GALACTIC ENCOUNTERS: DANGEROUS FRONTIERS - THE FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL ON DISANT WORLDS

Intercontinental Book Productions, hardback, 1980. Cover painting by Bob Layzell.

"The ships of the Galactic Federation's Survey and Preliminary Study Service ceaselessly range among the alien stars and unexplored planets which lie beyond the distant Perimeter. Contact with the bustling, central worlds of the Federation is difficult and infrequent as they face the dangers of the vast unknown. 

But the prosperity and growth of this great association of worlds would be impossible without new sources of supply and new avenues for expansion. Scarcely more than one in every hundred planets explored proves to be of sufficient interest to justify the implementation of a settlement programme. 

All the planets described in Dangerous Frontiers have won a place in the Federation at great cost in lives and efforts, and their existence owes much to the courage and determination of the creatures who first struggled for a foot-hold in their lonely and alien landscapes. 

Dangerous Frontiers is a study of those worlds as they are today. Some are vital to the network of trade, others have faded in importance and a few are only just emerging from obscurity. Whatever their current status in the Federation, it is to those who struggled alone in the emptiness beyond the frontiers that the honour belongs."

Painting by Angus McKie.

"One of the first sights to meet the eyes of a visitor to Monk's Field, are the impressive orbital terminals built in the mid twenty-second century."

Painting by Colin Hay.

"One of the scores of gigantic ore extraction plants constructed on Alpha Indi II to process the sea water. This plant is still operational."

Painting by Angus McKie.

"A view of Nihalan and its nearby lunar companion, Phox, showing one of the areas of intense volcanic activity which are scattered over the planet."

Painting by Chris Moore.

"The Beta Phoenicis system provides a base for the largest single industrial centre in the Federation. Transport between the twenty-seven planets and countless asteroids orbiting the sun is assisted by the vast transit stations where passengers can embark for any destination in known space."

Painting by Peter Elson.

"Passenger liners such as this Starfleet Major now ferry in pleasure seekers from all over the Federation to sample the delights of Ethsymon."

Painting by Cesare Reggiani.

"Until quite recently, the dolmens of 15 Lyncis Bee marked the sites of zyrillium treasure troves."

Painting by Roy Virgo.

"The research team's surface skimmers proved invaluable in their surveys of Eptel III."

GALACTIC ENCOUNTERS: STAR QUEST - AN INCREDIBLE VOYAGE INTO THE UNKNOWN

Intercontinental Books, hardback, 1979. Cover painting by Robin Hiddon.

"Early in the 23rd Century, a Federal patrol ship on a routine mission to one of the colonized worlds far out on the Galactic Perimeter, encountered a strange craft from far beyond the boundaries of the Galactic Federation. The implications of there being an unknown species with a technology apparently more advanced than our own, and existing within striking distance of the Federation, led to one of the most remarkable voyages in the history of space travel. 

Star Quest is the account of the epic voyage of a single ship and its highly trained crew, as they embarked on a journey towards the very heart of the Galaxy. Drawn from their own records, this book tells the story of their extraordinary adventures during their solitary and often dangerous passage among strange and distant worlds. 

Many of the situations with which they were faced tested their ingenuity and courage to the limit until an encounter which was to have far-reaching consequences for the entire Galactic Federation, marked the end of their historic quest."

Galactic Encounters aka artist's portfolios re-purposed (mostly from the Young Artists agency) published after the original series of Terran Trade Authority handbooks and written by Steven Caldwell (a pseudonym of TTA author Stuart Cowley). This particular book also features artwork by Jim Burns, Bob Fowkes, Colin Hay, David Jackson, Bob Layzell, Chris Moore and Tony Roberts.

Painting by Peter Elson.

"The alien ship from Arko. From beyond the edge of known space came this strange visitor to the Galactic Federation. Where it was from and what would happen now that it knew we existed were questions that could no longer remain unanswered."

Painting by Fred Gambino.

"The legendary Commander Mo Mikiss, one of the most experienced and respected operational officers in the Security Service was the natural choice of the unique team."

Painting by Peter Elson.

"The Venturer, distinctive in its scarlet and black livery, moves out under military escort before entering hyperspace for the first leg of its journey into the unknown."

Painting by Cesare Reggiani.

"The three man team from the Venturer streaked downwards to make the first contact with the medieval inhabitants of Adara III."

Painting by Peter Elson.

"Nibor Max's innocent excursion onto the surface of the unnamed planet almost ended in disaster as a band of warlike inhabitants bore down upon him."

Painting by Peter Elson.

"A Phalan armoured jetcraft streaked up from the surface of the war-torn planet and docked with the ship carrying the captive Federation crew. Their guides for the next stage in their journey had arrived."

Painting by Fred Gambino.

"While two of his crew fled from the devastated landing apron, Mor Mikiss struggled to retain control of the captured Phalan Interceptor in the desperate escape from their captors."

Painting by Peter Elson.

"The last survivors of a society overwhelmed by the Phalan onslaught provided the means of escape for the crew of the Venturer. The tiny shuttle which picked up the two crew members left on the shattered planet led them to safety and offered them the means of returning to the Federation itself."

ROBERT SHECKLEY: FUTUROPOLIS

Cover by Alan Daniels.

Futuropolis: 

"Is a memorable illustration-packed journey to the extraordinary cities of the future as envisioned by some of the most notable artists, writers, philosophers, architects and film makers, past and present, ever assembled in one volume. Here are the fantastic visions of Piero della Francesca and Buckminster Fuller, of Plato, George Orwell and Isaac Asimov, of Fritz Lang, of Breughel and Druillet, and many more. Impossible cities? Nothing but science fiction and fantasy? Many of these astounding visions already exist."

Robert Sheckley: 

"A well-known science fiction writer whose works include Mindswap, Dimension Of Miracles, Citizen In Space and The Tenth Victim, which was made into a movie starring Ursula Andress and Marcello Mastroianni. A Brooklyn-born graduate of New York University, he lives with his family in London."

Painting by Colin Hay for The Lathe Of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin.

Painting by Bob Layzell.

"Fire Time" by Colin Hay.

Amazing Science Fiction Stories, February 1959. Illustration by Phil Berry.

"The City Crumbles" by Bob Layzell.

"Torquedara Varenkor" by Philippe Druillet.

Painting by George Underwood.

Céméroon by Philippe Druillet.

WHITLEY STRIEBER: COMMUNION

Cover painting by Ted Seth Jacobs.

Synopsis: 

"Communion is one man's powerful testimony of his terrifying encounters with creatures - certainly not of human origin - who invaded his home and rendered him helpless, making him doubt his sanity. Whether you believe his story or not, you will be compelled to read every word. Who are these visitors? Where do they come from? Why are they here, and why do they stare at him, seeking the depths of his soul - seeking communion?"

WHITLEY STRIEBER & JAMES KUNETKA: NATURE'S END

Cover credited to Image Bank.

Synopsis: 

"In a denuded, blackened landscape swept by dust-storms, humanity gasps for breath, stunted by hunger and the toxic air. Dr Gupta Singh has the charisma of a Gandhi. His solution is simple: the voluntary suicide of one third of the world's population. Nation after nation has joined Singh's sinister Depopulationist International, and as the USA teeters on the brink of total collapse, a Depopulationist majority is elected to Congress. For crusading journalist John Sinclair and his small band of colleagues alert to the dangers of voluntary genocide - time is running out..."

WHITLEY STRIEBER & JAMES KUNETKA: WARDAY

Cover illustration by David McAllister.

Synopsis: 

"Warday takes you into a world you couldn't imagine...and gives you a chance to change the future. On October 28, 1988 at 4.20 p.m. the first nuclear war in history begins. Thirty-six minutes later it is over. America has deployed an anti-missile system, provoking a desperate Russian response: a nuclear attack over North America. Within minutes, the Americans counter-strike. The result: six million Americans are dead. Whitley Strieber, James Kunetka: two survivors of the horrifying events of Warday. But what really happened on Warday and why? Who has survived? How do the other survivors feel? Five years after the devastation, these two friends set off on a voyage of discovery to find out. Warday was merely a flicker of hell; what remains are the consequences." 

RIP RAY HARRYHAUSEN

Harryhausen with puppets of Medusa, Dioskilos and Calibos.

Legendary visual effects creator Ray Harryhausen passed away yesterday. I can't overstate how much I've been enamoured with this man's creations (and stop-motion) ever since I saw Sinbad And The Eye Of The Tiger at age 7. A great loss, and the end of an era.

NEW MYSTERY ADVENTURES DECEMBER 1935

Painting by C. Blaine.

More vintage pulp covers, this time from New Mystery Adventures. Not only exciting and exotic, but peppy, too.

PLANET STORIES JULY 1952

Cover painting by Allen Anderson.

PLANET STORIES MARCH 1951

Cover artist uncredited, possibly Allen Anderson.

THE BEST OF OMNI SCIENCE FICTION NO.2

The Best Of Omni Science Fiction No. 2, 1981. Cover painting by Fred-Jurgen Rogner.

This is a re-post of an Omni mag I originally scanned in May 2011. I was skimming through a few issues a few days ago and noticed I'd apparently missed at least half a dozen pieces of artwork from this particular magazine. This issue also featured pictorials on Chris Foss' book 21st Century Foss and John Schoenherr's Dune illustrations (from The Illustrated Dune) but you can find the real thing(s) here and here, respectively.

"This very worthy successor to a much-acclaimed first volume is intended for science-fiction devotees and neophytes alike. It has an introduction by Robert Sheckley and 16 memorable stories by such masters of the genre as Theodore Sturgeon, George R. R. Martin, and Orson Scott Card. In a special sf appearance TV personality Hugh Downs describes a reincarnation deep in the future and Robert Silverberg contributes a never-before-published novella about a distant moon in a distant time. Arthur C. Clarke annotates an illustrated presentation of cosmic spaceships. Five other breathtakingly colourful pictorials include works of John Schoenherr, Christopher Foss, and David Jackson."

Painting by Bob Layzell, from the pictorial Spaceships.

Painting by Bob Layzell, from the pictorial Spaceships.

Painting by Peter Knifton, from the pictorial Spaceships.

Painting by Peter Knifton, from the pictorial Spaceships.

Painting by Alan Daniels, from the pictorial Spaceships.

Painting by Bob Layzell, from the pictorial Spaceships.

Painting by Colin Hay, from the pictorial Spaceships.

Painting by Alan Daniels, from the pictorial Spaceships.

Painting by Paul Lehr, from the pictorial Star Seekers.

Painting by John Schoenherr, from the pictorial Star Seekers.

Taken Hostage, painting by Michael Whelan, from the pictorial Star Seekers.

The One Who Stayed Behind, painting by Darrell Sweet, from the
pictorial Star Seekers.

Painting by Angus McKie, from the pictorial 7 Wonders Of The Universe.

"The doors of Launch stand four kilometers from the ground. The hangar itself measures 4,600 square kilometers and was built when subatomic fuel was still cheap and muon-guzzling space limousines were gigantic."

Painting by John Harris, from the pictorial Time Travellers.

JOHN BRUNNER: WEB OF EVERYWHERE

NEL paperback, 1980. Cover by Gerald Grave.

Rear-cover synopsis: 

"In a society revolutionised by a device that lets you walk through a door and be anywhere in the world - instantly... 

At a time when unauthorised travel has caused millions to die violent deaths... In a world where invasion of privacy is the ultimate crime... 

HE IS THE VISITOR."

BRIAN STABLEFORD: THE CITY OF THE SUN

Hamlyn SF paperback, 1980. Illustration by Tim White.

"It was a circular city - like the City of the Sun, a perfect community dreamed up by the seventeenth-century philosopher Campanella. 

Many utopian groups had emigrated into space to found their ideal settlements. And it was on one such colony world - appropriately called Arcadia - that the recontact starship Daedalus made its fourth planetfall. There in all its splendour stood the fulfilment of Campanella's dream - the real seven-circled City of the Sun. 

But the city was too ordered, the inhabitants too perfect, the world too Arcadian ... and very soon the Daedalus's scientists realized that in this particular utopia the idealists had unleashed a force that could undermine all human culture on other planets."

STAR TREK - THE MOTION PICTURE

Futura paperback, 1980 reprint. Cover artwork by Bob Peak.

Rear cover synopsis: 

"It came from an unexplored quarter of the galaxy. 

It ignored all attempts to communicate with it. 

And it annihilated all opposition with energy bolts of unimaginable ferocity. 

Computer projections showed that it would enter the solar system in precisely three days. 

The USS Enterprise, refitting in dry dock, was the only craft that Starfleet Command could send to intercept the Cloud in time..."

'Why are we now travelling into Space? Why, indeed, did we trouble to look past the next mountain? Our prime obligation to ourselves is to make the unknown known. We are on a journey to keep an appointment with whatever we are.' 

- Gene Roddenberry.