11

I read this sci-fi book in my youth, sometime in the first half of the 90's, about humans that, as far as I can recall, have found an alien artifact (possibly on the moon) that is a sort of encyclopedia, which was left there by a bipedal hairy humanoid alien race a long time ago. The book tells the modern time story from the human perspective and from the alien perspective during their travel to Earth as a double narrative.

There may be errors in the information above, maybe mixing between more than one novel, but the double narrative is certain, faded memory and all that.

Improve this question
3
  • 1
    This is a long shot, but perhaps the Giant's series by James. P. Hogan? (Warning: the part of the linked Wikipedia article titled "Background" contains potential spoilers.)
    – Harry Johnston
    Apr 28, 2018 at 22:19
  • I'm relatively sure the book was not part of a series, it was a standalone story of one book. But thanks for mentioning Giant's series, I might very well check that out, sounds intriguing from the little info I dared read about it.
    – Voidrunner
    Apr 29, 2018 at 10:54
  • 1
    The OPs description fits very well with Inherit the Stars. (First book in the Giants Series.) It IS a standalone story, no need to read the rest of the books. They just expand on the story universe. "Told from 2 points of view." The Humans discoverers of the body and analysis of the artifacts with him) and the Aliens journey to a "safe" place after an attack on their base. "The sort of Encylopedia," was the "personnel file/log book/diary" found on the body.
    – NJohnny
    Apr 30, 2018 at 8:48

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
12

Oh, why is it sometimes so that when you have looked hard and long for an aswer, turned every imaginable stone to find it, that once you have asked others for help, you end up doing adittional searches that ultimately reveal the answer and makes you feel like something of a fool?

The book is 'Encounter with Tiber' written by Buzz Aldrin and John Barnes and published in 1996.

I guess one of the reasons I had difficulties finding it to begin with was that I was rather sure it was written by one of the authors I read back then, Crichton, Clarke, Card etc. and not by an astronaut that was mostly known for actually going to space as a real astronaut.

Anyways, contributions much appreciated.

Improve this answer
4
  • 2
    It happens more often than you might think, and it's not a problem. You can accept your own answer, so that other users will know it's the correct one. Also, welcome to Science Fiction & Fantasy. Have you taken the tour yet?
    – SQB
    Apr 29, 2018 at 13:00
  • @SQB, one has to wait 2 days to accept their own answer.
    – Edlothiad
    Apr 30, 2018 at 8:55
  • @Edlothiad I know.
    – SQB
    Apr 30, 2018 at 9:46
  • @SQB ah ok, your wording made it seem like they could accept straight away, ¯_(ツ)_/¯
    – Edlothiad
    Apr 30, 2018 at 10:03
5

Inherit the Stars, by James P. Hogan.

To quote the blurb:

They called him Charlie. He had big eyes, abundant body hair and fairly long nostrils.
His skeletal body was found clad in a bright red spacesuit, hidden in a rocky grave. They didn't know who he was, how he got there, or what had killed him. All they knew was that his corpse was 50,000 years old; and that meant that this man had somehow lived long before he ever could have existed!

So body of long dead hairy humanoid found on the Moon.

Inherit the Stars, by James P. Hogan front cover

Improve this answer
2
  • Don't remember "an alien artifact (possibly on the moon) that is a sort of encyclopedia" in Inherit the Stars.
    – Organic Marble
    Apr 29, 2018 at 0:41
  • There is a sort of book found on the alien astronaut that the scientists must read very carefully with scanners so it won't fall apart.
    – Klaus Æ. Mogensen
    Apr 30, 2018 at 7:39

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.