June SFFFKit: Aliens

Welcome to the SFFFKit for June. Our theme this month is aliens so whether you are thinking of the wonder of first contact, a hostile invasion or the interesting life forms that exist beyond our horizons, now is the time to grab that book and “boldly go where no man has gone before”.

The science fiction portion of this theme is pretty straight forward, but “aliens” can also work for fantasy fans with books about mythical beings. Fairies, Elves, Goblins, Pixies and even Leprechauns would all work here.



I have listed a few books that feature space aliens, as well as some with mythical aliens but rest assured there are thousands of books dealing with these subjects. Have fun with this theme and please let us know what you are planning on reading. When you have completed your read, please come back and tells us how the book worked for you.

Also, don’t forget to post your reads to the SFFFKit Wiki which can be found here: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2020_SFFKIT#2020_SFFKIT

Science Fiction Books That Feature Aliens

The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
Dawn by Octavia E. Butler
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Contact by Carl Sagan
Armada by Ernest Cline
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
Way Station by Clifford D. Simak

Fantasy Books With Mythical Aliens

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
The Gold-Son by Carrie Ann Noble
Tigerheart by Peter David
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
The Elvenbane by Andre Norton and Mercedes Lackey

I have decided that I want to go with a alien invasion story so I am going to try the aptly entitled Invasion by Sean Platt and Johnny Truant.

This theme will be easy - and a pleasure! I have no idea what I'll read, but it'll almost certainly be multiple books.

Thanks for the lovely set up, Judy!

Next month is going to be a fun one for sci-fi/fantasy fans - this theme, plus the GeoCat's theme of space and the ScaredyKit's of Cryptids and Legendary Creatures. I'm looking forward to some fun reads!

Yay! Aliens! Invasions! Weird aliens! Can't wait!

And I just noticed that the TravelKit is about Legendary Places so even more to choose from!

I plan to read Grand Central Arena by Ryk E. Spoor. And probably the rest of the series - Spheres of Influence & Challenges of the Deeps.

Thanks for the War of the Worlds suggestion.

>7 SilverWolf28: I have Grand Central Arena on my Kindle - I'll add that to my June plans!

My options here are Fluency by Jennifer Foehner Wells and The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

I have been making my way through James White's Sector General series about a multispecies space hospital so I will read Mind Changer. I am sure that I will come up with others as June gets closer!

I've had The Puppet Masters on my shelves for a while, think I'll tackle it for this challenge!

>1 DeltaQueen50: I noticed that a picture on the OP could be an illustration from Serpent's Reach by CJ Cherryh. Is it?

I think of H.P. Lovecraft for horror, aliens.

>13 fuzzi: Sorry, I can't say for sure. This was an image I grabbed from Google, but when I went looking for it this morning, I couldn't find it again. I did check out the cover of Serpent's Reach and it sure looks like the picture I posted in the OP could be fan artwork from that book.

>15 DeltaQueen50: possible fan art.

Serpent's Reach was a very early book by CJ Cherryh and while it's good, it's also one of her weaker efforts.

Ooh, that's a nice theme!
For those looking for recommendations and who have not yet read it, A fire upon the deep by Vernor Vinge features maybe the most interesting aliens I have seen described. Its companion book, A deepness in the sky, also has really cool aliens and is also really good.

Both series I'm currently reading fit this theme so I'll probably read either The long cosmos by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter (part of the long earth series) or The Human division by John Scalzi (part of the Old man's war series).

The long way to a small angry planet is on my to-read list and is also very tempting. The lathe of heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin which I have been meaning to read for a long time also apparently fits this theme. I won't get bored in June!

>17 chlorine: I read The Lathe of Heaven and really liked it.

What about Little Fuzzy? It's a little bit dated but the aliens really make the book a fun read.

>18 fuzzi: I think Little Fuzzy is really fun. I also like Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi. I read them both a few months ago but I may read them again in June.

Cherryh has the BEST aliens! I would strongly recommend The Pride of Chanur--five different alien species!!

>17 chlorine: Good to know about The Lathe of Heaven! I intend to read it at the latest during the month dedicated to female authors.

>20 ronincats: you beat me to it, highly recommended!

I am thinking the Father Frost character and all the household spirits from The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden would fit in here. Is that about right, DeltaQueen?

I'll be leading a summer-months dip into the Sector General books of James White, which have aliens aplenty. I'll post the thread when I put it up at the end of the week in case anyone is interested.

>23 threadnsong: I haven't read The Bear and the Nightingale yet, but I would say they sound as if they would be alien to the humans in the story and so would fit.

>25 DeltaQueen50: Cool. Thanks. Yes, they are alien to the humans, and there are also a plethora (or so the reviews say) of household sprites and dieties and all.

>24 ronincats: Link is up for the Sector General summer group read--check it out!

https://www.librarything.com/topic/320907

Book #65 Hospital Station by James White (191 pp.)
Book #66 Star Surgeon by James White (160 pp.)
Book #67 Major Operation by James White (183 pp.)

These are the first three books in the Sector General series, books about the operation of a HUGE multi-species hospital in outer space, and of the problems in diagnosing and treating such a diverse population, some of whom have never been encountered before. The first two books were published in the early 60s and reflect some of the non-woke sexism of the times as well as their initial publications as short stories or serializations in the pulp magazines (mainly through the repetition of established facts or procedures of the hospital). By the third book, published in 1971, Nurse Murchison has become a pathologist and kept her own name when marrying a senior doctor. This is problem-solving science fiction that reflects the biases of its Northern Ireland author in its equal treatment of all aliens and pacifist approach to dealing with conflict.



Book #73 Ambulance Ship by James White (192 pp.)

There were a number of Sector General books that I missed back in those pre-Internet days, and I think this was one of them. Our team has now been moved from the great hospital to an Ambulance Ship, designed to respond to distress signals in space. Each episode takes the ship to a different disaster with different problems that need to be solved. Still good stuff with such interesting aliens!

I finished Columbus Day which was a lot of fun.

>28 ronincats: These books sound really intereting, oni. I am looking forward to next month when I have slotted the first one into my reading list.

>29 majkia: And I've taken a BB for Columbus Day - it sounds like a book I would enjoy.

I have finished Mind Changer, the penultimate book in the Sector General series. Now I am rereading Six Moon Dance which does have aliens although that isn't the main focus of the book.

COMPLETED The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham. Earth is invaded via the deepest parts of the oceans.

>32 Robertgreaves: At this point, if that book’s title had been this morning’s headlines, I’m not sure I would have been surprised! #ThatsSo2020 😂

>33 Tanya-dogearedcopy: In part 3 it does have rising seas due to the icecaps melting

>1 DeltaQueen50: What book is the third picture from?

>35 SilverWolf28: I just checked out this picture, it is by artist Alex Rites and was used to illustrate a Forbes Magazine on-line article entitled "The World's 8 Best Places to Hunt for Extraterrestrials" by Jim Dobson. The picture was the artist's concept of a future meeting between aliens and tourist-like humans.

and >13 fuzzi: I finally found that picture that you were asking about. It was from an on-line artical on TV Tropes called "Insectiod Aliens" and the quote beneath it was from Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

>36 DeltaQueen50: thanks! Even if it's not from Serpent's Reach it's a well-done illustration.

>36 DeltaQueen50: Thanks!

I finished The Bear and the Nightingale and it definitely fits! My review will come later, but the book is chock full of Morozko, the Winter Spirit, his evil Brother, Fear, and then there are the Russian spirits! The household Domovoi (whom one feeds with bits of bread and mead to keep them healthy), the Rusalka of the lakes who lures unsuspecting men to their death, the Upyr (vampires) who have taken over this town as the Bear gains his strength. So much Russian folklore, and the realization that feeding the spirits is a universal theme across cultures.

I finished Use of Weapons, which had at least one alien that I can remember. If I can finish the Knife of Dreams this month, I'm guessing that creatures like Trollocs, Myrddraal, Draghkar and Ogier would count for mythical beings/fantasy aliens.

I have finished Invasion: Earth where an alien spaceship crashes in New York Central Park. Short, a bit simplistic, nothing extraordinary. Another one off the shelf.

I'm reading Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach, which is about a female mercenary on a spaceship whose crew are Not What They Seem. She encounters a few alien species, so I can count the book here as well as for the GeoCAT. So far it's a fun one, and I may read the sequel for next month (space opera)!

I have finished my read of Revenger by Alastair Reynolds. The story is about two sisters who run away to space but have a run in with a space pirate which turns the book into a revenge tale. A fun read, but obviously the start of either a series or trilogy and I doubt that I will continue on.

The thread to July is here

>44 h-mb: woo! Thank you.

I read Galactic Gourmet by James White. This has plenty of aliens in it. Interesting story about a chef who decides to work on the interplanetary hospital station.

I have finished my read of Invasion by Sean Platt & Johnny Truant. This is the first entry in their series about an alien invasion, but there is actually very little alien action in this book, it mostly is about the 5 days before they arrive and the world-wide panic that occurs. I did find it a fun read and plan to continue on with the series.

I did read this in June but went through a phase of lack of interest for reading or reviewing.

The long Cosmos by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter is the fifth and last book in the series started with The long Earth. This time every species on the long earth receives a call from out of the galaxy: "Join us".
This book is in fact much more about the reaction of different groups of people (human or not) to this message and the preparations that ensue than about space travel or meeting aliens. It was still a likable read, like all such books in the series, but I felt the ending was lacking.
If I understand correctly Terry Pratchett passed away before the book was concluded but the story was decided by that point.

>48 chlorine: thanks for the follow-up!