{"product_id":"first-contact-scott-ickes-9798198968103","title":"First Contact: Stygarians","description":"\u003cb\u003eSeven books have taught you what \"First Contact\" means. Book Eight is about to prove you wrong. Science fiction authors have been making similar assumptions about alien civilizations for generations. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe Stygarians of Book Eight are about to shatter the assumptions most authors make about aliens. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFor thousands of years, someone has been watching humanity. They have remained hidden, observing from a distance without revealing who they are, where they came from, or why humanity interests them. Now circumstances are bringing the mysterious Observers closer than ever before, and the answers humanity has waited for may challenge assumptions no one ever thought to question. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBut the Alliance has a more immediate problem. The Hyperians have learned to manipulate what others see and believe, creating illusions convincing enough to make friend indistinguishable from enemy. When an unknown civilization becomes caught in that deception, humanity must decide how much it is willing to risk for beings it has never met, while trying to survive an enemy capable of making reality itself impossible to trust. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWho are the Observers? Why have they watched humanity for so long? What have they learned during all those years of exploration? And what could possibly make this civilization different enough to challenge assumptions science fiction has made about alien life for generations? The answers are waiting, but some mysteries are far more surprising when you don't know which questions you should have been asking. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eNothing in \u003ci\u003eFirst Contact\u003c\/i\u003e exists simply because it's convenient to the story. Every civilization, every breakthrough, every alliance, and every revelation is connected. Mysteries that have been quietly unfolding since humanity's very first encounter with alien life continue converging, rewarding readers who enjoy watching an intricately connected universe reveal itself one astonishing discovery at a time. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eYou don't need a physics degree to enjoy any of it. The science fuels the adventure instead of slowing it down with technical jargon. Whether you're drawn to unforgettable characters, epic fleet battles, fascinating alien civilizations, intelligent world-building, or discoveries that continually reshape everything you thought you understood, \u003ci\u003eFirst Contact\u003c\/i\u003e rewards your curiosity with every chapter. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBy now, you've learned that every answer changes the questions. In \u003ci\u003eStygarians\u003c\/i\u003e, one of the simplest questions in science fiction becomes much harder to answer: What makes a civilization alien? The deeper humanity explores, the more it discovers that assumptions can survive for generations simply because no one ever had a reason to question them. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eSome discoveries introduce you to the unknown. The greatest discoveries make you realize you never understood the familiar.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eAnd that's only the beginning.\u003c\/b\u003e The twelve-book \u003ci\u003eFirst Contact\u003c\/i\u003e saga is only the foundation of a much larger universe. When the saga reaches what appears to be a breathtaking conclusion, the journey takes an unexpected turn and continues in \u003ci\u003eFirst Contact: Echoes of Virelia\u003c\/i\u003e, an all-new twelve-book sequel filled with new civilizations, astonishing discoveries, and mysteries that reach far beyond anything you could have imagined when you began your journey. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eIf you've been searching for a science fiction universe you can truly lose yourself in, your journey continues here.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Scott Ickes\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798198968103\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/28\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 342\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.01lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.76d","brand":"Scott Ickes","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":49173488206079,"sku":"9798198968103","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/first-contact-scott-ickes-9798198968103","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}