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Galactic Encounters Series #1
Aliens In Space: An Illustrated Guide to the Inhabited Galaxy
One of the more significant developments in human history, and without doubt the most dramatic in terms of the mobility of the species, was the introduction of the first Hyperdrive engine by Henri DeVass in 2027 AD. Within a short space of time this device had transformed Man's attempts to explore his extraterrestrial environment, and the doorway to the stars was open.
The question of whether we were alone in the Universe had haunted Homo sapiens for generations. But even the strongest believers in the possibility of life elsewhere had little idea that it would be discovered so close to our own Solar System, or that contact would lead directly to the founding of a great galactic empire.
Aliens in Space is a fascinating account of the worlds within the Galactic Federation where sentient beings exist. It describes the characters, cultures and circumstances of an extraordinary variety of creatures from the gentle and sophisticated Alpha Centaurians to the terrible Fangstones of Hades. Each section opens with a planetary data check and navigational reference. It then goes on to outline the planet and some of the intriguing life forms to be found there.
The question of whether we were alone in the Universe had haunted Homo sapiens for generations. But even the strongest believers in the possibility of life elsewhere had little idea that it would be discovered so close to our own Solar System, or that contact would lead directly to the founding of a great galactic empire.
Aliens in Space is a fascinating account of the worlds within the Galactic Federation where sentient beings exist. It describes the characters, cultures and circumstances of an extraordinary variety of creatures from the gentle and sophisticated Alpha Centaurians to the terrible Fangstones of Hades. Each section opens with a planetary data check and navigational reference. It then goes on to outline the planet and some of the intriguing life forms to be found there.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1979
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 9, 2019
This is one from a series of books titled Galactic Encounters and is a prime example of a book which was popular towards to the end of the 70s and early 80s. And by popular I mean from the publishers as I am still not sure how well this type of book was received.
You what you have here is a book of various science fiction (and a number of fantasy repurposed as science fiction) from a variety of artists. However to justify the selection the author (or would that be editor) has created a story to explain and justify it all.
what is another trait of this style of book is that they are written in the style of fact as if what you are reading is some sort of encyclopaedic book presented as some sort of futuristic tour guide
Now dont get wrong I have read far worse books -from an age desperate to cash in on science fiction but from authors and editors who at best had no idea of the genre and at worst disliked it but were still willing to exploit it.
So instead here you have a rather tongue in cheek books with some very nice and some rather obscure pieces linked together with an entertaining dialogue.
You what you have here is a book of various science fiction (and a number of fantasy repurposed as science fiction) from a variety of artists. However to justify the selection the author (or would that be editor) has created a story to explain and justify it all.
what is another trait of this style of book is that they are written in the style of fact as if what you are reading is some sort of encyclopaedic book presented as some sort of futuristic tour guide
Now dont get wrong I have read far worse books -from an age desperate to cash in on science fiction but from authors and editors who at best had no idea of the genre and at worst disliked it but were still willing to exploit it.
So instead here you have a rather tongue in cheek books with some very nice and some rather obscure pieces linked together with an entertaining dialogue.
November 8, 2018
I have had two of the previous series of these amazing books: Great Space Battles, and Spaceships: 2000 to 2100 AD, in my collection for literally 40+ years. I loved them as a kid and would spend endless hours staring at the art--collected from the covers of other books and magazines. The text is a creative attempt to pull images created for disparate stories into a sort of guidebook of the future. This book is smaller and a bit less robust in its worldbuilding that the previous titles, and not all of the art particularly shines, but the charm is entirely intact. This is one of those books that rely almost entirely on a level of nerd love that few possess, but those of us who do, will not be disappointed.
October 13, 2019
This book came into my sphere of knowledge when I was a child for we found it in Baldwin when our family had joined with some others for a Chiefs football game. Although at the time I didn't get a chance to read it we were able to look at the pictures while it is the Fangstones and their catty partners that have really stuck in my head this whole time.
Now that I am older and the book has been re-found it is interesting to look over the pages and remember the graphic details that stood out. These illustrations are bright, detailed and most definitely sci-fi. Their captions add more to the story than the actual section does while I have to say I almost prefer the book had been just written in captions instead of the guidebook formula that it was done in.
Although the book is part of a series I have no knowledge or understanding about the content, where any of the ideas may have come from or a chance to read the other books. At this time I don't think I would actively hunt down any of the other books since this was the one that held any potential of interest for me.
As for subject matter this book is an interesting deception for its says aliens in space but its major focus is on sentient extraterrestrials species with a mere comment occasionally to other non-intelligent species. Take for example my aforementioned Fangstones. Although they have a picture of the two species there is no name given to the "cat" nor much given on how its bond formed or any thing else about it except its role in helping to lure victims to the more sluggish and higher intelligent Fangstones. Disappointing in a sense that the focus is so strict.
Otherwise the writing again is set-up in a guidebook format that is to provide the reader a manual for their own space travels. As a result there is no key on what certain meanings are for the real scientific data so it goes a bit over your head. At the same time the writing itself is dry, bland and choking so even the mere 64 pages that it is drags on so maybe it was a good thing that it was stopped at just sentient species.
In the end for those who like sci-fi illustrations this book is great for that and is probably one of its only redeeming graces. But in the long run this is just one of those sci-fi series that will quietly pass into musty pages even as the non-space-faring Earthens reach the 2020's without a single find of another world with aliens or a means of getting there to meet them.
Now that I am older and the book has been re-found it is interesting to look over the pages and remember the graphic details that stood out. These illustrations are bright, detailed and most definitely sci-fi. Their captions add more to the story than the actual section does while I have to say I almost prefer the book had been just written in captions instead of the guidebook formula that it was done in.
Although the book is part of a series I have no knowledge or understanding about the content, where any of the ideas may have come from or a chance to read the other books. At this time I don't think I would actively hunt down any of the other books since this was the one that held any potential of interest for me.
As for subject matter this book is an interesting deception for its says aliens in space but its major focus is on sentient extraterrestrials species with a mere comment occasionally to other non-intelligent species. Take for example my aforementioned Fangstones. Although they have a picture of the two species there is no name given to the "cat" nor much given on how its bond formed or any thing else about it except its role in helping to lure victims to the more sluggish and higher intelligent Fangstones. Disappointing in a sense that the focus is so strict.
Otherwise the writing again is set-up in a guidebook format that is to provide the reader a manual for their own space travels. As a result there is no key on what certain meanings are for the real scientific data so it goes a bit over your head. At the same time the writing itself is dry, bland and choking so even the mere 64 pages that it is drags on so maybe it was a good thing that it was stopped at just sentient species.
In the end for those who like sci-fi illustrations this book is great for that and is probably one of its only redeeming graces. But in the long run this is just one of those sci-fi series that will quietly pass into musty pages even as the non-space-faring Earthens reach the 2020's without a single find of another world with aliens or a means of getting there to meet them.
Read
November 5, 2014Watching Brian Cox's latest series, he brought out a favoured book from his childhood, a fictional history of spaceflight 2000-2100 - already, as he noted, in large part invalidated. And suddenly it came back to me that I'd never had that (though it looked ace), but I did have something very similar. This, in fact. Whose author turns out to be a pseudonym of Stewart Cowley, author of Cox's beloved book. Apparently these works are considered inferior to those released under his own name. Perhaps that's why Cox's faith in the future has proved more resilient than mine.
December 9, 2012
One of my aunts gave me this sci-fi book when I was four. I loved the pictures but never read more than the captions until now. A series of profiles of worlds and their inhabitants from a future Federation of planets, it packs a surprising amount of world building in its scant 62 pages, along with beautiful illustrations. Makes me wish I was still running RPGs, it would be a great source of ideas.
June 29, 2009
I ssuspect many science fiction fans of a certain age will fondly remember the "Galactic Encounters" books from the 1980's. Caldwell cobbles together a collection of SF illustrations (mostly used previously as book covers) and presents them as a futuristic guidebook to the alien species and worlds of the galaxy. I admit the conceit is sometimes a little bit corny, but I love the imaginative "in world" feel of the book, as if was actually a reference work from a future century.
February 28, 2022
Here is a quick shot of pure JPL-quality fuel for the imagination. "Aliens in Space" clocks in at less than seventy pages, and at least half of that space is taken up with illustrations, but I'm not complaining. Species range from the benign to the vicious to completely incomprehensible to the human observer. Each batch of fauna is introduced by a description of the hosting homeworld: its mass, temperature, and diplomatic status in a massive fictional intergalactic Federation.
The most unsettling and hostile world has to be Hades (surprise, surprise). Its native "Fangstones," vampires that conceal themselves as greisen-colored boulders, are responsible for killing most of the humans who've been foolish enough to touch down there.
The most enchanting homeworld is Aquatica, a kind of Vernian underwater planet whose most highly developed creature is a gill-throated, web-footed biped that looks a bit like the Creature from the Black Lagoon (although it's more quixotic than menacing). The hadal depths of the planet's massive ocean play host to relicts left by a long-forgotten highly-advanced civilization. The piece-de-resistance is a pyramidal structure whose "origin and purpose" (h/t "2001") remains a total mystery. All that's known about it is that, when someone or something gets close enough, a beam of light appears from an oculus-shaped aperture to follow the motion. The pyramid is rendered in lush blue-greens, a dark kind of Daniken-esque artifact that could serve as the basis for a film or novel.
Indeed, the book is brimming with artwork and loving descriptions that are sure to inspire as much as entertain. That's assuming you can find a copy. Highest recommendation.
The most unsettling and hostile world has to be Hades (surprise, surprise). Its native "Fangstones," vampires that conceal themselves as greisen-colored boulders, are responsible for killing most of the humans who've been foolish enough to touch down there.
The most enchanting homeworld is Aquatica, a kind of Vernian underwater planet whose most highly developed creature is a gill-throated, web-footed biped that looks a bit like the Creature from the Black Lagoon (although it's more quixotic than menacing). The hadal depths of the planet's massive ocean play host to relicts left by a long-forgotten highly-advanced civilization. The piece-de-resistance is a pyramidal structure whose "origin and purpose" (h/t "2001") remains a total mystery. All that's known about it is that, when someone or something gets close enough, a beam of light appears from an oculus-shaped aperture to follow the motion. The pyramid is rendered in lush blue-greens, a dark kind of Daniken-esque artifact that could serve as the basis for a film or novel.
Indeed, the book is brimming with artwork and loving descriptions that are sure to inspire as much as entertain. That's assuming you can find a copy. Highest recommendation.
July 25, 2022
My rating is heavily clouded in nostalgia and my affinity to monsters. The Finnish edition is nice, well laid out and print quality is pretty good. If you're looking for creature ideas and can find this at a good deal (found mine at a fleamarket at an absolute bargain price), I'd say it is well worth it.
I first ran into the series in the late 80's, as at least three of the books had been translated into Finnish and could be found at my elementary school library. I can't remember much about the others, thinking they were more about the worlds and spaceships, but this one was my fave as I had become interested in beasts and monsters at an early age. The greenish Rock monsters especially had a profound effect on me, being amongst the last images I can recall that have truly terrified me, necessitating a "training regime" to face my fear of them... By opening the right page and slamming the image with my fist. =D
The images themselves are culled from various sources, artists listed at the beginning of the book. As an adult horror fan, having found this again after decades I also noticed that one of the images looked curiously familiar for other reasons, having a weirdly-angled city in the background of a greenish creature with tentacles on its face, rudimentary wings and clawed hands surfacing from a body of water... It was an image of Cthulhu and R'lyeh, originally used as an album cover.
Enough gushing from me: If you think you'd like a pictured guidebook into extraterrestrial creatures with images in the style of 70's-80's book and album covers, this is your thing.
I first ran into the series in the late 80's, as at least three of the books had been translated into Finnish and could be found at my elementary school library. I can't remember much about the others, thinking they were more about the worlds and spaceships, but this one was my fave as I had become interested in beasts and monsters at an early age. The greenish Rock monsters especially had a profound effect on me, being amongst the last images I can recall that have truly terrified me, necessitating a "training regime" to face my fear of them... By opening the right page and slamming the image with my fist. =D
The images themselves are culled from various sources, artists listed at the beginning of the book. As an adult horror fan, having found this again after decades I also noticed that one of the images looked curiously familiar for other reasons, having a weirdly-angled city in the background of a greenish creature with tentacles on its face, rudimentary wings and clawed hands surfacing from a body of water... It was an image of Cthulhu and R'lyeh, originally used as an album cover.
Enough gushing from me: If you think you'd like a pictured guidebook into extraterrestrial creatures with images in the style of 70's-80's book and album covers, this is your thing.
October 4, 2024
I had this book in the early 1980s when I was a tween. The images inside haunted me, but I couldn't stop picking it up. The Sci-fi jargon was a bit over my head at the time, too. Then over time, the book faded away and I'd forgotten about it by my mid-teens...
...Until about the year 2000, when I was about thirty—I spotted it at the library, and all of the images and memories came rushing back. I checked it out of the library, flipped through it, and checked it back in, having satisfied that itch. And forgot about it again...
...Until it was given to me as a gift about ten years ago. Since then, I've hung onto it, and the more I flip through the pages and read the text accompanying it, the more I'm surprised that there is a rich universe built up behind this catalog—which is sort of a guide to space explorers on what you can expect to experience on several different planets in the universe this book resides in.
Apparently it's just a side catalogue of planets in an already-written series of books, but I haven't searched around the webmuch more for it, and still only read it in the most casual of ways.
But the illustrations? Amazing & haunting, and I'd bet one or two of them started out as a paperback cover for a different sci-fi book. (Upon preview: yep, by noted illustrators too, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stewart...)
...Until about the year 2000, when I was about thirty—I spotted it at the library, and all of the images and memories came rushing back. I checked it out of the library, flipped through it, and checked it back in, having satisfied that itch. And forgot about it again...
...Until it was given to me as a gift about ten years ago. Since then, I've hung onto it, and the more I flip through the pages and read the text accompanying it, the more I'm surprised that there is a rich universe built up behind this catalog—which is sort of a guide to space explorers on what you can expect to experience on several different planets in the universe this book resides in.
Apparently it's just a side catalogue of planets in an already-written series of books, but I haven't searched around the webmuch more for it, and still only read it in the most casual of ways.
But the illustrations? Amazing & haunting, and I'd bet one or two of them started out as a paperback cover for a different sci-fi book. (Upon preview: yep, by noted illustrators too, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stewart...)
July 30, 2014
I loved this series of Galactic Explorations books as a kid. I enjoyed this one now (hadn't read it before), although my copy of the book basically fell apart as I read it.
January 27, 2016
If you always wondered what some of the critters in your favorite SiFi book looked like here is the book for you. Great art book. Recommended
June 15, 2011
a very good book with lots of creativity
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews