Terran Trade Authority Image References

Because the art used in the TTA Books was created as cover art for particular science fiction stories I had been knocking around the notion of quietly tracking down the stories the pictures had been created for. Seeing the image and then reading the story it was created for would give you a better insight into what the artist was trying to convey with the image. Often you find quite a contrast between the use of the image in the TTA Books and the story they were intended for.

But I had never quite found the time to get around to doing it. However I wasn't the only one interested in this. Simon Jones not only was curious but actually did something about it and emailed me the result. Consequently this page is mostly his work. Detailed are sightings of the images used in the TTA Books as cover images with author, book title, publisher and year of publishing listed. There are some exceptions where books have only been briefly sighted and a full entry isn't present.

Perhaps most interesting of all is that some of the images have been adjusted for use in the TTA books. Some are reversed, one seemingly deliberately blurred and others have differences in the details of the image. Exactly why the changes have occured frequently isn't clear - I am guessing that most of the mirror image reversals have been simply to create a more dynamic and striking image in the final book layout. But the others, well who knows?

Spacecraft 2000-2100 AD

• CAM 117 Gunship - Harlan Ellison, 'Again Dangerous Visions 2', Pan, 1977
• SSF 21D Cutlass - Kurt Brand, 'Perry Rhodan 26 - Cosmic Traitor', Futura, 1977
• Sentinel Major - Edwin Balmer & Philip Wylie, 'When Worlds Collide', Sphere, 1975
• CAM 130 Cyclops - Ian Watson, 'The Embedding', Quartet, 1975
• AAF 212 Hornet - Isaac Asimov, 'Before the Golden Age 2', Futura 1984
• AF 313 Warhawk - Harlan Ellison, 'Again Dangerous Visions 1', Pan, 1977
• Skybase - Isaac Asimov, 'Before the Golden Age 1', Futura, 1984
• ACM 113 Fatboy - Poul Anderson, 'The Long Way Home', Granada, 1975
• ACM 118 Manta - Kurt Mahr, 'Perry Rhodan 27 - Planet of the Gods', Futura, 1977
• ACM 128 Stingray - Isaac Asimov, 'Before the Golden Age 3', Futura, 1984
• ACM 122 Behemoth - A.E. Van Vogt, 'The War Against the Rull', Granada, 1975
• K13 Shark - K.H. Scheer, 'Perry Rhodan 31 - Realm of the Tri-Planets', Futura, 1977
• K7 Pirahna - Samuel R. Delany, 'Triton', Corgi, 1977
• Tarantula - Poul Anderson, 'The Corridors of Time', Panther, 1975
• Moray Eel - Kurt Brand, 'Perry Rhodan 34 - SOS Spaceship Titan', Futura, 1977
• K9 Goblin- John Brunner, 'The Wrong End of Time', Methuen, 1976
• TTA Coloniel III - A.E. Van Vogt, 'The Secret Galactics', Sphere, 1977 and Justin Leiber, 'Beyond Humanity', TOR, 1987
• Martian Queen - Clarke Darlton, 'Perry Rhodan 29 - A World Gone Mad', Futura, 1977
• Interstellar Queen (spaceport picture) - Brian M. Stableford, 'Promised Land', Pan, 1978 and Vangelis, 'Hypothesis', Affinity Records, 1978 (an obscure use of a SF illustration for an early outing of the "Chariots of Fire" composer, recorded May 1971)
• Interstellar Queen (small craft approching) - Brian M. Stableford, 'The Halcyon Drift', Pan, 1976. This is interesting because the picture on the paperback (Halcyon Drift image) is slightly different to the one in Cowley's book (TTA Book).
   Halcyon Drift image  TTA Image
• Interstellar Queen (flyby of big wheeled things) - Brian M. Stableford, 'The Paradise Game', Pan, 1977
• Miami Spaceport (Colin Hay) - Leo P. Kelley, 'The Man from Maybe', Coronet, 1974
• Miami Spaceport (Angus McKie) - Anne McCaffrey, 'Restoree', Corgi, 1976
• Nomad Industrial Complex (Angus McKie) - Brian M. Stableford, 'The Fenris Device', Pan, 1978
• Nomad Industrial Complex (Jim Burns) - Algis Budrys, 'The Furious Future', Quartet, 1975
• Avery Frost Orion - Philip K. Dick, 'The Game-Players of Titan', Sphere, 1977
• Skymaster 28 - Harry Harrison, 'Skyfall', Corgi, 1977
• Starblade - Edgar Pangborn, 'West of the Sun', Star, 1976
• AC3 Stag Beetle - Poul Anderson, 'Trader to the Stars', Panther, 1976
• K34 Bee - Isaac Asimov, 'Before the Golden Age 2', Futura, 1975
• Astrolab - Anne McCaffrey, 'The Ship who Sang', Corgi, 1977 and Terry Carr, 'Universe 11'. (only seen in bookshop though)
• Voyager II/Conestoga - Frederick Pohl, 'In the Problem Pit and Other Stories', Corgi, 1976
• City Ships of Alpha - Clarke Darlton, 'Perry Rhodan 20 - Thrall of the Hypno', Futura, 1977
• Object 1 Barnard's Star - Larry Niven, 'A Hole in Space', Futura (Orbit), 1975
• Object 2/3 (Baker F332 Banshee) Bob Shaw, 'Cosmic Kaleidoscope', Pan, 1978
• Object 2/3 (three ships tied together) - John Wyndham, 'The Wanderers of Time', Coronet, 1977
• Object 4 - Robert A. Heinlein, 'Double Star', Granada, 1974, 1976
• Object 5 - Ray Bradbury, 'The Golden Apples of the Sun', Grafton, 1985
• Object 6 - Frederick Pohl & Cyril Kornbluth, 'The Wonder Effect', Granada, 1974

Great Space Battles

• Coloniel VIII - Kurt Mahr, 'Perry Rhodan 22 - The Fleet of Springers', Futura, 1977
• Terran Scout Car - Michael G. Coney, 'Mirror Image', Sphere, 1977
• Terran Atmo-Interceptor - Poul Anderson, 'Mirkheim', Sphere, 1983
• Achillies colliding with Remus - Jack Williamson, 'The Early Williamson', Sphere, 1978
• Lagunan high command escaping - Edmund Cooper, 'Seed of Light', Coronet, 1979
• Umberto - Robert A. Heinlein, 'The Green Hills of Earth', Pan, 1983
• LG 223 Starraker - Jack Williamson, 'The Power of Blackness', Sphere, 1978
• Terran hovertanks - Philip K. Dick, 'The Variable Man', Sphere, 1977
• AV 624 Scorpion - Jerry Pournelle, 'The Mercenary', Futura, 1977 and Games Workshop, 'Apocalypse' (board game).
• Terran Scoutship (Mysterious Liquid) - Harlan Ellison, 'Dangerous Visions 2', Sphere, (dated 1974 but a later reprint). Note the earlier Sphere versions dated 1974 all have covers by Joe Petagno.
• Mobile surface mining machines - John Wyndham, 'Stowaway to Mars', Sphere, 1977
• Lima (The Breakout) - Gordon R. Dickson, 'The Outposter', Sphere, 1978
• SC 520B "Stellar Cow" - Samuel R. Delany, 'Babel 17', Sphere, 1977
• Atmo-Interceptor (Proxima Centaurian) [The Breakout, p.38-39] - Jack Williamson, 'The Legion of Space', Sphere, 1977
• Hospital Ship (Desperate Race) - Robert Silverberg, 'Sundance', Corgi, 1976
• Mobile monitor station (Defence of Terra) - James Blish, 'Welcome to Mars', Sphere, 1975
• North African fortress city - James Gunn, 'This Fortress World', Sphere, 1977
• Lagunan signal transmitters - Samuel R. Delany, 'Nova', Sphere, 1977
• City ship slicing through pylon - Philip Jose Farmer, 'The Green Odyssey', Sphere, 1983
• Gerling's taskforce on Laguna 9 - Clifford D. Simak, 'Time and Again', Eyre Methuen, 1977 (hardback)
• Avery Skysporter - Robert Silverberg, 'To Open the Sky', Sphere, 1983
• Duel of Sisuphous 3 - Michael G. Coney, 'Brontomek!', Pan, 1977
• TTA 355B Striker - Stephen Caldwell, 'Worlds at War', Intercontinental Book Publishers, 1980 (hardback)
• CA 1992 Ferryman - E.E. "Doc" Smith & Stephen Goldin, Getaway World, Granada, 1977
• Drakon's Folly (Colonization Incident 1) - Donald Barr, 'Space Relations', Futura, 1975
• Crashed plane - Edgar Rice Burroughs, 'Beyond the Farthest Star', Tandem, 1976
• Stilter - Richard Avery (Edmund Cooper), 'Expendables 1 - The Deathworms of Kratos', Coronet, 1975
• Cerberus (Incident 2) - Gene Wolfe, 'The Fifth Head of Cerberus', Quartet, 1975
• Pirate World - Isaac Asimov, 'Pebble in the Sky', Sphere, 1974
• Pirate Spacecraft - Clarke Darlton, 'Perry Rhodan 28 - Plague of Oblivion', Futura, 1977
• Captian Mas Yelwoc (Sam Cowley backwards) - Harry Harrison, 'Prime Number', Sphere, 1983, 1987 and Part Chimp, album 'Thriller' on the Rock Action Records Label, 2009.
• Deadly interceptors - Ben Bova, 'Star Watchman', Sphere, 1977
• TDA troopships - Norman Spinrad, 'The Solarians', Sphere, 1979
• TTA supply terminal (Hunters of Asteron) - E.E. "Doc" Smith, Lord Tedric The Black Knight of the Iron Sphere, Star, 1979 (actually written by Gordon Eklund using a pseudonym). (note image reversed on book so it's right way round - look for the distinctive PE in Cowley's book and you'll see it's back to front)
• Bloke in spacesuit - Stephen Caldwell, 'Star Quest', Intercontinental Book Publishers, 1980 (hardback)
• Two strange monsters - K.H. Scheer, 'Perry Rhodan 21 - The Cosmic Decoy', Futura, 1977

Spacewreck

• Ceres - Barry N. Malzberg, 'Beyond Apollo', Futura, 1975
• Ceres maitainence scooter - James Blish, 'The Star Dwellers', Sphere, 1975
• Epsilon Queen - Harry Harrison, 'Star Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers', Futura, 1977
• Jancis Jo - Harry Harrison & Brian Aldiss, 'The Best SF of the Year 8', Sphere, 1976. It has also been used in two slightly modified versions for the movie 'Defcon4'. These two images of the cover have been pulled from Amazon UK.
   Defcon4 image #1  Defcon4 image #2
• Rollins II - Brian M. Stableford, 'Swan Song', Pan, 1978
• Alshain IV (rockets) - Damon Knight, '100 years of SF 2', Pan, 1977
• Alshain IV (dwellings) - Charles Platt, 'The City Dwellers', Sphere, 1971
• Small aircraft (wreck) - A.E. Van Vogt, 'Destination Universe!', Granada, 1978
• Submersable - Mike Ashley, 'The Best of British SF 1', Futura, 1977
• Legged land crawler - Kenneth Bulmer, 'New Writings in SF 24', Corgi, 1975
• Beta Fornicis III wreck - Stewart Cowley, 'Spacewreck', Hamlyn, 1979. (yeah the obvious one!!!!)
• Beta Fornicis III (disease) - Harlan Ellison, 'Dangerous Visions 3', Sphere, (dated 1974 but later reprint)
• PCF 848 - Harlan Ellison, 'Dangerous Visions 1', Sphere, (dated 1974 but later reprint) - Here it looks like a case of an artist repeating and refining an image. The cover of Harlan Ellison's book was refined to give us the image used both in the TTA Books and on Arthur C. Clarke's, 'A Fall of Moondust', Gollancz, 1987. Both images were done by Fred Gambino.
   Dangerous Visions 1  TTA Image
• Warthog - Kurt Mahr, 'Perry Rhodan 30 - To Arkon!', Futura, 1977
• Galactic Sentinel - Thomas M. Disch, '334', Sphere, 1974
• Malmo - Harry Harrison, 'Plague from Space', Sphere, 1974
• Salamander City - Richard McKenna, 'Casey Agonistes', Pan, 1976
• Delta Gruis - Richard Mooney, 'Gods of Air and Darkness', Granada, 1980 [*]
• Sargasso Graveyard (p.90-91 hardback) - Isaac Asimov, 'Before the Golden Age 3', Futura, 1975
• Jackets (sic) (p.92-93) - Edmund Cooper, 'The Tenth Planet', Coronet, 1979
• p.94-95 - Isaac Asimov, 'Before the Golden Age 4', Futura, 1975
• p. 97 - Thomas N. Scortia, 'Earthwreck!', Coronet, 1975

Starliners

• TTA Sunglider - Clifford D. Simak, 'A Heritage of Stars', Methuen, 1979
• Sendak Space Lines - Poul Anderson, 'Trader to the Stars', Granada, 1980
• TTA Caravan - Robert Silverberg, 'Needle in a Timestack', Sphere, 1979
• Avery Astrofleet - Orson Scott Card, 'Hot Sleep', Futura, 1980
• ACP Dorallilow (mushroom) - Richard Davis, 'Space 1', Hamlyn, 1979
• Alphaflettor - Clifford D. Simak, 'Time is the Simplest Thing', Methuen, 1980
• Clayden Skitter - Henry Kuttner, 'Clash by Night', Hamlyn, 1980
• Harmel Globe - Gregory Benford, 'The Stars in Shroud', Sphere, 1986
• Type 14 Chemplex - Philip K. Dick, 'Eye in the Sky', Arrow, 1979
• Commeck (lion mouthed cave) - Arthur C. Clarke, 'The Fountains of Paradise', Pan, 1980 (full version - note later editions only show the mountain)
• Avery P4 Aquabus - James Blish, 'Get Out of My Sky', Granada, 1980
• Deelian Type 3b - Isaac Asimov, 'The Moons of Jupiter', NEL, 1975
• C23 Ensign - Robert Silverberg, 'Stepsons of Terra', Sphere, 1979
• Connestoga II - Richard Davis, 'Space 8', Hutchinson (Junior Books), 1983. (hardback no dustjacket, note picture on book reversed.)
• p.56-57 - Fritz Leiber, 'The Ship of Shadows', Granada, 1982 (The name of the ship is "Windrush", the book picture is slightly less blurred than the Cowley version - hence I could see the name of the ship.)
• Alknin Flortibor - Philip K. Dick, 'Dr. Futurity', Methuen, 1979 also seen on a Arthur C. Clarke reprint book but don't know which one.
• Wildway 'Go-Bug' - Ursula K. Le Guin, 'The Word for World is Forest', Granada, 1980
• TDA 640b Phaser - Martin Caidin, 'Beamriders' (details not known, only seen book in shop)
• God of Seasons - Samuel R. Delany, 'The Jewels of Aptor', Sphere, 1983
• TTA Starlance - Isaac Asimov, 'The Rings of Saturn', NEL, 1983
• Consolidated Pegasus III - Harry Harrison, 'Nova 4', Sphere, 1977 and also on the collection book, 'Parallel Lines', Dragon's World, 1981 (hardback no dust jacket)
• SF 604 Porpoise - Isaac Asimov, 'Oceans of Venus', NEL, 1980
• Antliae Robolines Phlorflathin - Henry Kuttner, 'The Proud Robot', Hamlyn, 1983
• Iota Antliae (Orbital Terminal) - Jack Williamson & James E. Gunn, 'Starbridge', Methuen, 1978
• Avery T-14 Quasar - Isaac Asimov, 'Pirates of the Asteroids', NEL, 1983
• Interstellar Rescue - Isaac Asimov, 'Big Sun of Mercury', NEL, 1983 (note picture on book is inverted, i.e. upside down)
• Avery Starschooner - Don Wilson, 'Secrets of our Spaceship Moon', Sphere, 1980 (note picture on book reversed) [*]

If you have an additions to the list please email then in to me for inclusion in the list. If at all possible please include the publisher and publishing date as well as the book title and author.