Close to Critical
Tenebra is a planet near the triple point of water; small changes of temperature and pressure cause major phase changes. By accident, two children – one human, one non-human – are marooned, creating an interstellar political crisis. Their only hope lies with the Tenebrans themselves, but some may be hostile.
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Hal Clement
Hal Clement (1922–2003) was the pseudonym of the exemplar of hard science fiction, Harry C. Stubbs. He created the pseudonym while working for his Master's degree in Astronomy at Harvard, fearing his professor would not want him to be "wasting" his time. He did not know that this same professor submitted science fiction to Hugo Gernsback's magazines. Hal's first published story was "Proof" which appeared in the June 1942 issue of Astounding Science Fiction. Then, like many other sf writers, the War intervened.
Mesklin
Mesklin consists of three primary books, and includes one additional book that complement the series but is not considered mandatory reads. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
