If you were fascinated by Heather Davis's efforts to decode the mysterious alien transmission in Factoring Humanity, you'll be captivated by Ellie Arroway's journey in Contact. Both books explore the technical and emotional challenges of first contact, delving into the science of communication, the skepticism of the scientific community, and the personal stakes involved in reaching across the cosmic void.

If you enjoyed the way Factoring Humanity uses social sciences to examine humanity and alien contact, you'll appreciate The Dispossessed. Le Guin masterfully contrasts two very different societies through the eyes of physicist Shevek, prompting the reader to reflect on the nature of freedom, communication, and what it means to be human.

If the philosophical explorations of mind, consciousness, and what it means to be human in Factoring Humanity resonated with you, Blindsight will intrigue you with its chilling first-contact scenario. Watts’s novel delves into the limits of self-awareness, alien intelligence, and the unsettling possibility that sentience might be an evolutionary dead end.

If you were drawn to the psychological depth in Factoring Humanity, particularly in the way characters wrestle with trauma, relationships, and the unknown, The Sparrow offers a profound, character-driven exploration. Father Emilio Sandoz and his team’s encounter with the alien Rakhat culture is as much about their inner journeys as it is about the discovery itself.

If the depiction of the mysterious, unfathomable Hydrans and the challenge of interspecies communication gripped you in Factoring Humanity, you'll be enthralled by Embassytown. Miéville crafts a world where language itself is alien, and the protagonist must navigate the perils and wonders of communicating with beings whose very reality is shaped by how they speak.