[Mithfânion]

If I am finally willing to try some Sci-fi and am looking for a Sci-fi in which human colonists encounter wildly powerful and spectacular beings?

For a somewhat childish example, one of my favorite cartoons was The Transformers. One of the elements I liked was how diminutive and powerless the humans were against these great robots. I'm looking for something in that vein, though more grown-up. I'd prefer to read a Sci-fi book in which humans meet another race/civilzation that is more advanced than them.

Thanks in advance http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Erebus]

Try Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's The Mote in God's Eye - it is a wonderfully intellectual yet thoroughly exciting novel of alien contact, and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

[Rob B]

Mithf: Check out the Authors of Merit (http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000236.html) started by Hobbit. My suggestions are there. Though two authors I would suggested again are Jack McDevitt and Octavia Butler.

[fortytwo]

Mithf:
Can I suggest Childhood's End by Arthur C Clarke.Although it's set on Earth,it is humans against superior aliens and a really good read.

[Lady Fox]

Here a couple of series for you to try. In both these series the human race has been subjugated and is trying to break free from their conquerors.

The Rings of the Master by Jack L. Chalker - here a band of rebel humans seek to obtain the Rings that will give them access to the Master System and break free from its control of the human race.

The Jaran series by Kate Elliott - yes, she writes scifi too. :-) In this series a race of aliens has sent most of humanity back to the pre-technological stage except for a few humans who are allowed to know the "truth". The daughter of one of these humans stows away on a spaceship and escapes to a world where she joins up with some natives and is in instrumental in instigating a rebellion against their alien overlords.

[saintjon]

I've been wondering what the Jaran was about. I like Elliot, I'll have to check them out. The title of one of those novels is, "The Law of Becoming" isn't it? That phrase/idea- Law of Becoming - has been kicking around in my head for a while now.

[Lady Fox]

Yes, that's the title of the last book in the series, and it's quite different from the other 3 books. Still good, but a different setting and some new characters as well.

[Hobbit]

Good choices so far. I loved The Mote in Gods Eye when I read it about 20 years ago - good old space opera! There's a sequel too- The Mote Around Murcheson's Eye (different title in the US - think it was The Gripping Hand?)

The Jaran book is no longer available in the UK!

Let me add a couple more. Way of the Pilgrim by Gordon Dickson is a fast read, looking at humans under the thumb of aliens. Robert Silverberg's The Alien Years is also good - a more modern take on War of the Worlds.

Lastly, Steel Beach by John Varley is set in a future where people have been thrown off the Earth by aliens - very Heinleinesque in its style.

As I think of more I'll come back.

Hobbit

[Slowhand]

"The Gripping Hand" is correct. I missed it. Worth a read?

[Hobbit]

Not as good - but still worth a read.

Hobbit