THE SONGS OF DISTANT EARTH

Grafton paperback, 1987. Jacket art by Michael Whelan.

"THE VOYAGERS AWOKE IN PARADISE 

When Earth's sun went nova, the MAGELLAN barely escaped in time, with its precious cargo of one million sleepers and gene banks of plants and animals. 

Five hundred years into the voyage they stopped for repairs on the idyllic planet of Thalassa. 

But whilst the awakened Earth people envied them their stable, harmonious world, the hospitable Thalassasns were drawn by the long quest of the interstellar voyagers. 

And when Lieutenant Commander Loren Lorenson met beautiful thalassan mirissa, their alien destinies became inextricably - and tragically - entwined. 

THE SONGS OF DISTANT EARTH 

is the novel that Arthur C. Clarke has wanted to write for the past 20 years, a brilliant blend of sound scientific speculation with a moving story of life and love on an alien and beautiful world."

MIRKHEIM

Sphere SF paperback, 1978. Cover artwork by Peter Elson
(thanks, Yvan).

"THE DOOMED PLANET 

The gigantic planet of Mirkheim was gone - blasted and vaporised by a supernova. But its core had survived the holocaust, and now, transmuted, it was the only source of certain vital supermetals. David Falkayn, agent and troubleshooter for the powerful Polesotechnic League, governors of the Terran Empire, had plans for Mirkheim. But the Baburites - an unscrupulous alien race - were one step ahead of him and had claimed the priceless minerals as their own. The conflict cloud mean only one thing - war, on a titanic scale - unless Falkayn could turn the tide and negotiate a peaceful agreement. But with the Baburites, that was a near-impossible task."

2061: ODYSSEY THREE

Grafton paperback, 1988. Cover illustration by Michael Whelan.

"2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY WAS THE CLASSIC STORY THAT TOLD OF MAN'S DESTINY IN SPACE. 

2010: ODYSSEY TWO PUSHED BACK THE FRONTIERS OF HUMAN IMAGINATION STILL FURTHER.

NOW, 2061: ODYSSEY THREE TELLS OF HUMANITY'S EVOLUTION TOWARDS THE STARS... 

In 2061, when two suns share the skies of Earth, Halley's Comet returns to the inner Solar System. Soon the fates of the two spacefaring expeditions are entwined by human necessity and the immutable laws of astrophysics, Centenarian Heywood Floyd must once again confront Dave Bowman, a newly independent HAL and the limitless power of an alien race that has decided humanity must play a part in the evolution of the galaxy - whether it wants to or not... 

2061: ODYSSEY THREE takes the century's greatest story on to brilliant new dimensions of wonder and excitement. This is visionary storytelling at its compelling, mind-expanding best."

2010: ODYSSEY TWO

Granada paperback, 1983. Cover illustration by Michael Whelan.

"2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY WAS THE GREATEST STORY EVER WRITTEN OF MAN'S DESTINY IN OUTER SPACE. 

NOW IN 2010: ODYSSEY TWO, THE ULTIMATE QUEST CONTINUES... 

Out among the moons of Jupiter, the empty spacecraft DISCOVERY and the enigmatic alien monolith still float in the silent depths of space, mute witnesses of the mysterious disappearance of astronaut David Bowman through the 'Star Gate' nine years before. To them comes the LEONOV, bearing a joint Soviet-American scientific team on a mission of investigation and recovery. A mission whose outcome will be beyond the wildest imaginings of any of the mere humans involved... 

2010: ODYSSEY TWO carries the century's greatest story onward into astounding new dimensions of the imagination. It is a masterwork by one of the twentieth century's greatest storytellers and thinkers."