2001

While most people know 2001: A Space Odyssey from the classic Stanley Kubrick-directed film, the original story and novel were developed by Arthur C. Clarke, based on a short story called The Sentinel. And while Kubrick's unique vision doesn't give the viewer a lot of explanation for the events that take place, Clarke's novel provides a much clearer picture of the relationship between the black monolith that appears to the group of early human ancestors and the eventual first contact that human civilization has with an alien life form.