I'll agree with everyone else that Changeling would work well. You can do a lot of special effects, you can do it with minimal special effects (ship piloting and the crash can be depicted visually at whatever length you wish, though the crash itself is necessary), and while it ties into complicated Liaden society it does so in ways that can be easily explained. If time allows, you could continue on to Kin Ties.
To Cut an Edge, also already mentioned, feels like it would work well -- doesn't really require all that much in the way of an explanation (maybe a voiceover of the mission at the beginning), but it *does* require a lot of special effects to do right.
A Choice of Weapons would work well visually, with fancy costumes and some pretty sets, but no real special effects at all. It doesn't have much in the way of science fiction trimmings; depending on the intended recipients this is good or bad.
Fighting Chance also requires little explanation (the poverty and desperation can be conveyed visually) and feels like it would transfer well to the screen.
no subject
To Cut an Edge, also already mentioned, feels like it would work well -- doesn't really require all that much in the way of an explanation (maybe a voiceover of the mission at the beginning), but it *does* require a lot of special effects to do right.
A Choice of Weapons would work well visually, with fancy costumes and some pretty sets, but no real special effects at all. It doesn't have much in the way of science fiction trimmings; depending on the intended recipients this is good or bad.
Fighting Chance also requires little explanation (the poverty and desperation can be conveyed visually) and feels like it would transfer well to the screen.