Fred Hoyle (1915–2001)
Author of The Black Cloud
About the Author
Image credit: Photo by Chandra Wickramasinghe
Series
Works by Fred Hoyle
The Andromeda Anthology: Containing A For Andromeda and Andromeda Breakthrough (S.F. MASTERWORKS) (1962) 57 copies
A Different Approach to Cosmology: From a Static Universe through the Big Bang towards Reality (2000) 20 copies
Three Classic Novels: Ossian's Ride, October the First is Too Late, Fifth Planet (Fred Hoyle's World of… (2016) 8 copies
Världsalltets byggnad 5 copies
Lectures on Cosmology and Action at a Distance Electrodynamics (World Scientific Series in Astronomy and Astrophysics,… (1996) 5 copies
Blackmail [short story] 3 copies
Zoomen 1 copy
Nova ameaça de Andrómeda 1 copy
Evolution from Space 1 copy
Os abismos do espaço 1 copy
Devilment 79 1 copy
A Decade of Decision 1 copy
Astrophysics and Relativity 1 copy
The Asymmetry of Time 1 copy
L'energia nucleare 1 copy
nueva dimensión - 074 1 copy
Universets opbygning 1 copy
Fred Hoyle 1 copy
La cosmologia contemporanea 1 copy
Associated Works
Maailma mielen mukaan : yksitoista tieteisnovellia kolmeltatoista sci-fi -sarjan kirjailijalta (1986) — Contributor — 21 copies
Readings in Cosmology and Extragalactic Astronomy: Physics 361-01 Cosmology, Spring Semester 1995 (1995) — Contributor — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Hoyle, Fred
- Birthdate
- 1915-06-24
- Date of death
- 2001-08-20
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- UK
- Birthplace
- Gilstead, Bingley, Yorkshire, England, UK
- Place of death
- Christchurch, Dorset, England, UK
- Places of residence
- Gilstead, Yorkshire, England, UK
Bournemouth, Dorset, England, UK - Education
- Bingley Grammar School
University of Cambridge (Emmanuel College) (Mathematics) - Occupations
- astronomer
science fiction writer - Relationships
- Hoyle, Geoffrey (son)
- Organizations
- Cambridge University
- Awards and honors
- Fellow of the Royal Society (1957)
Knight Bachelor (1972)
Bruce Medal (1970)
Henry Norris Russell Lectureship (1971)
Klumpke-Roberts Award (1977)
Balzan Prize (Astrophysics ∙ 1994) (show all 8)
Crafoord Prize (1997)
Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science (1967)
Members
Reviews
A for Andromeda : a novel of tomorrow by Fred Hoyle
The story takes place in the near future---the late 1960s. (The book's copyright is 1962.) Aliens from outer space are more interested in their own interests than ours. I read the book soon after it came out. What I liked most about it was that, for the sake of a character I liked, there was a sequel. The ideas are more important than the plot or the characters. BTW, the chapter names all start with the letter A.
Excellent book, full of ideas and lively pace.
Like Arthur C. Clarke at his best.
Like Arthur C. Clarke at his best.
I picked up a copy of Rockets in Ursa Major at my favorite antiquarian book store pretty much on a lark. The cover was cool (see inset) and the back-cover blurb was interesting:
Unfortunately, that was pretty much the most exciting part of the book. We learn all of this in the first 30-45 pages or so, then it sets into a typical 1960's alien invasion story.
In the denouement, the good guys win with the help of friendly aliens, but (of course) there is a promise of a bad alien return.
There wasn't much to the story, and little character development either. Fred Hoyle was not a world builder. He was, however, one of the most outspoken midcentury astrophysicists, so there is little wonder why our protagonist is a young professor/researcher/scientist at Cambridge. In a similar parallel to Hoyle's own life, the "key invention" which enables detection of in invading alien fleet was related to radar, which Hoyle worked on for the Admiralty during World War II. Scientific jargon is embedded throughout -- perhaps too much for a work of fast fiction -- but I didn't find it detracting from the story. (However, I'm probably biased because I'm an astrodynamicist by trade, and anything about orbits, trajectories, and space combat is like candy to me....)
Interesting facts:
If you like simple alien invasion stories and don't mind scientific dialogue, then you will find this book worth a read.… (more)
It is the early twenty-first century. Man is seeking signs of life elsewhere in the universe, but all exploratory ships have been lost without a trace--except for DSP 15. Thirty years after leaving Earth, and given up for lost, DSP 15 suddenly appears on radar screens at the space station at Mildenhall, England.
Her crew has been frozen to prevent aging, and as the ship settles into a landing, Dr. Richard Warboys eagerly waits with other scientists for word of what DSP 15 has found. But there is no crew, only a message scratched into a metal surface, signed by the captain:
"If this ship returns to Earth, then mankind is in deadly peril--God help you--."
Unfortunately, that was pretty much the most exciting part of the book. We learn all of this in the first 30-45 pages or so, then it sets into a typical 1960's alien invasion story.
In the denouement, the good guys win with the help of friendly aliens, but (of course) there is a promise of a bad alien return.
There wasn't much to the story, and little character development either. Fred Hoyle was not a world builder. He was, however, one of the most outspoken midcentury astrophysicists, so there is little wonder why our protagonist is a young professor/researcher/scientist at Cambridge. In a similar parallel to Hoyle's own life, the "key invention" which enables detection of in invading alien fleet was related to radar, which Hoyle worked on for the Admiralty during World War II. Scientific jargon is embedded throughout -- perhaps too much for a work of fast fiction -- but I didn't find it detracting from the story. (However, I'm probably biased because I'm an astrodynamicist by trade, and anything about orbits, trajectories, and space combat is like candy to me....)
Interesting facts:
- This was Fred Hoyle's eighth work of fiction. His best known is 1959's The Black Cloud, which is worth checking out if you can find a copy.
- He co-wrote this book with his son Geoffrey. This was the second of 12 works the father-son team wrote together.
- The book was adapted from a play which was first performed at the Mermaid Theatre on Easter, 1962.
- Fred Hoyle coined the term "Big Bang Theory" in an interview on BBC Radio.
If you like simple alien invasion stories and don't mind scientific dialogue, then you will find this book worth a read.… (more)
Fina lepo zasluzena jedinica.
Skolski primer kako ne treba pisati naucnu fantastiku.
Skolski primer kako ne treba pisati naucnu fantastiku.
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Statistics
- Works
- 93
- Also by
- 9
- Members
- 5,365
- Popularity
- #4,643
- Rating
- 4.0
- Reviews
- 82
- ISBNs
- 252
- Languages
- 15
- Favorited
- 4