Science Fiction Trivia

[Cody]

No, no Chocky on my list.

[DredgerMan]

Then you've got four already.

[Cody]

It's been a long time since I read Chocky, but I'm not sure it quite fits Big D's criteria?

Without including Chocky (and THHGTTG), I now have four - I think.

[spud42]

would Hitchhikers count? i mean the whole damn planet is a computer for the mice???

[Cody]

If Slartibartfast made the fjords, then THHGTTG is a young-earth creationist thing, yes? If so, does the bible count?

[spud42]

well i think as he asked for SF works the Bible may not fit.. but Battlefield Earth would... lol

as for THHGTTG he did also specify progenitors...

[Cody]

There are certainly progenitors in the Uplift series - but humanity considers itself to be a wolfling species which had bootstrapped itself.

[DredgerMan]

It's been a long time since I read Chocky, but I'm not sure it quite fits Big D's criteria?

Not having read it myself, but from what I could read online, Chocky's race sent scouts out in search of new planets to colonise, or to provide subtle guidance to newly-emerging intelligent life. I would say the latter definitely fits the requirement, although it was only implied that it was for the betterment of mankind.

[Disembodied]

I will accept any decision by big D as to whether 5 each other following works actually count as the required five works.

I think for the purposes of the question I'd have to say that a series of books only counts as one. The THHGTTG series would count as one (humanity being descended from either the Golgafrinchans, or having been created by the mice, both count as "alien progenitors"). The Bible and other mythological works don't count, even ones which feature aliens (if there are any): this has to be something where the author and publishers are happy to stick a "This is a work of fiction" label to it.

I'm not sure if Battlefield Earth would count … isn't it set in the future? And Chocky only deals with one alien, in the present … it's been a long time since I read it but I don't think Chocky's race has visited humanity before.

Of the works mentioned so far, then, only two count: the Lensman series and THHGTTG series.

[Cody]

Let's try this lot:

• The Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut
  2001: A Space Odyssey (novel) - Arthur C. Clarke
  Childhood's End - Arthur C. Clarke
  Lensman (series) - E. E. 'Doc' Smith
  Uplift (series) - David Brin

The first even has a song associated with it - a very good telling of the tale.
The fifth is a bit dodgy though!

[Disembodied]

Let's try this lot:

• The Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut
  2001: A Space Odyssey (novel) - Arthur C. Clarke
  Childhood's End - Arthur C. Clarke
  Lensman (series) - E. E. 'Doc' Smith
  Uplift (series) - David Brin

The first even has a song associated with it - a very good telling of the tale.
The fifth is a bit dodgy though!

OK … this involves a bit more adjudication than I had first thought! I don't think I can accept the Uplift series, as it's an open question there whether humanity's evolution has been interfered with. And I don't think I can accept Childhood's End either, since the changes to humanity only begin after the arrival of the Overlords. Rereading my original question I realise I could have been clearer, so I'll rephrase it:

Name five SF works (books or film/TV) where alien races have influenced human evolution in the past and/or are humanity's progenitors.

[Cody]

<nods>

[DredgerMan]

I will accept any decision by big D as to whether 5 each other following works actually count as the required five works.

I think for the purposes of the question I'd have to say that a series of books only counts as one.

'S a fair cop, he is.

[Cody]

<grins> I could perhaps argue the point as regards Childhood's End, but hey... happy solstice!

[spud42]

The Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut
2001: A Space Odyssey (novel) - Arthur C. Clarke
Lensman (series) - E. E. 'Doc' Smith

so these 3 from Cody are ok?

takes a stab.....

Stargate the system lords abduct humans and seed the galaxy with them . plus the whole Egypt god thing and the pyramids as landing towers for the space ships???

and my original thought of THHGTTG... the whole mice and earth as a computer designed to find out the question and all....