Showing posts with label Planets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Planets. Show all posts

Friday, October 13, 2017

The Guide to Amateur Astronomy

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The Guide to Amateur Astronomy by Jack Newton & Philip Teece

A reference work to all aspects of amateur astronomy, introducing the fundamentals of astronomy, the solar system and deep space and how to start observing. (From Amazon.com product listing.)


Sunday, September 24, 2017

Ender's Game

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Ender's Game By Orson Scott Card

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut--young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers, Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If the world survives, that is.

Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards.
(From Amazon.com product listing.)


Saturday, September 23, 2017

The Chronicles of Riddick

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The Chronicles of Riddick by ALan Dean Foster

Riddick has spent the last five years on the move among the forgotten worlds on the outskirts of the galaxy, eluding mercenaries bent on collecting the price on his head. Now, the fugitive finds himself on planet Helion, home to a progressive multicultural society that has been invaded by the Lord Marshal, despot who targets humans for subjugation with his army of warriors known as Necromongers.

In the ensuing chaos, Riddick is captured by Toombs, a tenacious mercenary, and taken to a subterranean prison on Planet Crematoria where extremes of temperature range from arctic nights to volcanic days. Here Riddick encounters Kyra, a survivor from an earlier chapter in his life. his efforts to free himself and Kyra lead him to the Necromonger command ship, where he is pitted against the Lord Marshal in an apocalyptic battle with possibly the fate of all beings-- both living and dead-- hanging in the balance. (From back cover of book.)



Sunday, July 30, 2017

Space a Visual Encyclopedia

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Space a Visual Encyclopedia Published by DK Publishing

Space: A visual encyclopedia reveals everything you need to know about the universe. Hundreds of stunning images combine with illuminating descriptions to transport you to the depths of space.
Discover the history of space travel, the latest information on space-faring countries, and exciting possibilities fo future missions. Explore the solar system and the universe in incredible detail, encountering high-speed comets, extreme temperatures, and storms that rage for centuries. Then find out what it's like to be an astronaut, from space walks to keeping animals on board!
Packed with facts, timelines, and world-class photography, this encyclopedia really brings outer space to life.
(From back cover of book.)