Reading with Style discussion

20.2 Prime Directive

Read a book about first contact with another culture, species, or civilization.

Note: This task is about whole populations or cultures or species interacting for the first time, not about a person vacationing in a new country.

Please post your questions about this task here.

Any suggestions? Can’t think of any books not already read. Here is a few I have read.
A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
The Last Days of the Incas by Kim MacQuarrie


Not sure about The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

I've slotted in Blindsight by Peter Watts

Also, someone claimed a combo for books in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.

Maybe also:
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Solaris by Stanisław Lem
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Semiosis by Sue Burke
Rosewater by Tade Thompson
The Conquest of New Spain by Bernal Díaz del Castillo
The Fatal Impact by Alan Moorehead
The Orenda by Joseph Boyden

Joanna wrote: "I've slotted in Blindsight by Peter Watts

Also, someone claimed a combo for books in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.

Maybe also:
The Sparrow

I have also slotted in Blindsight

Do you think Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson would work? It begins with the discovery of Polynesia by the Europeans and works backwards to look at the origins of where the Polynesian people first came from…
(from the top GR review: “The information is presented chronologically, starting with the discovery of the islands by Europeans in the late 1500s. Revealing bit by bit what has been discovered makes the reader intrigued to know more. You want to understand who the island inhabitants are, where they came from and how they came to be there. With this historical perspective, the reader views how ideas have changed over the centuries.”)

Anika wrote: "Do you think Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson would work? It begins with the discovery of Polynesia by the Europeans and works backwards to ..."

Yes, that sounds like first contact between European and Polynesian peoples.

I am thinking more in terms of species. Fantasy or scifi with different species meeting for the first time, or even Jurassic Park.

Rosemary wrote: "Anika wrote: "Do you think Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson would work? It begins with the discovery of Polynesia by the Europeans and works..."

I was asking for my own purposes 😜 I think that’s the one I want to read but wasn’t sure if it would fit the task since it sounds like only the first part is about “contact” while the rest is origin story…

Project Hail Mary is probably my favorite first contact sci-fi book i can think of and would probably have reread it if you’d said no to Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia

I have one historical encounter planned, You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue, and one sci-fi,fantasy, The Sorceress of Sky Serpents by Eden Robinson, that isn't published yet, but I think will work.
Also, what do you think of The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave?

Joanna wrote: "I've slotted in Blindsight by Peter Watts

Also, someone claimed a combo for books in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.

Maybe also:
The Sparrow so years back as a group read. Still stays in my mind.

Apple wrote: "Joanna wrote: "I've slotted in Blindsight by Peter Watts

Also, someone claimed a combo for books in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.

Maybe also:
[book..."

Seems like a few of us are reading for SRC group too. I was going to read that for group reads in that group

Karen Michele wrote: "Also, what do you think of The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave?"

We think no. For a book to involve Scots and Norwegians, it would need to be set during the first Viking raids on Scotland, around 795 CE. We're not just looking for someone encountering ideas or attitudes that are new to them.

Rosemary wrote: "Karen Michele wrote: "Also, what do you think of The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave?"

We think no. For a book to involve Scots and Norwegians, it would need to be set during the first Viking r..."

That makes sense. I really like this task. I'm always amazed that you can think of so many varied, creative and meaningful tasks!