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Space: 1999 #8
Android Planet
INTO THE LAND OF THE DEADLY ROBOTS!
The mysterious planet Pelorus stares out of Main Mission Control's star-scanning system like a monstrous orange unblinking eye. Is it daring Alpha to make the first move?
Or is Pelorus -- millions of light-years from Mother Earth -- their long-awaited new home?
The Alphans make their fateful choice, and they are thrust into the heart of an android world where superhuman beings wield bizarre weapons. Their only chance of rescue is to trust a humanoid tribe whose friendly smiles hide a secret of devastating impact!
Complete story not based on any episode.
The mysterious planet Pelorus stares out of Main Mission Control's star-scanning system like a monstrous orange unblinking eye. Is it daring Alpha to make the first move?
Or is Pelorus -- millions of light-years from Mother Earth -- their long-awaited new home?
The Alphans make their fateful choice, and they are thrust into the heart of an android world where superhuman beings wield bizarre weapons. Their only chance of rescue is to trust a humanoid tribe whose friendly smiles hide a secret of devastating impact!
Complete story not based on any episode.
- GenresScience Fiction
159 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
46 people want to read
About the author
John Rankine
59 books4 followersJohn Rankine (born Douglas Rankine Mason) is a British science fiction author, who has written books both as John Rankine and as Douglas R. Mason.
Rankine was born in Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales and first attended Chester Grammar School and in 1937 went to study English Literature and Experimental Psychology at the University of Manchester, where he was a friend of Anthony Burgess (as mentioned in Little Wilson and Big God: The First Part of the Confession, AB's autobiography).
Rankine was born in Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales and first attended Chester Grammar School and in 1937 went to study English Literature and Experimental Psychology at the University of Manchester, where he was a friend of Anthony Burgess (as mentioned in Little Wilson and Big God: The First Part of the Confession, AB's autobiography).
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 16, 2014
Another original novel in the Space 1999 series, this one has a good deal more action than many of the adaptations or stories. There's a lot of intrigue and weirdness on the planet that Alpha happens to run across to give this story a very British, almost Quatermass feel. Definitely worth a read for the Space 1999 fan, and I think it's very accessible to the genre reader as well.
April 28, 2011
This version of Android Planet by John Rankine is a re-release by the modern guardians of the Space 1999 universe, Powys Media. Never having read this book when it was originally released (way back in the 70s) I was curious to read it—looking forward to it, actually.
After having read it, though, I have to say it isn’t one of my favorite Space 1999 books. To start with, the writing is filled with euphemisms and comparisons that aren’t meaningful. Part of this is undoubtedly due to the many years since the book was first published, and part could be because the writer was British. (Perhaps the phrases in question are more meaningful to a reader from the UK.) But I kept finding myself stalled, tripping over words and phrases that took a great deal of context searching to derive any meaning for. Even then I’m not sure I got it right.
As for the story, there are some fun areas—a good sampling of action and adventure, and many obstacles for the main characters to overcome. But what is missing here is the strong intrigue that was present in some of the better TV show episodes. There isn’t a lot of mystery at all, really. The plot just moves from one bit of action to the next.
And one mystery that does hang out there (regarding a neighboring planet) we never get a solution for. Frustrating!
That said, it is nice to have some of these old novels available for fans again. Regardless of my disappointment in this one, I’m looking forward to whatever is to come.
After having read it, though, I have to say it isn’t one of my favorite Space 1999 books. To start with, the writing is filled with euphemisms and comparisons that aren’t meaningful. Part of this is undoubtedly due to the many years since the book was first published, and part could be because the writer was British. (Perhaps the phrases in question are more meaningful to a reader from the UK.) But I kept finding myself stalled, tripping over words and phrases that took a great deal of context searching to derive any meaning for. Even then I’m not sure I got it right.
As for the story, there are some fun areas—a good sampling of action and adventure, and many obstacles for the main characters to overcome. But what is missing here is the strong intrigue that was present in some of the better TV show episodes. There isn’t a lot of mystery at all, really. The plot just moves from one bit of action to the next.
And one mystery that does hang out there (regarding a neighboring planet) we never get a solution for. Frustrating!
That said, it is nice to have some of these old novels available for fans again. Regardless of my disappointment in this one, I’m looking forward to whatever is to come.
April 9, 2014
Based on the cult science fiction tv series, Space: 1999 Android Planet is the eighth in the series reprinted by Pocket Books that was originally published by Futura Publications) in 1976. This science fiction novel finds Moonbase Alpha coming close to the planet known as Pelorus. Commander John Koenig leds a landing party after receiving no contact from the natives even though Moonbase Alpha was attacked several times. They find a race of androids and a small colony of humans from a nearby planet that created the robots to mine the planet.
Space: 1999 Android Planet has plenty of action and adventure but too much use of (British?) slang that don't jive with the rest of the story and makes it a so-so book. Not recommended this book unless you are a die-hard fan of the tv show.
Space: 1999 Android Planet has plenty of action and adventure but too much use of (British?) slang that don't jive with the rest of the story and makes it a so-so book. Not recommended this book unless you are a die-hard fan of the tv show.
May 25, 2016
Just gets weirder.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews