A question for you science fiction fans: What is

Yup, probably A Fire Upon the Deep though A Deepness in the Sky hardly relates. I personally liked The Peace Wars as well, but perhaps just because I've lived in Livermore.

Jim, you know my answer: A FIRE UPON THE DEEP. But if you had said "the first Vernor Vinge story", I would have said GRIMM'S STORY - it's a novella (or 'novelette', I always confuse those two terms).