How do you tell your part in the biggest tale in history? This book presents the tale of the author, a colonist stranded on a deadly pioneer world.

John Perry has at last found peace in a violent universe, living quietly with his family in one of humanity's many colonies. It's a good life, yet there's something missing. When John and his wife Jane are asked to lead a new colony world, he jumps at the chance to explore the universe once more.

They are the special wing of the Colonial Defence Forces, elite troops created from DNA of the dead and turned into the perfect soldiers for the CDF's toughest operations. The universe is a dangerous place for humanity, as three hostile races combine to halt our further expansion into space.

With his wife dead, and life nearly over at 75, John Perry joins the army. Better known as the Colonial Defense Force (CDF), Perry's service-of-choice has extended its reach into interstellar space to pave the way for human colonization of other planets while fending off marauding aliens.

The truth may or may not be out there, but space is the place to look, this guide takes you from our own moon to the frontiers of the universe - and then speculates about what lies beyond. It gives information on various planets in the solar system, and advice on observing the planets and stars with binoculars, telescopes and the naked eye.

The Rough Guide to Sci-Fi Movies is a comprehensive guide to the 'final frontier' of film. It explores our fascination with space exploration, time travel, fantastical worlds and alternative futures.