The Lost Worlds of 2001 by Arthur C. Clarke was published in 1972 by Signet as an accompaniment to the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey. The book itself consists in part of behind-the-scenes notes from Clarke concerning scriptwriting (and rewriting), as well as production issues. The core of the book, however, is contained in excerpts from the proto-novel and an early screenplay that did not make it into the final version. Alternative settings for launch preparation, the EVA scene where astronaut Frank Poole is lost, and varying dialogues concerning the HAL 9000 unit are all featured in the book. Also included is the original short story The Sentinel on which 2001 is loosely based.

Two populated solar systems of the Kepren Cluster Alliance mysteriously vanished. The frantic Alliance leaders’ desperate evacuation plan was adamantly rejected—until a third system vanished. Later a lone planet vanishes; its freed moon may destroy Kepren, dooming billions. A select team must return, resolve a cosmic intrigue, confront a conflict of universes, and strive to prevent disaster.Far above the Milky Way, the inhabitants of a densely populated stellar cluster struggle with the terrifying mystery of two complete solar systems vanishing without a trace, leaving no clue to who the perpetrators might be. A desperate plan was first rejected and then reluctantly accepted when a third solar system vanished. Since only populated systems have attracted this destroyer of worlds, the Kepren Cluster Alliance's entire population is evacuated, then hidden in forced-hibernation chambers carved deep underground in remote, previously uninhabited planets. Then a lone planet vanishes, leaving its moon behind. The orphaned moon is catapulted on a trajectory toward a mutually destructive collision with Kepren's automated control center, threatening to doom the sleeping billions forever. The original plan had recognized the need for a non-hibernated emergency team. However -- fearing the destroyer's detection -- a small group was evacuated to an isolated part of the galaxy after undergoing radical memory blockages. So ADIZ, a machine intelligence, must travel to the team's far-distant location, convince them of their true identities, and secure their return to avert the impending devastation. Their desperate journey exposes them to a mysterious higher intelligence, time paradoxes, and locations outside the known space-time continuum as they strive to solve a cosmic intrigue, confront a conflict of universes, and prevent total disaster…* * * *An intricately crafted story, Mission Beyond The Stars blends richly developed characters with faster-than-light travel, inter-dimensional transport, multiple universes, and unplanned time-travel. Those characters are tested and bonded in compelling adventures woven together with themes of cosmic confrontation and quiet courage, maddening mystery and clashing intrigue, mystical encounters and quests for higher consciousness.

LIN CARTER WRITES:“Of all the worlds of fantasy literature,I seem most deeply fascinated by the lost lands of legend—by t hose far and mysterious realms and continents presumed by dreamers to have flourished in remote, prehistoric ages.“I think it is the unsolved mystery of these ’evening isles fantastical’ that teases my curiosity and captivates my imagination. Did the oceans drink down the shining cities of Atlantis?Did mighty Mu founder beneath the waves before history began? Was there ever a lost polar paradise of Hyperborea? Did the Seven Isles of Antiilia ever exist…?“Since we cannot look to science or history or archeology for the age-lost annals of Atlantis or Ultima Thule or Lemuria, we must turn to fantasy fiction to satisfy our thirst for their marvels…

ALL-NEW STORIES OF ANCIENT ALIEN ARTIFACTS FROM THE TOP NAMES IN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASYTHE UNIVERSE IS OLDER AND MORE ALIEN THAN WE CAN EVER UNDERSTAND We were not alone. The farther we push into the universe, the more obvious it becomes. The signs are everywhere: canals and pyramids on Mars, old roads on the moons of Jupiter, ruined cities on worlds about the nearer stars. The galaxy once teemed with life, or so it seems. Which begs the question: What happened to it all? These stories explore the ruins of lost civilizations, solve ancient mysteries . . .and awaken horrors from beyond the dawn of time. Featuring stories by Orson Scott Card, Griffin Barber, Adam Oyebanji, Jessica Maguire, Patrick Chiles, and an all-new entry in the Sun Eater universe from editor Christopher Ruocchio. Join us for your next adventure to Worlds Long Lost! Praise for Worlds Long Lost: "Ruocchio (the Sun Eater series) and Korsgaard bring together 14 mind-bending and often disturbing tales of ancient extraterrestrial civilizations throughout the universe...Full of creepy flights of imagination and thought-provoking science, this will be a hit with fans of first contact sci-fi. "—Publisher's Weekly "Ruocchio and Korsgaard have shown themselves to have the taste and the discernment of master vintners, going through the grapevine of the science fiction genre to find the sweetest berries. Worlds Long Lost is no mere vinegar, but the finest vintage you can find today. If science fiction were wine, this anthology sparkles, both like champagne, and like the stars in the heavens. "—Warped Factor About Star Destroyers, coedited by Christopher Ruocchio: “. . . spectacular space battles and alien contacts . . . themes of military ethics, the uses of artificial intelligence, and the limits of the capacity of the human mind. . . . it is the human interactions and decisions that ultimately drive the stories. . . . will appeal to fans of military and hard science fiction and any readers fascinated by the possibilities of space travel.”—Booklist “. . . stories of giant spaceships at war, at peace, and in the often-gray areas between. . . . a worthy addition to a long tradition of ship-based fiction, and its authors portray captains, arcane astrogators, and civilian child passengers with equal depth. It’s recommended for fans of military SF and space adventure.”—Publishers Weekly “. . . you’d probably expect some tight, action-filled space opera stories of giant space battles . . . and there’s some of that. But there are also espionage stories, rescue missions, political conflicts, alternate histories, even a few humorous tales. . . . each author took the premise in a different direction . . . if I had to identify one common feature to all the stories, it would be that they’re all fun. . . . Like it says, big ships blowing things up. What’s not to like?”—Analog About Sword & Planet, edited by Christopher Ruocchio: "...the wide mix of stories, and the surprising places they go make this anthology a particular joy from start to finish... ofers a glimpse into everything that made stories like these a popular standby since the pulp era, with enough creativity, variety and talent showcased to prove that there's still plenty of life in the century-old genre... I recommend it heartily. "—Analog "Sword & Planet breathes new life into a genre that many understandably felt was left moldering in the grave. It’s old-school wonder with twenty-first century polish - what’s not to like?"—Warped Factor

New Authors and collections. Following the great success of our Gothic Fantasy, deluxe edition short story compilations, Ghosts, Horror, Science Fiction, Murder Mayhem and Crime & Mystery this latest title is packed with dark valleys, high mountain passes, dinosaurs and endless dark creations. Contains a fabulous mix of classic and brand new writing, with authors from the US, Canada, and the UK. Classic authors include: Arthur Conan Doyle, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, H. Rider Haggard, Robert E. Howard, Rudyard Kipling, H.P. Lovecraft, A. Merritt, James De Mille, Fitz-James O'Brien, Jonathan Swift, Jules Verne, H.G. Wells.

Isla Maxwell wanted nothing more than to return home after a bitter break-up. With her parents disowning her, she has no one to turn to but her best friend in Laguna Beach. A fresh start is all she needs, and time to mend her broken heart. What she didn’t expect was to return at the same time as Garrett Thorne—not only her first love, but someone she believed to have died while on active duty in Afghanistan. His return sparks a passion she never thought could be rekindled. While once lost and without hope, can they both face their inner demons and fears and finally find themselves again…this time, together?

Hazel Raven is a psychic with precognition abilities. She and her sisters have formed the Raven Agency (private investigators) to help find the lost and heal the broken. However, when she foreshadows her sister’s disappearance, and arrives at the scene too late, she and her sisters hire THE PHOENIX AGENCY for assistance. Brett Radcliffe is new to the Agency, brought in for his remote viewing capabilities. Finding one of the Raven sisters is his first assignment. He’s excited and at the top of his game, until he comes face to face with Hazel and a past he’s never quite forgotten. Together they begin to unravel betrayal and treason in search of the missing sister and in the process, they find they are not only cut from the cloth, but they are the future of the collective order. THE PHOENIX AGENCY: They served their country in every branch of the military – Army Delta Force, SEALs, Air Force, Marines. They are pilots, snipers, medics – whatever the job calls for. And now as private citizens they serve in other capacities, as private contractors training security for defense contractors, as black ops eradicating drug dealers, as trained operatives ferreting out traitors. With the women in their lives who each have a unique psychic ability, they are a force to be reckoned with. Risen from the ashes of war, they continue to fight for those in need. They are Phoenix.

RetailThe author of The Back of Beyond continues the chronicle of his odyssey into some of the farthest corners of the world, from the Mountains of the Moon in Zaire, to wilderness Tasmania, to the unknown regions of New Guinea.From Library JournalYeadon, a Yorkshire-born American resident who writes frequently for the Washington Post , National Geographic , and National Geographic Traveler , has found a niche writing about lesser-known places. Here is a somewhat random collection of pieces about places far off the tourist track: Zaire, jungle Panama and Venezuela, the Australian Outback, the southern tips of Chile and Tasmania, and Fiji. No dauntless explorer, Yeadon comes off as an ordinary sort of traveler who sometimes underestimates the rigors of his ventures. Thus, we get plenty of bad weather, leeches, blisters, a corrupt official, some loneliness leading to introspection, and unappetizing food. But through it all, Yeadon's basically cheerful nature, his eye for local characters and ear for their dialog, and his concern for the environment and for native cultures make him one of us--and thus an agreeable travel companion. He also provides charming sketches. Only the maps are substandard: this kind of book requires something much better. This work is recommended for public libraries.- Harold M. Otness, Southern Oregon State Coll. Lib., AshlandCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Kirkus ReviewsMore rollicking end-of-the-road adventures from Yeadon. Yeadon (The Back of Beyond, 1991, etc.), who calls himself your average happy traveler,'' now explores ninelost worlds,'' blurry regions on the map, where nature still reigns and man is at best a tolerated interloper. First up--and most entrancing--is the Mountains of the Moon, a remote chain of peaks rising from the rain forests of Zaire. Invariably, getting there is half the fun, as Yeadon cruises on an African barge--a floating city, really, with its own government, economy, and teeming masses--smokes pot with Pygmies in the primeval jungle, and feasts on roasted caterpillar. Then on to Venezuela, where he fishes for piranha with llano cowboys, symbol of Latin machismo. In the Venezuelan highlands, he discovers a Catholic hermit and his little hand-built church, the pure white architecture of which brings Yeadon a dash of spiritual awakening. On to Barbuda, an untouristed sliver of land in the Caribbean; to Panama, where he wanders the jungly Darien Gap with Cuna Indians; to the fjords of Chile, which he sails in an orgy of funny self-remonstration (``sailing is for suicidal nuts''); then halfway around the world to Australia's Bungle Bungle, filled with giant termite mounds and otherworldly rock formations, where the author has a brush with death as he nearly drowns in the coral reefs; Tasmania, where he fights leeches in the rain forest; and, finally, the blissful beaches of Fiji, where he dreams of settling down at last. Filled with Yeadon's trademark good humor, contagious love of wandering, and--a new and sometimes awkward element--heavy doses of ecomysticism, sincere but ripe with clich‚. Our advice: Stick to the sights--they're mind-boggling enough. (Line drawings, maps) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

The marooned UN survivors continue to try to establish peaceful relations with the competing factions on Mars, a challenge that becomes more urgent when a radically changed Earth finally does answer their distress calls. Because Earth does fear what’s happened on Mars, perhaps enough to attempt once again to destroy all life on the surface.

Condemned to burn at the stake, Gonji is mystically counseled by a witch whose knowledge of sorcery and science compels him to somehow escape. For he must lead a refugee army, under pursuit of human and sorcerous assassins, in a flight across dark seas and into the interior of darkest Africa. There, to seek a bizarre castle's gateway to warped spatial anomalies, and learn his singular importance to the destiny of a system of concentric worlds. But will that incredible revelation empower or destroy him?

Callum Challenger is a boy with a mission: to track down supposedly mythological creatures and capture their DNA. But while Callum and his friends want to save these beings, an aggressive pharmaceutical company wants to wipe them out. In this fast-paced, high-tech story, Callum and a group of misfit mates – a computer hacker, a freerunner, an ex-marine and a girl with a chip on her shoulder – criss-cross the globe, desperately trying to stay one step ahead of their enemy.