How did this SciFi masterpiece escape me until only recently?
It's the dawn of the 31st Century and mankind is the midst of rebuilding the Empire from a Secession War that destroyed the First Empire. Most of the high technology from the First Empire has been lost and, world by world, the Empire is bringing systems back into it's fold. In a backwater part of the Empire called the Trans-Coalsack sector, an alien ship is detected coming into an Empire occupied system. The ship is intercepted and it is discovered where the ship originated from. Assembling a team of scientists, two battle cruisers are sent to the alien's home system and first contact is established. The aliens, called "Moties" by the humans, seem simultaneously advanced and backwater . The Moties are friendly and offer great trade benefits but are they harboring a dark secret?
Here is an interesting bit from the Wikipedia:
I give it a
Definitely one of the top SciFi books I have ever read.
It's the dawn of the 31st Century and mankind is the midst of rebuilding the Empire from a Secession War that destroyed the First Empire. Most of the high technology from the First Empire has been lost and, world by world, the Empire is bringing systems back into it's fold. In a backwater part of the Empire called the Trans-Coalsack sector, an alien ship is detected coming into an Empire occupied system. The ship is intercepted and it is discovered where the ship originated from. Assembling a team of scientists, two battle cruisers are sent to the alien's home system and first contact is established. The aliens, called "Moties" by the humans, seem simultaneously advanced and backwater . The Moties are friendly and offer great trade benefits but are they harboring a dark secret?
Here is an interesting bit from the Wikipedia:
The events of this novel reflect an underlying social and political philosophy that war is sometimes the only option for a responsible government. After the need to destroy the species becomes obvious, Sally Fowler objects that "the Moties are not monsters!", and Roderick Blaine resignedly replies "No, just our enemies."
I give it a
Definitely one of the top SciFi books I have ever read.
