/lit/ - Literature

>>12639357
> aliens/creatures that are not bipedal or basically green humans.

You might enjoy the Uplift series by David Brin.

There are six books in all. The basic premise of this universe is that all alien civilisations fit neatly in a strict hierarchy. Alien races can 'uplift' potentially sapient species they find on other planets. By uplifting them (gene modification) these species become indentured to the alien race that uplifted them for a set amount of time (many generations if I recall correctly).

Of all sapient alien races it is known who uplifted them, and which species they in turn have uplifted. When a species is encountered that has gained sapience without outside help, it is considered an orphan species, and is gracefully adopted (and enslaved) by the alien race that finds them.

Humans are (obviously) an orphan race, but by time aliens find us, we have unwittingly uplifted two species ourselves: chimpanzees and dolphins. That makes humans a 'wolfling race' that by intergalactic law cannot be enslaved by another race. This has made a lot of warfaring alien races, very, very cross.

That's the basic premise. From thereon out you get intergalactic politics, assassination plots, war, and dolphins in space.

The last three books in particular focus on weird alien races including four races that feature, respectively, five arms (think starfish), two wheels, stacks of rings, and centauroids.

I've enjoyed the whole series, in part because of the outlandish aliens featured. The contents of the six books vary quite a bit in terms of the stories told; some people dislike the disjointed narrative (although a larger arc spans all six books), while some enjoy the fresh perspectives. I would advise anyone interested to try the first two books, and judge from there.