Both interesting reads, the first more so than the second. There are some fantastic ideas put forth in the 2nd book, but my goodness it does drag on a bit with a lot of romantic turmoil and some exposition that just doesn't need to be there. Plus, so many people talking in ways that I doubt they talked even when the book was published. So much pontificating!
The 2nd book also just becomes a story about the "evil Japs and Germans" and how they want to control the new world, but it is all done so by the evidence put forth by our heroes and never from the other side. (Not that that evidence isn't good evidence, but it would have been interesting to have some stories from the antagonists as well.)
The conclusion ends much like many films of the time end. Lots of build up and finally "and then this happened! The End!"
Some pretty fascinating ideas for the the 1930s for sure, and I'm glad I read them, but they are not books I will ever go back to.
The first book was an interesting read & film - one of my favorite "science will save the world" examples of the era. The survivalist and social structure ideas of the second book bogged down on multiple fronts, as you noted, and the alien threat as unifying factor felt forced to me. I'm not surprised it never got a film.
I read both of those back in high school in the erly 70s. I enjoyed them. Everytime I see a Luna Moth, I think about how they chose the animals that they took with them to Bronson Beta.
I never knew there was a sequel!
Ahhh so this is what Powerman 5000 was talking about.
Are you ready to go? Cuz I'M ready to go.
I have a VERY old hardcover copy of these books. It's in storage right now after a move, but iirc it's both the books in one volume? Maybe a library edition? Been a few decades since my last read but it's such a cool classic
Very likely the same edition I had
It's so interesting to think of how far we've come since then. " Books make great insulation.'
I loved them in HS! So much fun. I tried remaking the worlds in space software such as Celestia and SpaceEngine, but sadly Celestia can't to parabolas and SpaceEngine can't do timed stuff. I had Bronson Beta on the SpaceEngine steam workshop for a while, but I took that down after getting banned from their discord.
I've often thought that its ripe for an update in film form, but I just don't think there's any way you can get a even vaguely credible scenario where it could actually work.
Great books.
Brilliant film, definitely needs a remake
Colliding worlds would be a little hard to sell. And how many colliding asteroid movies have we had?
I think it stands on its own like the original Body Snatchers or Day the World Stood Still. I don't think there has been a straight Forbidden Planet remake, but please don't. Event Horizon worked on its own.
Check this out for some interesting tidbits about the film:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RNq78CZsBc8
If your brain completed the title with "said George Pal to his bride," we would have been friends in high school.