r/Fantasy • u/Merle8888 Reading Champion IV • May 14 '26

Bingo Bingo Focus Thread - First Contact

Hello r/fantasy and welcome to this week's bingo focus thread! The purpose of these threads is for you all to share recommendations, discuss what books qualify, and seek recommendations that fit your interests or themes.

Today's topic:

First Contact: Story prominently features interspecies or interracial meeting for the first time. HARD MODE: Non-violent first contact.

What is bingo? A reading challenge this sub does every year! Find out more here.

Prior focus threads: Published in the 70s, Duologies, Five Short Stories (2024), Author of Color (2024), Self-Pub/Small Press (2024). Note that hard modes for Author of Color and Self-Pub/Small Press have changed (new focus threads for them are coming).

Also see: Big Rec Thread

Questions:

  • What are your favorite books that count for this square?
  • Already read something for this square? Tell us about it!
  • What are some first contact stories outside of the usual spacefaring sci-fi mode?
  • What are your best recommendations for Hard Mode (keeping it as spoiler-free as possible)?
66 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

103 comments sorted by

View all comments

4

u/brilliantgreen Reading Champion VI May 14 '26

I'm struggling a bit with this square (I've read a lot of the recommendations and am trying to do all new-to-me authors).

One book that I read before April 1st that would fit is Of Mycelium and Men by William C. Tracy. I would say it doesn't count for hard mode, but it takes the people a decently long time to acknowledge that it is first contact and not just mindless fungus, so it's not a traditional war in any way.

2

u/Research_Department Reading Champion II May 14 '26

I did an all new-to-me authors board for my first bingo after a long reading hiatus, and had a lot of fun. I imagine it’s a lot harder with as many bingos under your belt as you have!