Fred Hoyle Books

Easton Press Fred Hoyle books

The Black Cloud - Masterpieces of Science Fiction - 1986

Fred Hoyle biography

Sir Fred Hoyle (1915–2001) was an English astronomer, astrophysicist, and science fiction writer who made significant contributions to our understanding of the structure and evolution of stars, as well as the origins of the universe. He was born on June 24, 1915, in Bingley, West Yorkshire, England, and passed away on August 20, 2001.

Key aspects of Fred Hoyle's career and contributions include:

Stellar Nucleosynthesis: Hoyle's early work focused on the process of nucleosynthesis in stars, particularly the synthesis of elements within stars. In collaboration with others, he developed the theory of nucleosynthesis in stars, explaining how elements heavier than helium are formed through nuclear reactions in stellar cores.

Development of Stellar Models: Hoyle's work on the structure and evolution of stars led to the development of stellar models that provided insights into the life cycles of stars, including their birth, fusion processes, and eventual fates.

Origin of the Elements: His research laid the groundwork for understanding the origin of the chemical elements, explaining how the various elements are produced in different types of stars and released into space through processes like supernovae.

Steady State Theory: Hoyle was a proponent of the steady state theory in cosmology, which posited that the universe has no beginning or end and maintains a constant average density. This theory was in contrast to the Big Bang theory, which proposed a finite age for the universe.

Coined the Term "Big Bang": Interestingly, although Hoyle himself did not support the Big Bang theory, he coined the term "Big Bang" during a radio broadcast in 1949, intending it to be a dismissive term. However, the term gained acceptance and is now commonly used to describe the prevailing cosmological model.

Science Fiction Writing: In addition to his scientific work, Hoyle wrote science fiction novels and plays. One of his best-known works is the science fiction novel "The Black Cloud," published in 1957.

Fred Hoyle received numerous honors for his scientific contributions, including a knighthood in 1972. Despite his disagreements with prevailing cosmological theories, his work continues to be influential in the fields of astronomy and astrophysics.

The Black Cloud

A 1959 classic 'hard' science-fiction novel by renowned Cambridge astronomer and cosmologist Fred Hoyle. Tracks the progress of a giant black cloud that comes towards Earth and sits in front of the sun, causing widespread panic and death. A select group of scientists and astronomers including the dignified Astronomer Royal, the pipe smoking Dr Marlowe and the maverick, eccentric Professor Kingsly engage in a mad race to understand and communicate with the cloud, battling against trigger happy politicians. In the pacy, engaging style of John Wyndham and John Christopher, with plenty of hard science thrown in to add to the chillingly credible premise (he manages to foretell Artificial Intelligence, Optical Character Recognition and Text-to-Speech converters), Hoyle carries you breathlessly through to its thrilling end.

Astronomers in England and America have made a terrifying discovery: an ominous black cloud the size of Jupiter is travelling straight towards our solar system. If their calculations are correct, the cloud’s path will bring it between the Earth and the Sun, blocking out the Sun’s rays and threatening unimaginable consequences for our planet. With the fate of every living thing on Earth in the balance, world leaders assemble a team of brilliant scientists to figure out a way to stop the cloud. But when they uncover the truth behind its origins, they will be forced to reconsider everything they think they know about the nature of life in the universe . . .

A landmark of British science fiction, The Black Cloud (1957) was the first novel by world-renowned astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle (1915-2001), who used his own scientific background to create a frighteningly real apocalyptic thriller in which, Hoyle said, “there is very little that could not conceivably happen.”

“One of the greatest works of science fiction ever written.” – Richard Dawkins

“Without a question the most intelligently written science fiction story I have ever read . . . A terrific yarn.” – Charlotte Observer

“An eerie story which demands the reader’s attention from start to finish.” – Denver Post