Space Crew With Many Descendants

[timpmama]

Hi, trying to find a book or story where a space crew is sent on a very long interstellar journey, so long that their children and grandchildren have to take over from the original crew. The thing I remember is that the surnames came to mean certain things. Like (and making this up cause I don’t remember the names), McCoys were always engineers, and Gomez’ descendants worked in the onboard gardens. And Tamara’s and Blumfelds always married each other, and so forth.

The story was about how over the generations, the mission of the starship is forgotten, and bad stuff happens when they arrive at their destination. I think it was by a popular sci-fi author, but don’t remember which one.

If this rings a bell at all, please post.
Thanks

 

[BAYLOR]

Hi, trying to find a book or story where a space crew is sent on a very long interstellar journey, so long that their children and grandchildren have to take over from the original crew. The thing I remember is that the surnames came to mean certain things. Like (and making this up cause I don’t remember the names), McCoys were always engineers, and Gomez’ descendants worked in the onboard gardens. And Tamara’s and Blumfelds always married each other, and so forth.

The story was about how over the generations, the mission of the starship is forgotten, and bad stuff happens when they arrive at their destination. I think it was by a popular sci-fi author, but don’t remember which one.

If this rings a bell at all, please post.
Thanks

Im not sure this is the one and have not read it but, could it possibly be Ben Bova's Exiles Trilogy ?

 

[Bramandin]

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50832.Orphans_of_the_Sky I think you would have mentioned mutants if that book is the right one.

 

[SilentRoamer]

The premise sounds like Non Stop by Brian Aldiss but its just a vague similarity - I don't think this is the one you want but it might jog your memory.

 

[Orcadian]

@timpmama I too thought of Orphans of the Sky, though I don't recall families having particular roles. Here are some links that might be helpful:

10 Compelling Generation Ship Books That Take You on a Journey

These generation ship books by authors like Heinlein and Clarke marry hard sci-fi and societal commentary for thought-provoking and powerful visions of humanity's future.

theportalist.com

19 Best Generation Ship Books - The Best Sci Fi Books

Take a bunch of humans, put them in a large but limited space and keep them there for generations. Watch the chaos ensue.

best-sci-fi-books.com

Generation Ship Books

Books shelved as generation-ship: Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson, Non-Stop by Brian W. Aldiss, An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon, Orphans of the ...

www.goodreads.com

 

[Bick]

The premise sounds like Non Stop by Brian Aldiss but its just a vague similarity - I don't think this is the one you want but it might jog your memory.

Yes, I thought of Non-stop, too.
The other possible idea I had of a generational starship story was Starfarers by P. Anderson?

 

[timpmama]

@timpmama I too thought of Orphans of the Sky, though I don't recall families having particular roles. Here are some links that might be helpful:

10 Compelling Generation Ship Books That Take You on a Journey

These generation ship books by authors like Heinlein and Clarke marry hard sci-fi and societal commentary for thought-provoking and powerful visions of humanity's future.

theportalist.com

19 Best Generation Ship Books - The Best Sci Fi Books

Take a bunch of humans, put them in a large but limited space and keep them there for generations. Watch the chaos ensue.

best-sci-fi-books.com

Generation Ship Books

Books shelved as generation-ship: Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson, Non-Stop by Brian W. Aldiss, An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon, Orphans of the ...

www.goodreads.com

Thanks for the links to the great lists. Will keep looking