Science Fiction Trivia

[Zieman]

A group of high school kids get roped into an interstellar kidnapping of what initially appears to be a bowling ball.

Name the book and the author please.

(You'll get this from even that obscure clue - if you either know the book or your Google-fu is strong.)

and

Alvin (but not the Chipmunk) plays a big part in the story...

together - feels oddly familiar...

Or I'm just delusing myself.

Anyway, when the correct answer pops up, it's either "dang, I should've remembered THAT" or "never seen this before".

[DaddyHoggy]

Still nobody?

Wow!

Well the answer will have you Seething once it's out.

That's got enough to Google...

[Disembodied]

Still drawing a blank here! The only book I can think of that's even vaguely similar is The Glitterball by Howard Thompson.

[Cody]

Glory Lane, by Alan Dean Foster!

[DaddyHoggy]

And the prize for getting the most obscure (it turns out) book in my collection goes to EV!

(Did it require a Google-nudge?)

[Cody]

(Did it require a Google-nudge?)

Yes… it’d nagged at me for a few days, so today I exercised my google-fu!

Next question: this novel is set on a distant oceanic world, inhabited by a small human colony that arrived there by seedship.
The title and author, please.

[Disembodied]

That sounds like Arthur C. Clarke's The Songs of Distant Earth, I think!

[Cody]

Indeed it is... it's also the title of an excellent album, based on the novel, by Mike Oldfield.
I didn't think that one would last long... and I was right... over to you, D!

[Disembodied]

OK ... who gave in to temptation and pressed the History Eraser button? Name AND rank required!

[Smivs]

Would that be Cadet Stimpy?

[JazHaz]

Next question: this novel is set on a distant oceanic world, inhabited by a small human colony that arrived there by seedship.
The title and author, please.

That sounds like Arthur C. Clarke's The Songs of Distant Earth, I think!

That answer was done before on this thread, I know because I asked it! see here

[Disembodied]

Would that be Cadet Stimpy?

It would! Over to you!

[Smivs]

Published after the Author's death, this is the tale of one Island's inhabitants attempts to fight off an invasion.
Name of the Author, and the Novel, please.

[Smivs]

Is it time for a clue?
The Island's inhabitants become known to the invaders as 'Little Sisters'.

[Disembodied]

Aha! It's John Wyndham's Web, I think!