Wayne Barlowe’s Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials has long held a revered position among science fiction enthusiasts and art aficionados alike. Considered a classic, this guide offers a visually stunning and imaginatively rich exploration of iconic aliens from the golden age of science fiction literature. While time and scientific advancements have inevitably cast a new light on some of its concepts, Barlowe’s Guide remains a significant and fascinating work, celebrating the boundless creativity of classic science fiction.
Published in the late 1970s, Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials showcased the exceptional talent of Wayne Douglas Barlowe, already a respected illustrator in the science fiction and fantasy genres. As Robert Silverberg, a SF Grand Master, notes in his introduction to the second edition, Barlowe possessed an unparalleled grasp of creature anatomy, even for beings that existed only in imagination. This unique skill led to the collaboration with publisher Ian Summers to create an art book dedicated to the “classic” extraterrestrial creatures that populated Barlowe’s formative reading years and contemporary science fiction of the time. In this endeavor, the book largely succeeds, serving as a visual encyclopedia of alien beings conceived by some of the genre’s most celebrated minds.
Barlowe’s artistic interpretations demonstrate both a deep understanding of anatomy and a genuine affection for the source material. Whether depicting H.P. Lovecraft’s chilling Old Ones – remarkably similar to their representations in the D&D Deities & Demigods Cyclopedia of the same era, prompting questions of artistic cross-influence – or bringing to life the aliens of Golden Age writers like E.E. “Doc” Smith, Isaac Asimov, and Fred Hoyle, Barlowe’s illustrations are captivating. He extends his artistic reach to more contemporary works such as Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Word for World Is Forest and Keith Laumer’s A Plague of Demons, demonstrating the breadth of his engagement with science fiction literature. This comprehensive approach is part of what makes Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials such a compelling work for fans of the genre.
However, as Silverberg points out, the very premise of Barlowe’s Guide – to present “real-science”-based extraterrestrials – is rooted in the scientific understanding of 1979. Our contemporary knowledge of evolutionary biology, the vast discoveries of exoplanets, and the evolving theories of astrobiology in 2023 offer a dramatically different perspective. Many of the creatures depicted in Barlowe’s Guide, while imaginative and artistically rendered, are now considered biologically improbable, given what we know about the conditions for life and evolution in the universe. This inherent datedness is a critical point to consider when approaching Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials today. The designs, including those inspired by writers like Piers Anthony (whose alien creations, like much of his work, are arguably less compelling), reflect a specific era of scientific speculation.
Despite these scientific anachronisms, it is crucial to remember that Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials is fundamentally a work of speculative fiction. The aliens within its pages were never intended to be scientifically accurate predictions of extraterrestrial life. Instead, they are artistic interpretations of fictional concepts, born from the imaginations of science fiction authors. In this light, the book’s value shifts from a pseudo-scientific guide to a celebration of imaginative world-building and artistic interpretation within the science fiction genre. Contemporary authors like Robert J. Sawyer, with their more scientifically grounded approaches to alien design, highlight the evolution of science fiction, but do not diminish the artistic and historical significance of Barlowe’s work.
In conclusion, Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials is a valuable artifact of science fiction history and a testament to Wayne Barlowe’s artistic genius. While modern science may challenge the biological plausibility of some of its featured creatures, the book’s enduring appeal lies in its artistic merit, its celebration of classic science fiction literature, and its role as a visual record of how extraterrestrial life was imagined during a pivotal era for the genre. For enthusiasts of science fiction art, classic literature, and imaginative creature design, Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials remains a worthwhile and enriching experience.
