h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

is the title of a scifi about Australia that I remember with affection. Unfortunately the title's all I can remember - it was more than 30 years ago. Can anyone fill in the missing synapses please?

sorry never heard of it. but this might be a good thread, long remembered but obscure scifi classics, a few that stick in my mind are "Var the stick" "the coins of murph" and "the end of the matter" the last is by Alan Dean Foster. another that I recal reading in my garden on a hot summer day was "The rod of light".

does anybody else have any obscure favorites that they would like to share?

My introduction to science fiction came at the tender age of about 7.

I remember reading two books about some guy called KEMLO. I can't remember anything about the the stories except that the title of one of the books was "KEMLO AND THE MARTIAN GHOSTS".

At about the same time the Russians flung TELSTAR into orbit and the space race began. From that moment on I was hooked on anything and everything to do with space and science fiction.

Does anyone else out there remember KEMLO - I'd love to get a hold of these books again just to see what sparked it all off.

Hello Kandyman.

You had to wait a long time for this response, but I offer no apology, as I've only just joined h2g2. I don't really expect a reply to this, as I see you've changed your name now, but I haven't found out how to send a message to a user yet, so this will have to do. Perhaps you are still subscribed to this conversation.

As you can see from my researcher name, I too was a fan of the Kemlo stories. The first thing I did after registering was to search the site for references to it, and there you were I don't remember much about them either, not even the titles, but I do remember that, along with the Captain W E Johns and the Kings of Space, and factual books from Patrick Moore, they were very much part of my enthusiasm for anything to do with Space.

In case you're still looking, I found an Australian web site that has information on Kemlo. There are also various sites for finding and buying second-hand books, so you may have some success there.

Kubulai reminded me of a book I read a long time ago, by Allan Dean Foster.

I remember the story very well and I distinctly remember feeling 'touched' by the subject matter.

I haven't seen this book since my school days, but I would love to read it again, it was called 'Nor Crystal Tears'.

I have read a couple of ADF's books over the years. I have always found them to contain enough Science Fiction to stimulate my interest, as well as having subject matter that helps you to relate to the books.

Another book I can remember, from many moons ago, was, 'A fire upon the deep'. I can't remember the name of the author but I remember the book because it was so different.

I could go on for a lot longer about author's and books that have impacted on my memory, but I'll shut up now

P.S. Ian M Banks rocks!

Have a good one...

One of my friends recommended me to read The Year of the Angry Rabbit...it's out of print now, but you might be able to find it at a second-hand bookstore.
The author is Russell Braddon.
~*Elemmiire*~

No title, just the first line: 'The doorknob blinked a blue eye.' I wish I could remember what the hell it was about; it's haunted me for the past 40 odd years!

Morning all

I remember progressing from the Biggles books to the Si Fi books. The Kemlo series was based round life on orbital space stations . They were refered to by letter. I.e. Station A, Station B etc. You can see the military mind at work. Everyone's name had to begin with the letter of the station. Kevin being the only person with a normal name on station K. The series dealt with scientific matters such as those being born on the weightless stations could not visit Earth as gravity would kill them.

In another of the Si Fi series I can recall the Professor and his child companion being questioned as to their motives by an alien race on their planet. At the sucessful completion of the interview the inquisitor removes a small device from the folds of his clothing, adjusts some controls on it and communicates with another person somewhere else on their planet. This would have been the concept of the mobile 'phone and may have pre-dated the Star Trek communicator.


Any one else remember all of this or am I going to wake up at some point and this comfortable life I have lead has all been a dream and I'm back in the Glasgow tenement.