heard it’s great!
Arrival is one of my fave movies as well. I didn't know it was a story first. I'll definitely have to check it out! I watched Contact as a child and adored it ❤
The Humans sounds really good. I have been wanting to pick it up and it seems just like a really great book. Children of Time is another one I have been wanting to pick up because a lot of people I know really love it.
Have you read Arthur C Clarke's "Childhoods End"? A first and last contact book, with a horrific 50 year generational tale. What was it Clarke said? "Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying" A book which haunts me still. Another good duopoly is Greg Bear's "Forge of God" & "Anvil of Stars", first contact....bad stuff happens!! I have Children of Ruin TBR, currently reading Stephen King's The Institute. My TBR approaches 90 or so...no chance at my speed of 12-15 books a year, I don't know how you manage to hit the 100 mark, dear Emily!! Lovely content, as usual!! Tony
i've started reading scifi bec of u and thank u sooo much! it's now one of my fav genres and im so excited to read some of the books u mentioned in this video
I've read The Humans and quite enjoyed it as a light sci-fi that is more on the side of contemporary. I also tried listening to Sleeping Giants but I couldn't tolerate the interview style, mainly because I didn't believe that the characters would tell all this crazy personal relationship stuff to their boss guy. It just wasn't working for me
I had the same problem with Sleeping Giants! I felt like it could have been so much better if it was just written in a different way instead of the files-style
I hope you got "The Mote in God's Eye" read. It is, in my opinion, one of the best first contact books out there. There's a sequel, "The Gripping Hand," but it is not so good.
All great books! My first contact faves are Bindsight by Peter Watts, and Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds. Blindsight has the most "alien" aliens in all of the sci-fi I've read, but the book is very science heavy and the narrator is someone who has had half of their brain removed. It can be a bit hard to read because of this and because of how science heavy it is, but the utter strangeness of it all is wonderful.
The 6 I've read, Humans, Children of Time, Andromeda Strain, Sleeping Giants, Rendezvous with Rama, and the Sphere I've loved and I have several others on my tbr
I was not ready for The Sparrow. I couldn't finish, it was so heavy for me . I want to go back to finish it when I'm ready for the feels. Definitely A Little Life but with aliens. I read The Humans just after to balance out my emotional state and I loved it!!!
Omg, it isn't creepy uncle noises, you're making the squirrel noises, or at least the noises you make when you feed Steve the peanuts. 🤣 You must really like that book lol.
One that I liked quite a bit is "Urn Burial" by Robert Westall and published in 1987. He originally wrote it as a short story under the same title but a few years later expanded it to a full novel. Not a long book, it's under 250 pages. If you decide to read it you might need to get it from your library and even then you might need to request an Interlibrary Loan (ILL). Of course I would love to hear your thoughts about it if you do read it. This is a good choice for a SciFi beginner.
Your English is so good that I keep forgetting it’s not your first language until you come across a word like mote and point out that you don’t know how to pronounce it ☺️
you MUST read the Lilith's Brood trilogy by Octavia E. Butler! First contact with aliens, and the aliens are weiiird, each book within the trilogy follows a different character that is linked to the aliens in different ways, and personally I thought they only got better as they went along!
I have only just started watching your channel, so I don't know if you ever came across books of Philip Dick. They are the old, intense sci-fi and mind-blow kind of stories. I red them in my childchood and really loved most of them. They are a very specific type, so if you don't want to begin with very weird ones I would reccomend 'A maze of death', 'Ubik' (they both take place in weird worlds where nothing is certain and have crazy twists at the end) or the classic - 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep'. 😃
Despite its flaws, the dark Forrest is the best SF book I've ever read, the entire trilogy is a masterpiece. No idea how they're going to pull off the final book for the Netflix series but it should have as much money thrown at it as possible!
A nit: The movie made from the short story you describe is "Arrival." It is far different than the 1996 movie "The Arrival" starring Charlie Sheen, in which aliens are trying to make Earth hotter through climate change so it will be suitable for them to take over.
I love this channel. She is pretty but I'd watch out for the smart ones -- nothing but trouble. Here are my favorite novels (and one art book): - Stormbringer by Michael Moorcock - The Very Best of the Best by Gardner Dozois - Great Fighter Jets of the Galaxy 1 by Tim Gibson
Emily! *Pandora's Star*! Please finish it! The sequel (*Judas Unchained*) is even better. But a recent one you will love if you like Hank Greens: *Axiom's End* by Lindsay Ellis, also a First contact. Thanks for the video!
Just finished a new novel by Derrick McCartney (McMinnville). It is a SCI-FI mystery focusing on a retired NYC detective who is trying to solve a mystery of two photographs taken of a UFO in 1950. It is a historical mystery than turns strange as the protagonist gets closer to solving the mystery which centers on a girl who disappeared on the same day the photos were taken. Not really about aliens per se, but the high strangeness of the UFO phenomenon. It has an epic feel since the novel spans nearly 60 years.
"The Andromeda Strain" was indeed a 1970s film which was a big box office success at the time (I saw it then) - it's an entertaining film, if dated, I think better than the book, but, personally, I'm not a super fan of Crichton's writing (I am in a tiny minority there).
Maaaaan I really need to read Children of Time! I have it on a list that I'll buy eventually. Also, I loved AART by Hank Green! As in, 5 star loved. Thank you for these recommendations, a few are up my alley so I'll be checking them out. (: They're not first contact with aliens, but have you read any Becky Chambers? Her work is delightful. No sexism, homophobia, NOTHING. It's the invert entirely; so much inclusivity, representation, and it's just soft and wholesome. Her work is my fave. ^___^
Love Pandora's Star. It does have a slow start, but the MorningLightMountain alien is great. And I want to marry Paula Myo. I was less of a fan of the more fantasy like parts with Ozzie on the trail.
I’m not a sci-fi lover in general (even in movies or shows I have a big phobia about space since I was little...) But I was curious if you were goong to mention The Sleeping Giants! My husband gave it to me one Christmas and bought me book 2 the next Christmas and book 3 last Christmas! I finished in March and l surprisingly really liked this series for a non sci-fi lover! I have to agree about the ending though, I was disappointed BUT I found out last month that they were extra bonus « files » available on his website for free! So one that is « book/chapter » #0.5, #1.5, #2.5; #3.5... and that last one had an ending I was actually hoping for in book 3 so if you haven’t read them, that last one really is worth it! 😉
Thank you for showing me Children of Time, It was an amazing read and im almost scared to real Children of Ruin just because of how good the ending was. But eh my curiosity requires me to read it
Ritu Saini I’ve just read bringing down the duke and punk 57 and I really liked them, despite having to get through some cringey sex scenes. But that’s what you get with romance 🤣
