I'm looking for a sci-fi book

[narthilax]

I'm looking for a book I remember where aliens came in a very large ship, because they had no air filtration system, to earth seeing the clouds as promise that there could be air. Once they landed in an american city and, tried to kill everyone with their muskets; their ship was studied (because they lost).This book is stuck in my head because the aliens were said to look like stuffed bears and formed up in three rows outside the ship to fire their guns but, I can't remember the title or author of the book.Does anyone know which book I'm talking about?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by narthilax

I'm looking for a book I remember where aliens came in a very large ship, because they had no air filtration system, to earth seeing the clouds as promise that there could be air. Once they landed in an american city and, tried to kill everyone with their muskets; their ship was studied (because they lost).This book is stuck in my head because the aliens were said to look like stuffed bears and formed up in three rows outside the ship to fire their guns but, I can't remember the title or author of the book.Does anyone know which book I'm talking about?

I certainly recognise the story. But bringing the book title or author to mind... that's a lot trickier.

AFAIR, in the story there's a simple trick to interplanetary and intersteller flight that most races stumble upon in their early iron age. Humanity just never spotted it...

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I certainly recognise the story. But bringing the book title or author to mind... that's a lot trickier.

Found it, I think. "The Road Not Taken" by Harry Turtledove?

[Omphalos]

I think that's it too, pdurrant. There is a short story version too. The story is about how societies can go down one of two technological paths; one leads to easy and cheap FTL travel, and the other leads to what we have, which is no FTL but great technological leaps in other areas. Good story.

[narthilax]

Thanks pdurrant, the article on that story sounds like the one I was talking about.

[DWS101344]

There is also a sequel called "HERBIG-HARO" by Turtledove.

[bobbo19]

sounds like an interesting short story imo