The Mote in God's Eye. Its about first contact with a species that has splintered into useful subspecies through millions of years of natural and artificial selection pressures. Its relatively hard sci-fi, with the exception of two magic technologies - humanity's FTL drive and black-body forcefield. Its one of my favorite stories, and its aged gracefully over the last 40 years.
The Mote in God's Eye. Its about first contact with a species that has splintered into useful subspecies through millions of years of natural and artificial selection pressures. Its relatively hard sci-fi, with the exception of two magic technologies - humanity's FTL drive and black-body forcefield. Its one of my favorite stories, and its aged gracefully over the last 40 years.