One of the greatest works of science fiction ever written. - Richard Dawkins

Without a question the most intelligently written science fiction story I have ever read . . . A terrific yarn. - Charlotte Observer

An eerie story which demands the reader's attention from start to finish. - Denver Post

A] rattling good story . . . a really thrilling book. There is a largeness, generosity, and jollity about the whole spirit of the book that reminds one of the early Wells at his best. - G. S. Fraser, New Statesman

Astronomers in England and America have made a terrifying discovery: an ominous black cloud the size of Jupiter is travelling straight towards our solar system. If their calculations are correct, the cloud's path will bring it between the Earth and the Sun, blocking out the Sun's rays and threatening unimaginable consequences for our planet. With the fate of every living thing on Earth in the balance, world leaders assemble a team of brilliant scientists to figure out a way to stop the cloud. But when they uncover the truth behind its origins, they will be forced to reconsider everything they think they know about the nature of life in the universe . . .

A landmark of British science fiction, The Black Cloud (1957) was the first novel by world-renowned astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle (1915-2001), who used his own scientific background to create a frighteningly real apocalyptic thriller in which, Hoyle said, there is very little that could not conceivably happen. Long recognized as a classic in Great Britain, Hoyle's novel returns to print in the U.S. for the first time in over 40 years in this edition, published to coincide with the centennial of the author's birth and featuring a new foreword by Geoffrey Hoyle.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Renowned scientist John Sinclair and his old school friend Richard, a celebrated composer, are enjoying a climbing expedition in the Scottish Highlands when Sinclair disappears without a trace for thirteen hours. When he resurfaces with no explanation for his disappearance, he has undergone an uncanny alteration: a birthmark on his back has vanished. But stranger events are yet to come: things are normal enough in Britain, but in France it's 1917 and World War I is raging, Greece is in the Golden Age of Pericles, America seems to have reverted to the 18th century, and Russia and China are thousands of years in the future.

Against this macabre backdrop of coexisting time spheres, the two young men risk their lives to unravel the truth. But truth is in the mind of the beholder, and who is to say which of these timelines is the 'real' one? In October the First Is Too Late (1966), world-famous astrophysicist Sir Fred Hoyle (1915-2001) explores fascinating concepts of time and consciousness in the form of a thrilling science fiction adventure that ranks among his very best.

'Fred Hoyle is the John Buchan of science fiction. His fantasies are not only rooted in scientific possibility but are told at a galloping pace.' - Julian Jebb, Sunday Times

'Fine storytelling.' - Kirkus Reviews

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

One of this century's most eminent scientist offers a revealing and charming account of his life and work. Mathematician, physicist, astronomer, cosmologist and originator of the term the 'Big Bang'-Sir Fred has always been ready and able to challenge established thinking.

A planetary system, consisting of a star and five planets, is travelling through our galaxy and will pass close to Earth. The four largest planets are gaseous, but the fifth, named Achilles, appears capable of supporting life. Two rival expeditions - one Anglo-American and one Russian - set out to land on Achilles and explore its mysteries. But almost from the moment of their arrival things begin to go terribly wrong ... and when they return to Earth, something not human will be coming back with them.

One of the most exciting novels by world-renowned scientist Sir Fred Hoyle (1915-2001) and Geoffrey Hoyle, Fifth Planet (1963) is a thrilling science fiction tale that ranks alongside Hoyle's masterpiece The Black Cloud.

'An exciting book for all science fiction enthusiasts ... will leave the reader wondering about our future life on earth.' - Evening Journal

'Fred Hoyle, a celebrated astronomer, is a man of vast imagination ... the story is sharp, clear and full of suspense.' - Washington (D.C.) Evening Star

'A mature performance ... the best so far from the Hoyle stable.' - Sunday Times

British mathematician and astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle (1915 - 2001) coined the phrase Big Bang to describe the currently accepted explanation of the origin of the universe, and he did important work on the origins of stars and on the elements within stars. To the general public he was known more as a prolific writer of popular science books, in which he offered his stimulating ideas on the nature of our huge, fascinating cosmos. In this compilation of popular lectures delivered in 1964, he comments on the nature of the scientific enterprise, gives his view of life on Earth from the perspective of astronomy, and speculates about the future.Among the many interesting ideas discussed in this book is Hoyle's suggestion that the emergence of intelligent life is not a meaningless accident and he estimates that the existence of intelligent life on other planets is highly probable. Despite the enormous distances that separate the stars and planetary systems, he considers it very likely that humanity will eventually discover the technological means to communicate with intelligent extraterrestrial life. He also feels that the developmental pattern of life on Earth is probably not unique and that we are following an inevitable path, one that must have been followed many, many times on other planets. In conclusion, he conjectures that contact with more advanced civilizations may prove vital to learning how to address the most daunting problems of life on Earth, such as avoiding nuclear war and managing the global stresses of the population explosion.These forward-looking lectures by one of the 20th century's great scientific minds make for exciting and rewarding reading.

From two hundred light years across the universe comes a message of terror. Ten years from now, a new radio telescope picks up from the constellation of Andromeda a complex series of signals which prove to be a programme for a giant computer. When the computer begins to relay the information it receives from Andromeda the project assumes a vital importance, scientists find themselves possessing knowledge previously unknown to mankind, knowledge that could threaten the security of human life itself. Sir Fred Hoyle was Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at Cambridge University while John Elliott was a novelist, from their collaboration comes a work of major scientific interest and a remarkably original story that is as enthralling today.

Originally published in 1957, this book offers a challenging intellectual experience to the reader who wishes to understand the broad historical trends that determine the future of humanity on this planet. The book examines natural laws that govern humanity by looking at communities over long periods of time and noting patterns which become evident. The book includes discussions of communism, the crisis in food and population growth, the significance of industrialism and man and his religious beliefs - all issues that remain as relevant today as when the book was first published.

Originally published in 1979, written at a time when the world stood on the brink of (another) energy crisis, this book argued that an alternative primary fuel had to be found and that the answer lay in the exploitation of nuclear fission. The book sought to dispel the anxieties of environmentalists by correcting what the authors felt were basic misconceptions about nuclear energy. The book distinguishes carefully between nuclear energy and nuclear explosions, as the authors believed that it was the confusion between these two very different things which lies at the root of most opposition to nuclear energy. The Relevant facts concerning nuclear energy are presented in a straightforward way and the case made that nuclear energy can be clean and safe. The book includes a discussion of the storage of nuclear waste and the safety record of the nuclear industry.

Originally published in 1977 and as second edition in 1979, this book argues that without energy sources on a vast scale our present society cannot survive. According to the author, Fred Hoyle, the technology to tap solar, wind or wave power on a large enough scale just does not exist. He considers nuclear fission to be the only source currently capable of supplying our needs. The author fills in the scientific background necessary to appreciate his arguments in his lucid, direct style, so that the book can act as an ideal introduction for those unfamiliar with the energy debate. This short book is unashamedly provocative and many of the central tenets of it remain as relevant today as when it was first published.

Originally published in 1957, this book offers a challenging intellectual experience to the reader who wishes to understand the broad historical trends that determine the future of humanity on this planet. The book examines natural laws that govern humanity by looking at communities over long periods of time and noting patterns which become evident. The book includes discussions of communism, the crisis in food and population growth, the significance of industrialism and man and his religious beliefs - all issues that remain as relevant today as when the book was first published.

The astronomical community is wrongly interpreting cosmological data by using the standard Big Bang Model. In this highly controversial volume, three distinguished cosmologists argue this premise with persuasion and conviction. Starting with the beginnings of modern cosmology, they conduct a deep and wide review of the observations made from 1945 to the present, explaining what they regard as the defects and inconsistencies that exist within the interpretation of cosmological data. This is followed by an extensive presentation of the authors' own alternative view of the status of observations and how they should be explained. Along the way, the book touches on the most fundamental questions, including the origin, age, structure, and properties of the Universe. Writing from the heart, with passion and punch, Hoyle, Burbidge, and Narlikar, make a powerful case for viewing the universe in a different light, which will be of great interest to graduate students, researchers, and professionals in astronomy, cosmology, and physics.