Worlds Beyond Time

Hardcover, 224 pages

English language

Published July 25, 2023 by Abrams, Inc..

ISBN:: 978-1-4197-4869-1

In the 1970s, mass-produced, cheaply printed science fiction novels were thriving. The paper was rough, the titles outrageous, and the cover art astounding. Over the course of the decade, a stable of talented painters, comic book artists, and designers produced thousands of the most eye-catching book covers to ever grace bookstore shelves (or spinner racks). Curiously, the pieces commissioned for these covers often had very little to do with the contents of the books they were selling, but by leaning heavily on psychedelic imagery, far-out landscapes, and trippy surrealism, the art was able to satisfy the same space-race fueled appetite for the big ideas and brave new worlds that sci-fi writers were boldly pushing forward.

In Worlds Beyond Time: Sci-Fi Art of the 1970s, Adam Rowe—who has been curating, championing, and resurrecting the best and most obscure art that 1970s sci-fi has to offer for more than five years …

In the 1970s, mass-produced, cheaply printed science fiction novels were thriving. The paper was rough, the titles outrageous, and the cover art astounding. Over the course of the decade, a stable of talented painters, comic book artists, and designers produced thousands of the most eye-catching book covers to ever grace bookstore shelves (or spinner racks). Curiously, the pieces commissioned for these covers often had very little to do with the contents of the books they were selling, but by leaning heavily on psychedelic imagery, far-out landscapes, and trippy surrealism, the art was able to satisfy the same space-race fueled appetite for the big ideas and brave new worlds that sci-fi writers were boldly pushing forward.

In Worlds Beyond Time: Sci-Fi Art of the 1970s, Adam Rowe—who has been curating, championing, and resurrecting the best and most obscure art that 1970s sci-fi has to offer for more than five years on his blog 70s Sci-Fi Art—introduces readers to the biggest names in the genre, including Chris Foss, Peter Elson, Tim White, Jack Gaughan, and Virgil Finlay, as well as their influences. With deep dives into the subject matter that commonly appeared on these covers—spaceships, alien landscapes, fantasy realms, cryptozoology, and heavy machinery—this book is a loving tribute to a unique and robust art form whose legacy lives on both in nostalgic appreciation as well as the retro-chic design of mainstream sci-fi films such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Alien: Covenant, and Thor: Ragnarok.

1 edition

pacavegano reviewed Worlds Beyond Time by Adam Rowe

None

5 stars

The subtitle of this book is a bit misleading. While there likely is more art from the 70s than not here, there’s also plenty from the 60s and the 80s, as is explicitly acknowledged in the epilogue, and a few examples even from outside that broader range. It’s also not just sci-fi art, there being plenty of fantasy and horror included.

The inaccuracies of the cover text aside, this is a very enjoyable and surprisingly informative book. With plenty of space given to the well-reproduced art, there is also more text than I had expected, and it is quite worth reading.

Given the breadth of the book it’s not surprising that there were sections that I wanted much more of, but it has a pretty good balance. And as it covers the period of genre cover art that first got me hooked on these genres, I found the book rather …

The subtitle of this book is a bit misleading. While there likely is more art from the 70s than not here, there’s also plenty from the 60s and the 80s, as is explicitly acknowledged in the epilogue, and a few examples even from outside that broader range. It’s also not just sci-fi art, there being plenty of fantasy and horror included.

The inaccuracies of the cover text aside, this is a very enjoyable and surprisingly informative book. With plenty of space given to the well-reproduced art, there is also more text than I had expected, and it is quite worth reading.

Given the breadth of the book it’s not surprising that there were sections that I wanted much more of, but it has a pretty good balance. And as it covers the period of genre cover art that first got me hooked on these genres, I found the book rather delightful.

Subjects

Art
Science Fiction
1970s
20th Century