Group Reads Discussions 2023: "Contact" First Impressions *No Spoilers*

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Come share your carefully vague initial impressions here! Save any detailed comments for the spoiler thread.

You can find the full discussion thread for spoilers here.

Content warnings for those who want them: (view spoiler)[ sexism, racism, discussion of the conditions for scientists in Soviet Russia, nationalism, bombing, loss of a loved one, so much religion, pro and con. (hide spoiler)]

[Juan]

First time I read it. I'm already in the first 20%. For the moment, I think that it aged well. The other thing that I found interesting, is that you can see the Carl Sagan professor between the lines.

Finally, can't help to find a lot of similarities between the beginning of contact ant the beginning of the Three Body Problems

[Cheryl]

Never read it, never saw the movie, do not have high expectations, but do have high interest.

[Joe]

Hey y'all! I'm picking up my copy from the library tomorrow. Can I ask how the discussions work? Do threads go up on a specific day//time? Or do we just share thoughts as we please?

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Welcome Joe! both the first impressions thread and the spoiler thread go up on the first of the month and comments can be made as you choose!

[Bnz]

Cheryl wrote: "[...] do not have high expectations."

Why?

[Bnz]

Cheryl wrote: "Never read it, never saw the movie,"

As is often the case the novel is much better than the movie. It seems that directors are often, umm, compelled by the producers to pack the film with expected tropes. Heck, even Villeneuve burdened Arrival with perfectly unnecessary "action" elements tacked to the brilliant templete by Ted Chiang. Well, different media, different rules, I guess....

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

We've removed a comment about our content warnings. Please see the post linked below for comments about how and why we use content warnings.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Thanks for keeping our corner of the internet kind!

[Cheryl]

Bnz wrote: "Cheryl wrote: "[...] do not have high expectations."

Why?"

Well, in general I like books that are written for reading, not ready for the screen. Nuance, metaphor, etc. Not always a problem, but often.

Also it's an older book, may not have held up well.

Edit: I see you already know what I mean about 'different media, different rules.'

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

It sounds like some of us are ready to discuss the book over in the spoiler thread. I'll see you there!

[Mitch]

So far, I like this but I wish he knew how to draw characters with more care.

[Joe]

I just picked up my copy from the library! I'll be contributing soon.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

The beginning felt a bit rushed to me, but as we settled in I found I started feeling a bit different about it.

[Beth]

About 25 pages in, it's quite exposition-heavy, and I wonder how many goodreads users tut-tut Dr. Sagan for telling, not showing. ;P I can absolutely see in it, the hand of someone whose career was in large part devoted to making science understandable and approachable for ordinary humans. I'm interested in seeing where this is going (aside from what the title very obviously hints at), since I haven't experienced either this or the movie.

[Elaine]

I just started this and was struck by all the "telling" in the beginning. Seems necessary at first, but I'll see how it goes. I'm liking it, though! I rewatched the movie recently but had never read the book.

[DivaDiane]

As soon as I finish my current audio read (Babel), I will start this. I’ve seen the movie, which is great, and will definitely watch it with my family when I’m done with the book.

[Kirsten]

I read this a while ago - never saw the movie - it is a very intelligent book. Thought provoking at times. I enjoyed it, but I have to admit I prefer more adventure in my science fiction.

[Ellen]

I'm 65% through. I'm enjoying the book but at times I feel like I'm reading a text book.

[Kellylynn]

Ellen wrote: "I'm 65% through. I'm enjoying the book but at times I feel like I'm reading a text book."

Yes! I felt that way as well. He did do well at teaching what was needed to be taught for the story, but it did pull the story more towards text book versus story.

[Joe]

Only 30 pages in, and so far I’m liking the focus on her character and development. It’s really setting the stage for what I assume is the premise of the book, HUMANITY contacting ETI. Focus on the human really feels like a smart set up.

[Joe]

≈100 pages in. Is anyone else impressed by Sagan's writing ability? I know he's a brilliant physicist, but I was surprised by his prose!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

it was much more fluid than I was anticipating, Joe!

[Ori]

I've watched the movie once, when it came out. Read 25% so far. A bit boring so far - I worry that the cool stuff is concentrated in part 3. The prose is fine, but I find the frequent flashbacks confusing. When we get back from such a flashback, it's really jarring and I need to remind myself where we were before.

Juan wrote: "you can see the Carl Sagan professor between the lines."
Definitely. I'm watching some of his pop-sci lectures and TV appearances, from before the book's publication, and it includes the same ideas and sometimes the same jokes verbatim. I got a similar sense from reading Little Brother and recognizing Boing Boing blog posts that some sections are based on.

[Bobby]

The funny thing is that I recently got the crazy idea to start studying for a ham radio license. I am working through a book with all these terms about radios and reading Contact I see the same terms. It actually makes the book make a little more sense.

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

I finally got the book from my library! Long waiting list…

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

huh! that's interesting that even now it's still in high demand!

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

So far, this novel is very much what it was like to be a girl in the 1960’s-1970’s - being told these stupidities of how one should be as a girl, with a lot of men wanting to enforce their restrictions on you by force, religion or social condemnation.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Bobby wrote: "The funny thing is that I recently got the crazy idea to start studying for a ham radio license. I am working through a book with all these terms about radios and reading Contact I see the same ter..."

Love when SFF makes real life easier!

[Bobby]

I may have to rent the movie on Amazon after I am done with the book. I cannot recall how it differs.

[Joe]

Bobby wrote: "I may have to rent the movie on Amazon after I am done with the book. I cannot recall how it differs."

I love seeing how directors and screenwriters choose to adapt and differ the source material. If Allison sees this, perhaps a post-read thread discussing the movie and the differences between the book could be fun?

[Joe]

I find the Cold War backdrop of the book very enticing. I'm a history nerd, so pondering how US-Soviet relations, the South African Crisis, and other geopolitical events would be impacted by ET contact is so fascinating to me.

In a way, I think Sagan is talking just as much about humans as he is about ETs. How would we react? Would we unite? Divide? Fight?

I can't wait to read his conclusions!

[Sarah]

Okay, now it’s getting interesting!