The Black Cloud Audiobook By Fred Hoyle cover art

The Black Cloud

Valancourt 20th Century Classics

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The Black Cloud

By: Fred Hoyle
Narrated by: David Pickering
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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.”

©1957, 2023 Estate of Fred Hoyle (P)2023 Valancourt Books LLC Classics Fiction Hard Science Fiction Science Fiction Solar System Thought-Provoking Astronomy

Critic reviews

“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)
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This is now one of my favorite books! Not only the content but the narration was stellar. Pure performance on both fronts.

Epic!

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This influencel science fiction story is an exciting story with a mysterious black cloud written by the astronomer who coined the term "Big Bang".

Engrossing, Hard Science Fiction from 1957

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An instant classic that I recommend to anyone wanting to get into hard science fiction. This is a fun and easy to enjoy story with a lot of actual science mixed into it. I highly recommend for anyone want to dip their toes into sci-fi.

A hidden science fiction classic

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So many old guys, needed more youngins, women and a romantic thread to round it out.

The mathematics

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Great story and great performance.

I read this book based on a recommendation from another book, "A new science of heaven". I highly recommend reading it, because it makes this science fiction story, maybe not so fictitious after all.

Left awe struck

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Excellent story about first contact and the problems facing mankind if we want to progress beyond our current beginning of understanding of our world.

Brilliant perspective on humanity...

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Rereading this science fiction novel 35 years after I first read it, alot of social nuances jumped out at me that didn’t jump out at me before. The story is reminiscent of some of the Gene Roddenberry Star Trek plots but with actual science underpinning the plot development. The author was an astronomer so it makes for an interesting read if you appreciate science fiction with science.

Interesting ideas and snapshot of the 1950s

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I read a book named The Black Cloud as a teen around 1957. It was a great sci-fi book. This is not the book I thought it was. I detest that you used the same title and claim a copyright of 1957 and 2023. The whole story is changed from the original.

Stupid story

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