Galactic Aliens

by Alan Frank

Collection of Space Art with text presenting it as an intergalactic wildlife handbook.

Genres: Science Fiction, Art

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

Reviews

[Amanda Ure · Rating 3 out of 5]

Obviously for younger readers, a group to which I belonged when I read this, this is a guide to dangerous alien life forms presented as a non-fiction catalogue for an intergalactic confederation. Hard science fiction it is not, but there is a way of redeeming it, particularly considering Alan Frank's background as a critic mainly of classic horror movies. This is horror, not SF. If you think of it as sci-fi and are as much a stickler for accuracy as I am, you'll find it utterly intolerable unless you can switch your brain off while you're reading it. But, if you see it as a set of horror vignettes with a space opera setting, like 'Event Horizon', it works fine.

It has to be said that it's really about the illustrations rather than the text, and the text is odd. For some reason it refers repeatedly to vanadium, and overuses the word "some" and "deploy". The units are also way off.

If you do take it seriously, there are maybe a couple of scientifically plausible aliens, plus humans -
we're in it too as a relatively insignificant but hostile species.

The real plus point of the book is the airbrushed pictures, which are very much of their time in the late 1970s. This is a disco Universe.

It would be interesting to see how much this would appeal to the children of today.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book from high school. Most aliens in this book are indestructible. It's ridiculous and I love it.