SPACE WAR

Ace Books paperback, 1967. Cover by Gray Morrow.

"The Zoromes had found a way to immortality and thereby were able to set out on centuries-long explorations of the entire galaxy. One among the Zoromes was a human, Professor Jameson, last man of Earth, and his adventures make a saga second to none. 

The Zoromes had made on mistake in their scientific history - they had helped another race of beings change over into machine bodies - the Mumes of the world Mumed. But unlike Jameson, the Mumes did not join in fellowship with Zor. Rather instead they turned on their benefactors, schemed for greater power, and finally the two super-races of machine-men became the bitterest of enemies. 

In SPACE WAR, Professor Jameson finds himself in the thick of a war of the worlds...."

TAURUS FOUR

Paperback Library paperback, 1970. Cover artist uncredited, but
I'm dead sure it's by Robert R. Foster.

"IT IS THE YEAR 2270 A.D. 

A long time ago on Earth, our ancestors did not believe in the industrial-warfare society. They dropped out to live in freedom and do their thing, hated by all the uptight squares.... 

Thus begins a folk legend on Taurus Four, where, during the Saurian Wars, a group of hippies had been transplanted forcibly. Right now the only uptight squares on the planet is a stranded Space Sociologist, Dorian Frank - who has reason to be uptight. The group is about to sacrifice a beautiful virgin to the god in charge of their hemp garden. And the planet is about to be colonized by a nonhuman race even more ruthless than mankind. But all Dorian can do is invent new footnotes to the Space manual, like, 

"For his own piece of mind, the Space Sociologist should sometimes kick the dirty savage on his bare butt."

THE FAR REALITY

Consul books paperback, 1963. Cover artist uncredited.

"The companion novel to Tomorrow and Tomorrow, this book, under the deft touch of Lewis Padgett, makes fascinating and exciting reading. It concerns Robert Cameron, trained in applied psychology, who finds himself being driven insane by a strange, unfathomable force. As an experienced psychometrician he fights the terrifying hallucinations (a doorknob opens a blue eye and looks at him). He knows his job is vital. America, dug into great, shielded cavern-cities, has been at war for decades with the European Falangists. Now a new Falangist weapon has appeared to break the stalemate. And it is up to Cameron to find the man to provide the solution - before his own mind collapses under the weird and terrible stresses!"

THE BEST OF FRITZ LEIBER: 1944 - 1970

Sidgewick & Jackson hardback, 1974.
Cover artist uncredited, very likely Tony Roberts (thanks: Ed, Jeff).

"FRITZ LEIBER began writing science fiction in the 1940s and, to the delight of his fans, is still going strong. Leiber succeeds in blending fantasy and science fiction in superbly readable fashion. This collection demonstrates the development of his fascinating talent. 

The collection includes Gonna Roll The Bones - Joe Slattermill knew he could roll dice better than any man in Night Town. But then he played against the Big Gambler. 

The Big Trek - He didn't know where he was or how he got there. But he did know he shouldn't be able to understand the creatures he met. 

This anthology includes a complete bibliography and an introduction by Fritz Leiber."  

Contents: 

Sanity

Wanted - An Enemy

The Man Who Never Grew Young

The Ship Sails at Midnight

The Enchanted Forest

Coming Attraction

Poor Superman

A Pail of Air

The Foxholes of Mars

The Big Holiday

The Night He Cried

The Big Trek

Space-Time for Springers

Try and Change the Past

A Deskful of Girls

Rump-Titty-Titty-Tum-Tah-Tee

Little Old Miss Macbeth

Mariana

The Man Who Made Friends With Electricity

The Good New Days

Gonna Roll the Bones

America the Beautiful

THE FADED SUN TRILOGY

Methuen paperback, 1988. Cover illustration: Gino D'Arcille.

"THE FADED SUN 

shows C. J. Cherryh at her awesome best. A trilogy of epic scale, published for the first time in one volume, The Faded Sun plots the fates of three individuals against a vast background of war, alliance and treachery across the stars. 

Two are members of a far-flung people, the mri-mercenary explorers and warriors, and currently deadly enemies of humanity. But with Melein, their last priestess-queen, and Niun, last of the true-bred warriors, is a human: Sten Duncan, who has renounced his own loyalty to serve them. They set off on a quest for the half-legendary mri-planet Kutath. 

Around this trio, mighty actions swing, and great destinies hang in the balance. C. J. Cherryh proves herself yet again to be an imaginative writer of exceptional power and invention."

NIGHT OF LIGHT

Berkley Medallion paperback, October 1977 - sixth printing. Cover
painting by Vincent Di Fate.

"A WORLD GONE BERSERK 

Every seven years, the placid planet of Dante's Joy becomes a waking nightmare of death, deformity and madness. To escape, the populace has the choice of Sleeping - lying drugged in their tomblike houses - or taking the Chance - staying awake and going abroad while their world goes berserk. They become what their innermost longings dictate, whether it be a beast locked in the vilest bowels of depravity, or a supreme being raised to the flowering serenity of truth and light. Thousands are mutilated, killed, transformed into monstrous things. John Carmody, a conscienceless exile from Earth, arrogantly chooses to take the Chance. 

Reeling, shrieking his fear and despair, Carmody confronts the Night of Light, the unknown and unknowable..."

DIONYSUS: THE ULTIMATE EXPERIMENT

Manor books paperback, 1977. Cover artist uncredited.

"A man and woman locked in a space capsule test the limits of their passion in weightlessness. On earth scientists, generals and politicians test the limits of their ambition to conquer a country, a planet, a universe. 

It was the unthinkable, unreportable project, that would create an aberration in space, a holocaust on earth."

FAITH OF TAROT

Granada / Panther SF paperback, 1982. Cover illustration by
Melvyn Grant.

"On the ancient world of TAROT dreams come true - and fanged nightmares stalk the land. Sent to pierce the dread curtain of the Animation that turns fantasy into hideous reality, the wanderer-monk Paul finds himself on a trip to the ultimate, most terrifying fantasy of all. Hell."

VISION OF TAROT

Granada / Panther SF paperback, 1982. Cover illustration by
Melvyn Grant.

"On the planet TAROT nothing is real. Or everything. For the shimmering Animation curtain is moving across the worldscape like a storm of monsters, changing fantasy into hideous reality, trapping the wanderer-monk Paul in a nightmare of dragons, demons and spectacular lusts!"

GOD OF TAROT

Granada / Panther SF paperback, 1982. Cover illustration by
Melvyn Grant.

"Moments from now and light years away, on the ancient planet of Tarot, the new religions still flourish. But all who dwell in that occult world still worship the timeless Tree of Life as the one supreme god. 

Now this primitive culture is being haunted by apparitions from the mystery-ridden deck of Tarot - by Animations who destroy minds and take human life. can this horror be their god's ultimate challenge to his people? 

A young Earthling adventurer is sent to find the answer. Alone he dares to conjure a Tarot Animation, penetrate its awesome domain - and risk being trapped forever within the mystic borders of the ancient cards."

GEMINI GOD

Penguin SF paperback, 1982. Cover illustration by Chris Moore.

"YEAR 2096 

The human race is in decline. Soon its numbers on earth will drop below survival level. 

Then New Carthage, a world inhabited by strange, cheetah-like creatures, is discovered. Could contact with these aliens provide a lifeline for mankind? 

Using the twins On Lo and Ti, experiments are started to create a human empathic telemetry system between the two worlds. But the encouragement of the closeness factor between the twins provides the catalyst for a far more fantastic event..."

ROADMARKS

Orbit paperback, 1981. Cover painting by Tim White.

"Somewhere in New York State is a road, which few know how to find, which goes not to any particular destination but backwards and forwards in time. The traveller on the road can turn off to all times and places, even alternate histories which never happened. 

Red Dorakeen has been travelling the Road as far back as he or anyone can remember. A long time ago he walked it as an old man - now, much younger, he is driving his old Dodge pick-up truck, running guns to the Greeks fighting Persian invaders at ancient Marathon. 

But someone has put out a contract on Red. His hidden enemy has searched the past and future for a band of assassins to pursue Red wherever the Road may take him."

THE AMTRAK WARS BOOK 3: IRON MASTER

Sphere paperback, 1987. Cover illustration by Tony Roberts.

"The year: 2990 AD. The centuries-old conflict between the hi-tech underground world of the Trackers and the primitive, surface-dwelling Mutes continues with unabated ferocity. Steve Brickman, a Tracker wingman whose heart and mind is torn between the two cultures, embarks upon his most dangerous mission yet: the rescue of Cadillac and Clearwater, two gifted Plainfolk Mutes held captive by the mysterious Iron Masters. It is a nightmare journey into the unknown but, once again, a shadowy presence guides Steve's footsteps and endows him with superhuman speed and strength in moments of mortal danger..."

THE AMTRAK WARS BOOK 2: FIRST FAMILY

Sphere paperback, 1987. Cover artwork by Tony Roberts
(thanks: David).

"After countless years of fighting - of pitting sophisticated technology against the primitive surface-dwelling people who seemed to possess supernatural powers - the Federation was still no nearer to ending the battle with the Mutes. But then a lone flier was hauled into one of its underground bunkers - a man whose very existence was a challenge to the all-pervading wisdom of the First Family. A man whose destiny would determine the future for both the Federation and the Mutes..."

THE AMTRAK WARS BOOK 1: CLOUD WARRIOR

Sphere paperback, 1983. Cover painting by Jim Burns.

"Ten centuries ago the Old Time ended when Earth's cities melted in the war of a Thousand Suns. Now the lethal high technology of the Amtrak Federation's underground stronghold is unleashed on Earth's other survivors - the surface-dwelling Mutes. But the primitive Mutes possess ancient powers greater than any machine..."