The Fallen Spaceman

by Lee Harding

A boy, an alien marooned on Earth in a colossal space suit with a life of its own, and the friendship that develops between them in overcoming their common problem is the basis of this imaginative yarn combining science with the moral of cooperation

Genres: Science Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Lee John Harding is an Australian author, founder of the Melbourne Science Fiction Club and published in Science Fantasy Magazine, New Worlds and Science Fiction Adventures. He used the name of Harold G. Nye as a pseudonym for some of his works and has won the Ditmar Award, the Alan Marshall Award, the Australian Children´s Book Award and the Australian Science Fiction Award. ' to 'Lee John Harding is an Australian author, founder of the Melbourne Science Fiction Club and published in Science Fantasy Magazine, New Worlds and Science Fiction Adventures. He used the name of Harold G. Nye as a pseudonym for some of his works and has won the Ditmar Award, the Alan Marshall Award, the Australian Children's Book Award and the Australian Science Fiction Award.'

Reviews

[Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first got this book as part of the Weekly Reader book club when I was 8 years old. It was the first “chapter book” I ever read in a single day. I remember starting it early in the morning and finishing it early afternoon and being completely shocked that the book was over. Before this I didn’t know it was possible to read a whole book in a day.

Over the years I have often thought of it and when The Iron Giant came out I wondered if this old book had inspired the movie. It was only when I decided to buy the book and reread it that I remembered the alien in the spacesuit and also spent a few minutes to look up the book that Iron Giant is actually based on. And while there are similarities this is not the same. It is however a fun nostalgic book for me.

[Mark Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled across this book in my school’s library back in the 80s. This wasn’t the cover I recall but it is the one I finally tracked down to buy. It has great art and needs to be reprinted in a larger size as the art deserves it. An alien spaceship briefly visits the Earth and by accident one of the aliens falls to Earth in his large spacesuit. If you can find it it’s a nice short read.

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sad to say I don't remember much about this except that I liked it. Unlikely that I will be able to find it again.

[Sonja · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good book, quite a good moral.

[Buryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

after purchasing this title from the bookmobile that came to our elementary school in 1982, i was quickly wrapped up in the story. I remember feeling both sad and scared for the two beings, one earth child, one little alien, trapped in a malfunctioning giant space suit. The title eluded me for years but was happy to rediscover it using the booksleuth service over at abebooks.com

[Shanshad Whelan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish this book were better known. The Iron Giant--which has some similarities--has stayed in the public awareness, but this one seems to have faded away.