The Black Cloud

'A thrilling book ...... like early Wells at his best'
New Statesman

As soon as a strange dark patch in the sky is spotted by a young astronomer, it is clear something is wrong. The huge black cloud is unlike anything he has ever seen - and it's headed straight for the solar system. If it continues on its course, it will block out the sun's rays and wipe out life on Earth. As panic and riots ensue, desperate world leaders assemble a crack team of scientists - including the maverick Professor Kingsley, the pipe-smoking Doctor Marlowe and the taciturn Russian Alexandrov - to stop the cloud. But as they discover more about its true nature, they are forced to rethink everything they know about humankind's place in the Universe.

In The Black Cloud renowned astronomer Fred Hoyle blends scientific expertise with a gripping apocalyptic thriller, to create a frighteningly real picture of a planet facing extinction.