VISIONS OF THE FUTURE: AN EXCITING AND NOVEL SELECTION OF SCIENCE FICTION ART OF TODAY

It's books like this that make me wish I had an A3 scanner. Actually, I do own one, but it's old (Windows 95/98) and only has a SCSI cable, which I don't think any of my PCs have had since 2005. Anyway... this is a large format paperback book published in 1976 featuring content previously featured either in New English Library's Science Fiction Monthly (an A3 sized poster magazine that run from the mid to late 1970s), or the covers of NEL's line of SF paperbacks. Artists featured include Brent Armstrong, Jim Burns, Gary Chalk, Gareth Colman, Lucinda Cowell, Gordon C. Davies, Roger Dean, Emlyn Duffy, Ray Feibush, Chris Foss, C. Foster, Bob Fowke, Bob Haberfield, David Hardy, G. W. Harrison, Colin Hay, David Higgins, P. Jepson, Josh Kirby, Bob Layzell, Mike Little, Brigid Marlin, Ian Miller, Kristine Nason, Michael Payne, David Pelham, Bruce Pennington, Time White and Chris Yates. There is a little biographical info on each, ranging from a line (date of birth, country) to whole pages. There's also an introduction by A. E. van Vogt.

The back cover, featuring the work of Karel Thole, who is not in the book, unfortunately. 

Rear-cover guff: 

"These imaginative visions of the future have all been culled from the pages of Science Fiction Monthly, Britain's top-selling sf colour magazine. They represent the work of established illustrators like David Pelham, Roger Dean, Bruce Pennington, David Hardy and Chris Yates and also the best of the new sf artists who have been featured over the past two years. Their range of interpretation and expression is quite exceptional - from the mysteriously innocent idylls of Bob Fowke, through the meticulously detailed space hardware of Chris Foss to the bizarre worlds of Ray Feibush. Like all good artists, they challenge us to think twice about our assumptions - whether the world of two hundred (or two million) years from now will be the technological heaven the scientists have promised, or whether it will be a nightmarish landscape in which we and our values have been hopelessly lost to the superiority of other civilizations 'out there'. As A.E. van Vogt says in his introduction, these pictures represent 'a new and remarkable. . .contribution to the slowly shifting balance of the human psyche as it once more tries to confront reality.' Through the airbrush and the photo-collage these artists tell us about ourselves and our place in the universe. At the same time they give us much of the fun of sf it has come down from the world of pulp fiction - bug-eyed monsters, rayguns, gigantic space battleships and fantastic planets. Their approach is wide-ranging and open, as it should be in tackling a world which looms nearer every day."

"Beyond Bedlam" by Jim Burns.

Painting for "Early Asimov 3" by Chris Foss.

Painting (detail) for Hughes Cooper's "Sexmax" by C. Foster.

"Purple Gas" by David Higgins.

"Invasion" (detail) by Bob Layzell.

"The Rat Catcher" by Ian Miller.

Painting (detail) by Bruce Pennington for M. John Harrison's "The Pastel City".

PARALLEL LINES: THE SCIENCE FICTION ILLUSTRATIONS OF PETER ELSON & CHRIS MOORE

This is a 'second pass', after doing some housekeeping I was perplexed as to why in my original post of this book three years ago I only scanned three or four images out of approx. 77. Paralell Lines was published in 1981 by Dragon's Dream and contains a foreword by Roger Dean; most of the included paintings feature space hardware, though there are a few exceptions.

"Hot Sleep" by Chris Moore.

"The Rings Of Saturn" by Peter Elson.

"The Word For World Is Forest" by Peter Elson.

"Far Out" by Chris Moore.

"The Proud Robot" by Chris Moore.

"My Name Is Legion" by Chris Moore.

"Reach For The Stars" by Peter Elson.

"The Naked Sun" by Chris Moore.

"A Heritage Of Stars" by Chris Moore.

"On Darkling Plain" by Chris Moore.

Cover for "The Best Of Isaac Asimov" by Peter Elson.

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.