Whether or not we are alone in the universe, if there really could be "little green men" on Mars what might happen if we made contact with extraterrestrial beings are questions that have intrigued humankind for centuries. In Aliens: Past, Present, Future, the award-winning author and illustrator Ron Miller charts our fascination with the possibility of life beyond Earth from the perspective of both science and popular culture, including everything from the vast cult around "flying saucers", to supposed alien abductions, to what visitors from other planets might look like when they arrive...

Aliens: Past, Present, Future is divided into three distinct sections. Part one reviews humankind's changing thinking about possible other worlds through history. Before man had really explored much of the globe, artists of the time let their mind run riot on what strange humanoid creatures would inhabit foreign lands... time has moved on, but mankind's fascination for "alien" creatures is still alive and well.

In part two the science of extra-terrestrial life is explored. And finally in part three we look at the deep impact the idea of alien life has had on science, space exploration, popular culture, religion and philosophy.

There's are two interesting forewords by David Brin and Dr John Elliott (co-founder of the UK SETI research network). We are also treated to over 200 illustrations: centuries old engravings; book,comic and magazine art; movie posters; purported UFO photos; and much more...

This is a beautifully laid out book with so much interesting information. Its format allow the reader to dip in and out, but to get the most out of it you're going to want to read it cover to cover.

This is so much more interesting than the usual aliens based book. There's a serious attempt to tackle the likelihood of alien existence, as well as exploring how some of mankind's folklore and religion may have been responsible for shaping some of the alien standards we have come to expect. There's also interesting, brief sections on some of the famous alien encounters and UFO photos of old. These were of particular interest as in my youth I remember reading about several of the UFO photos, some of which now - thanks to the aid of modern techniques - have been proven to be fake.

If you're interested in the subject of extra terrestrial life, this book gives you a pretty comprehensive look at the realities of aliens in the universe, which should whet your appetite for more serious reading.

9

Darren Rea