Just finished “Camelot 30K” also by Robert L Forward. Humans meet aliens out in the Kuiper belt. Interesting ideas for alien life at very cold temperatures. Similar style to Dragon’s Egg (Mentioned in list) and equally enjoyable.
Absolutely horrible characterization in Camelot 30K. I ended up skipping through the book and skimming past dialogue as it was so bad that it hurt to read. But the idea of the book was utterly fascinating, and I still think about it now and then, years after reading it. Definitely worth reading (or skimming) if you are the type that likes science fiction for the big ideas.
