Looking for an illustrated book about aliens

[MelonColly]

Hi everyone.

I was wondering if anyone could help me to find a book I used to read when I was a kid. It was an illustrated book about aliens and other worldly creatures that I can't for the life of me remember the name of or the author of.

The major point of the book was the illustrations which were done in colour and in alot of detail and (usually) spread over two pages. Each alien would have facts written about it, such as its habitat, what it eats, what it does, its powers, etc. There'd also be a legend at the bottom of the page for each creature showing its size in relation to an adult human.

I can remember three of the creatures in the book. There was an alien who collected different species. The illustration showed it in its spaceship with jars on its shelf, each one containing a live sample. The text alongaside the illustration detailed mentioned that the alien had the power to reduce its enemy's life-span.

Another alien was a giant (and I mean huge) lion beast thing. The illustration showed it baring its massive sharp teeth which were covered in blood. I think it was in a baron setting standing on a rock.

Another 'alien' was a living tree which was able to trap creatures although I can't remember much else about them.

I think there was a giant fish alien as well.

The book is at least 15 years old (that's how long ago I read it), but most probably older as when I read it, it was in quite a tatty condition.

Anyway, it was a really cool book and if anyone has any idea what it's called or who might have written it please let me know.


Many thanks.

 

[HardScienceFan]

Probably by Wayne D Barlowe,I'll google it in a minute

BARLOWE"S GUIDE TO EXTRATERRESTRIALS?

 

[MelonColly]

Hi, thanks for the tip. I've had a look on amazon and google and Barlowe's Guide looks interesting, but the picture style looks a tad different to the book I'm looking for, plus none of the characters in Barlowes Guide ring any bells.

 

[Bibliophile]

I'd have to second the idea of HardScienceFan. Check out the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barlowe%27s_Guide_to_Extraterrestrials
and see if any of the aliens here sound familiar. Good Luck!

 

[scalem X]

If it hadn't been a book so old, I'd have guessed for some of the 'men in black merchandise'

I take it that it was a children's book?

 

[MelonColly]

Hi, yes it was a children's book, but I'd say it was aimed more at older children/young teenagers. Wish I could remember what it was called lol.

 

[jimyd77]

I remember this book from when I was a kid too. It's not Barlowe's Guide to Extraterrestrials though...and I'm sorry, but I can't remember the name either. A few other illustrations I remember were:

1.) An alien on a Pluto-like planet (when Pluto was a planet) who evolved with skate-tipped appendages so it could move easily around the surface.
2.) A gaseious planet where large, yellow blimplike aliens floated in the atmosphere. This illustration also depicted a spaceship in the atmosphere and a landing party on the planet's surface. One of the explorers had his spacesuit compromised and the gas was transforming him into one of the yellow, blimplike aliens.
3.) An illustration of a desert-covered planet where a cactus-like alien laid in wait for unsuspecting prey, then pelted them with poisonous-tipped barbs.

I wish I could remember the name of this book, but I just can't. The illustration style is similar to that found in Dougal Dixon's MAN AFTER MAN, but a quick search of Philip Hood's other works turned up nothing.

 

[jimyd77]

MelonColly...in case you're still looking, I think the book is called Galactic Aliens by Allen Frank. You can go to LibraryThing dot com and search for it to see the artwork (I'd post a link, but I don't have 15 posts yet).

It looks like it's available through Amazon or Abe Books. I got this info on another sci-fi forum, and have just ordered the book myself...so I'm not 100% sure, but I'll post a definitive answer once it comes in.