Astrona – top quality space art December 7, 2007
Posted by Al in : art,SF,website , trackbackI came across this site today and it took me right back to when I was a young kid and just getting into SF. At the tender age of 10, or 11, I can remember finding a discount book bin in Woolworths, and buying trashy SF and fantasy books for 10p: one of the deciding factors in which book to buy was the artwork on the cover. Good cover art can evoke a sense of wonder and conjure up exciting possibilities, and can make you dream of great things to come in the future.
Seeing some of the art of Chris Foss and Tim White reminded me of books I have read and loved, and really brought back that feeling of wonder I had as a kid. I wish my library was here with me now, rather than still in my mother’s house, as I could happily pick up a book I haven’t read for 20 years and try to relive my childhood again. Although I doubt I’d ever again fully agree with Robert A Heinlein’s politics, or see the Lensman series as anything more than a fine example of antique SF, or read 2001 without having the images from the film colouring my imagination, or realise that God Emperor of Dune might actually be the best book of the series, or find the time to read the Gormenghast trilogy: although I’ll never be able to do those things again – I really want to.
Anyway, back to Astrona as it’s a website worth visiting. Have a browse of the art on offer there and see if it kindles any excitement and wonder in you. If it does then get out and read some SF, because I’m going to. I’m bored of playing games at the moment, and I’m getting bored of the Internet as well, and I have a vast library of quality SF, some of which I haven’t read in 20 years. So I think I’ll start with either E.E. Doc Smith, Heinlein or Moorcock, and then work my way through to more modern stuff – I’d like to see if it’s possible to regain my sense of wonder again.
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Hello and thanks for the kind words!