@aprilfollies@rabbit_fighter@bookstodon Yeah, I was going to recommend some of Clarke's short stories too, such as "The Star", "The Sentinel", and "The Songs of Distant Earth". They're dated, but Clarke was trying to base them on the known science of his time. If you're considering other old books then you might want to try some of Heinlein's juveniles; my favorite is Citizen of the Galaxy.