From the world's most famous science fiction writer, a poignant and vivid story of doomsday and beyond.

The Leonov is beaten to Jupiter by a Chinese mission which lands on Jupiter's moon, Europa, and falls victim to its unknown terrain. The last astronaut to die on the alien surface broadcast a message - there is life on Europa.

Now approaching the millennium, the light of Lucifer is extinguished and for the second time in four million years, the Monolith awakes. The limitless power of an alien technology has decided what part humanity must play in the evolution of the galaxy.

Arthur C.Clarke's space saga contines in 2061, when an Earth vessel landing on Halley's Comet marks the beginning of another confrontation between Heywood Floyd and David Bowman - or whatever Bowman has become - a newly independent HAL and the unseen alien power that controls the destiny of Earth.

The best collection ever of Arthur C. Clarke's short fiction, including the stories on which 2001: A Space Odyssey and Childhood's End were based. The Sentinel is a magnificent retrospective showcase of Arthur C. Clarke's finest shorter fiction. Spanning four decades of writing, this book includes many gems of a genius at the height of his powers. The title piece is the story that inspired 2001. 'Guardian Angel' is a rarely anthologised work that gave birth to Childhood's End, and 'The Songs of Distant Earth' is the original version of Clarke's own favourite novel. Along with other vaulting...