[Growltigga]

Guff, I do reccomend these books to you most wholeheartily.

Start with "Sundiver" or "Startide Rising" and then follow the books in order.

Excellent ideas from a very good author. The basis galactic concept is that all the galactic races are dividied into clans of which several major races are "patrons" who have "uplifted" "client" races

what this means is anti-darwinism, basically, a sentient but non-sapient race is discovered by a spacefaring race who then adopts them (and becomes their patron) and over the next few thousand years, genetically modifies them (uplifts) to increase intelligence and makes them a spacefaring race. The subject race then becomes a client of the patron race for 100 thousand years and it is then allowed to go its own way.

Central to the books was that humans were not uplifted by a patron race but were evolved on their own. Before first contact, they had also genetically modified chimps and dolphins to intelligence.

Excellent idea, excellent books, damn fine reading material for the bog