SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Any recs where an alien species interacts with humans for the first time please? Kind of the plot of Ice Planet Barbarians, minus all the extra smut lmao. I'm looking for a more well-developed sci-fi version of that series, where the focus is more on aien-human relations.

HOWEVER. I am a romance girly who’s trying to get into sci-fi. So I’m trying to ease into it by reading sci-fi WITH romance (the issue I’m facing is that these kind of books are normally poorly written and not really well-developed). So, I would really appreciate it if the rec. also has a couple/some sort of romance sub-plot involved otherwise I'II get bored Imao. Thank you!!

Enemy Mine by Barry B. Longyear explores the meeting between a human and alien Drac who are stranded together despite being enemies and at war.

The story won the 1979 Nebula Award for Best Novella, as well as the 1980 Hugo Award for Best Novella, and was included by Longyear in his 1980 collection Manifest Destiny.

Since it's just the two on the planet, it is hard to get a romance out of it, but they do develop a relationship that can be interesting.

I haven't read the novella, only watched the movie (many, many years ago).

reemreadsx wrote: "an alien species interacts with humans for the first time"

"First contact scifi" is what you're looking for! I'm not sure if there are many romances in that subgenre, since I personally don't enjoy romance in my scifi, although I do read other romance. I don't have any recs unfortunately, but searching for first contact and romance, maybe something will come up?

And of course others will hopefully have excellent recs for you!

I will echo Anna's comment that "first contact" stories do not typically feature romance (at least not ones that I can think of).

That said, two stellar (sorry) stories of first contact would be:
Contact by Carl Sagan
The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

Two very different approaches to the topic, Sagan's being hard sf and near future (when it was written) and the Niven/Pournelle providing action, adventure, and a unique (I think) take on the aliens.

Since you are just starting out, this may be helpful.

Inter-galactic stories are rare. Galaxies are very, very, very, far away (check an encyclopedia).

The word you want is interstellar, between stars in, usually, but not necessarily, in the same galaxy, or region thereof. Intra-galactic distances are pretty big to begin with.

For human beings from an alien perspective, I would suggest, when you have more experience, C.J. Cherryh’s Chanur series, for the titles of which you can use her Wikipedia bibliography. Avoid any articles on them: they are high-powered spoilers.

There are several very interesting alien species dealt with in the course of the books, and the human character’s relationship to members of one species is very nicely worked out.

The Chanur series definitely has (view spoiler)[a romance in it (hide spoiler)].

A good point. But I was working from an iPhone and it doesn't support spoiler marks, so I avoided the topic.

reemreadsx wrote: "Any recs where an alien species interacts with humans for the first time please? Kind of the plot of Ice Planet Barbarians, minus all the extra smut lmao. I'm looking for a more well-developed sci-..."

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet seems like the perfect starter book for you!

Trude wrote: "Enemy Mine by Barry B. Longyear explores the meeting between a human and alien Drac who are stranded together despite being enemies and at war.

The story won the 1979..."

Thank you! Added to my WTR!

Anna wrote: "reemreadsx wrote: "an alien species interacts with humans for the first time"

"First contact scifi" is what you're looking for! I'm not sure if there are many romances in that subgenre, since I pe..."

Ahh this is so helpful, thank you!

Colin wrote: "I will echo Anna's comment that "first contact" stories do not typically feature romance (at least not ones that I can think of).

That said, two stellar (sorry) stories of first contact would be:..."

The 1st one defo seems to hardcore for me, but the 2nd one seems somewhat interesting (considering the lack of romance haha) - added to my TBR - thank you.

Ian wrote: "Since you are just starting out, this may be helpful.

Inter-galactic stories are rare. Galaxies are very, very, very, far away (check an encyclopedia).

The word you want is interstellar, between ..."

Will check out the series, thank you.

CBRetriever wrote: "The Chanur series definitely has [spoilers removed]."

Thank you, this definitely encourages me to actually give it a go

Nadine in California wrote: "reemreadsx wrote: "Any recs where an alien species interacts with humans for the first time please? Kind of the plot of Ice Planet Barbarians, minus all the extra smut lmao. I'm looking for a more ..."

Thank you, will check it out!

Axiom's End is a first contact that has romantic undertones that would help with easing into Sci-fi.

Project Hail Mary is first contact, but its not a romance, more of a bromance, but you kinda get the same warm and fuzzy vibes.

Then there's always The Host but I feel like its not the best representation of the Sci-fi genre but it is both a first contact and a romance story.

Nicole wrote: "Axiom's End is a first contact that has romantic undertones that would help with easing into Sci-fi.

Project Hail Mary is first contact, but its not a romance, more..."

Amazing recs! I'm actually most excited for Project Hail Mary out of those 3, believe it or not! Thank youu

Nicole wrote: "Axiom's End is a first contact that has romantic undertones that would help with easing into Sci-fi.

Project Hail Mary is first contact, but its not a romance, more..."

I also had a quick look at your profile and saw you also read mystery/thriller? Would u mind at all giving me any recs for those genres that could ease me in as well? That either have a couple involved (doesn't need to be romance), or is just so insane and plot twist-y that I'll forget it doesn't have romance!

If it helps, so far I've read The Silent Patient (no romance, but surprisingly I loved it! But tbf, the 2 main characters were in relationships so maybe that element helped haha).

I'm also reading Yesterday (no romance but has a couple as the leads too) - I'm liking it okay but I'm getting a bit bored half way through.

The classic story in the alien contact sub-genre is Murray Leinster’s “First Contact” (1945). No romance, but it does have a punchline. It won a Retro-Hugo, the fan-voted award, in 1996: the regular Hugo awards did not exist when it was first published. It has a Wikipedia article to avoid, since it summarizes the whole thing. Read that later, as it has some interesting information on adaptations of the story.

It can be found in the Kindle book “First Contacts: The Essential Murray Leinster,” which is packed with excellent, if aging stories. (He pretty much “invented” the internet and its disruptive aspects, for example.) Leinster (Will F. Jenkins) was active in Science Fiction from the 1920s to the 1960s, with an impressive body of work, although some has held up better than others. See his Wikipedia article.

For mysteries/thrillers, check out this thread, and feel free to ask for more recs there! :)

Mystery/Thriller gems

(Look at Alice Feeney, many of them have a couple. And I see that you haven't read Gone Girl. But yeah, take a look in the other thread, and ask for more specific recs, so people know exactly what to recommend!)

Ian wrote: "The classic story in the alien contact sub-genre is Murray Leinster’s “First Contact” (1945). No romance, but it does have a punchline. It won a Retro-Hugo, the fan-voted award, in 1996: the regula..."

Thank you.

The Last Hour of Gann by R. Lee Smith. A powerful sci-fi read, with a romance. But be warned, some graphic and violent content in parts. It's not for everyone. Also, it's a standalone, not a series.

So, I’m not sure if sexual “relations” are part of what you are looking for or if it is really just romance and relationships.

Dawn, by Octavia Butler is NOT a romance, but there is “first contact” with aliens and something more along the lines of sexual relations. This one is more disturbing and not at all cozy. But a great, and important work.

The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell is also a first contact story, and while there is romance, it’s secondary and between the humans.

Two authors that combine SF and Romance (but not first contact) are Catherine Asaro and Anne McCaffrey.