

The award-winning Uplift novels comprise one of the greatest achievements in science fiction history. Dramatic, thought-provoking, and inventive, these books describe a fully realized world rich in character, detail, and ideas. Now Uplift author David Brin collaborates with acclaimed artist Kevin Lenagh to compile the definitive guide to the species, societies, and technology of one of the greatest feats of literary world-building ever accomplished.CONTACTING ALIENSHere in the form of a handbook for Terran field agents is a detailed look at Uplift's many alien races--from the friendly Tymbrimi to the warlike Tandu, from the wise and enigmatic Kanten to the fiercely reptilian Soro, from the bureaucratic Hoon to the manipulative Thennanin--their physiology, psychology, history; their clans and alliances; and their shifting attitudes toward Earth and its representatives.Here, too, is a history of Earth's contact and challenging interactions with the mysterious and powerful Civilization of Five Galaxies, a look at its institutions, languages, and customs, plus a time line of momentous events going back 3 billion years. For the millions of fans of the Uplift novels, this long-awaited guide will be an essential reference work, filled with vital information and never-before-seen illustrations that reveal, for the first time in one volume, the keys to the ambitious vision and bold speculation of the Uplift universe.From the Trade Paperback edition.
The award-winning Uplift novels comprise one of the greatest achievements in science fiction history. Dramatic, thought-provoking, and inventive, these books describe a fully realized world rich in character, detail, and ideas. Now Uplift author David Brin collaborates with acclaimed artist Kevin Lenagh to compile the definitive guide to the species, societies, and technology of one of the greatest feats of literary world-building ever accomplished.CONTACTING ALIENSHere in the form of a handbook for Terran field agents is a detailed look at Uplift's many alien races--from the friendly Tymbrimi to the warlike Tandu, from the wise and enigmatic Kanten to the fiercely reptilian Soro, from the bureaucratic Hoon to the manipulative Thennanin--their physiology, psychology, history; their clans and alliances; and their shifting attitudes toward Earth and its representatives.Here, too, is a history of Earth's contact and challenging interactions with the mysterious and powerful Civilization of Five Galaxies, a look at its institutions, languages, and customs, plus a time line of momentous events going back 3 billion years. For the millions of fans of the Uplift novels, this long-awaited guide will be an essential reference work, filled with vital information and never-before-seen illustrations that reveal, for the first time in one volume, the keys to the ambitious vision and bold speculation of the Uplift universe.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Add to your library to track progress and write reviews
Add to your library to track progress and write reviews
Find Contacting Aliens: An Illustrated Guide to David Brin's Uplift Universe David Brin in PDF, EPUB, ebook, audiobook, print, or library editions.
Find Contacting Aliens: An Illustrated Guide to David Brin's Uplift Universe David Brin in PDF, EPUB, ebook, audiobook, print, or library editions.
The Uplift Saga
The Uplift Saga

10 books in catalog
Hard science fiction exploring biological elevation, near-future technology, and societal resilience has defined major developments in speculative literature, most notably through the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning Uplift universe and post-apocalyptic classics like The Postman. Glen David Brin, writing as David Brin, established his reputation by combining rigorous backgrounds in astrophysics and optics with high-concept speculative storytelling that addresses cosmic and societal challenges.
Born on October 6, 1950, in Glendale, California, Brin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in astronomy from the California Institute of Technology in 1973, followed by a Master of Science in optics and a Ph.D. in space science from the University of California, San Diego in 1981. Before dedicating himself primarily to writing, he worked as an electrical engineer in semiconductor development at Hughes Aircraft Research Laboratories and served as a university instructor. Beyond his career as an author, Brin has served as a technical consultant for NASA and participated on advisory boards covering space exploration, SETI, national defense, homeland security, and future technologies. In addition to his fiction, his 1998 nonfiction work The Transparent Society earned the American Library Association's Freedom of Speech Award for examining privacy, openness, and technological accountability.
Brin's fiction is known for hard-science plausibility, vast galactic scope, and detailed examinations of political, social, and technological dilemmas. A signature concept in his work is biological uplift, a scenario where established galactic patron species genetically modify client species to full sentience. Across his standalone novels and short fiction, Brin frequently explores artificial intelligence, surveillance, information democracy, and planetary survival. In predictive near-future novels like Earth, he anticipated technological and environmental developments including global networks and cyberwarfare, while short fiction collections such as Tomorrow Happens highlight his engagement with rapid speculative ideas.

10 books in catalog
Hard science fiction exploring biological elevation, near-future technology, and societal resilience has defined major developments in speculative literature, most notably through the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning Uplift universe and post-apocalyptic classics like The Postman. Glen David Brin, writing as David Brin, established his reputation by combining rigorous backgrounds in astrophysics and optics with high-concept speculative storytelling that addresses cosmic and societal challenges.
Born on October 6, 1950, in Glendale, California, Brin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in astronomy from the California Institute of Technology in 1973, followed by a Master of Science in optics and a Ph.D. in space science from the University of California, San Diego in 1981. Before dedicating himself primarily to writing, he worked as an electrical engineer in semiconductor development at Hughes Aircraft Research Laboratories and served as a university instructor. Beyond his career as an author, Brin has served as a technical consultant for NASA and participated on advisory boards covering space exploration, SETI, national defense, homeland security, and future technologies. In addition to his fiction, his 1998 nonfiction work The Transparent Society earned the American Library Association's Freedom of Speech Award for examining privacy, openness, and technological accountability.
Brin's fiction is known for hard-science plausibility, vast galactic scope, and detailed examinations of political, social, and technological dilemmas. A signature concept in his work is biological uplift, a scenario where established galactic patron species genetically modify client species to full sentience. Across his standalone novels and short fiction, Brin frequently explores artificial intelligence, surveillance, information democracy, and planetary survival. In predictive near-future novels like Earth, he anticipated technological and environmental developments including global networks and cyberwarfare, while short fiction collections such as Tomorrow Happens highlight his engagement with rapid speculative ideas.