THE "NEAR-FUTURE"

In this section, we have included series which take place in a present time, contemporary with that of the writing of the books, but which contain world-changing events, such as alien encounters, invasions, etc.

Modern-day Earthman Doctor Clair is enlisted by the green-skinned Hiss to help their interstellar civilization fight the metal-based Misliks who are turning off their suns. Clair and other humans emigrate to start the Nova Terra colony. (Francis Carsac - Ceux de Nulle Part [Those From Nowhere]) (1954)

Archeologist Jean Kariven discovers that, in the far distant past, men had emigrated to Earth from Mars, and goes on to tale part in a secret space war between the good Polarians and the evil Denebians. (Jimmy Guieu - Kariven) (1954- )

The Bureau de l'Invisible [Bureau of the Unseen] (1956) is an organization of crime-solving psychics led by the mysterious Kerrick, who uses alien science to solve crimes. (Jean-Gaston Vandel - Bureau de l'Invisible) (1956)

American journalist Sydney Gordon, his ditzy wife Margaret, his catastrophe-prone son, Bud, and his scientist friends, Archie and Gloria Brent, embark on a series of wild adventures including the discovery of La Machine, a giant, intelligent, extra-dimensional computer with god-like powers. (Richard-Bessière - Sydney Gordon) (1957- )

Journalist Gilles Novak and his girl-friend Régine Véran fight against would-be tyrants, terrorists, and various alien menaces. He is assisted by Michael Merkavim, the head of a new, powerful Templar Order, equipped with futuristic weapons and based in a parallel dimension. (Jimmy Guieu - Gilles Novak- Les Chevaliers de Lumière [Knights of Light]) (1967- )

Claude Eridan is a galactic trouble-shooter from the advanced planet of Gremchka who, with the help of his Earth friends, Gus and Arièle Béranger, protects Earth from Lovecraftian-like indescribable forces. (Robert Clauzel- Eridan) (1970- )

Mel Titcht is an investigsator for the Bureau Of Parallel Cases which investigates extra-dimensional entities. (Christian Mantey - Ticht) (1981- )

A grim devil hunter, Ebenezer Graymes, aka the Commander, joins the fight against supernatural threats. (Michel Honaker - Le Commandeur) (1988- )

In this section, we have included series taking place in a future where Humans have not (yet) discovered FTL and have not (yet) spread throughout the galaxy, and novels dealing with cataclysmic changes on Earth

Inspector Cavanese of the Marseilles PD hunts 21st century serial killers. (Paul Borrelli - Cavanese)

Les Futurs Mystères de Paris [The Future Mysteries of Paris] features the adventures of private detective Tem (short for "Temple Sacré de l'Aube Radieuse" [Sacred Temple Of The Radiant Dawn]), a green-hat-wearing mutant who has the power of going unnoticed. (Tem is not invisible, he is just "transparent" to other people.) (Roland C. Wagner - Les Futurs Mystères de Paris) (1988- )

A group of self-styled "Defenders" led by Chan Coray fight huge megacorps bent on taking over the world. (Serge Lehman - FAUST) (1996- )

Investigative TV reporter Joe Maubry tackles various alien threats. (Max-André Rayjean - Joe Maubry) (1958- )

The Argyre Saga describes the history of Man's conquest of the Solar System. The hero is the enterprising Georges Beyle, who eventually launches a plan to turn a terraformed Pluto into a starship. (Gérard Klein writing as Gilles d'Argyre - La Saga d'Argyre) (1960- )

Luc Delta is a fearless a spaceship test pilot. (Maurice Limat - Luc Delta) (1968- ) MORE ABOUT MAURICE LIMAT

Thanks to its space cities, Mankind start moving out of the Solar System. (Pierre Barbet - Cités de l'Espace) (1979- )

The Ice Company is the sprawling saga of a future Earth that lives under a new Ice Age. (G.-J. Arnaud - The Ice Company) (1980- )

In this section, we have included space opera series in which Humanity has spread throughout the galaxy.

Les Ancêtres [The Ancestors] are a unique society formed by the crews of light-speed starships which are the sole links between human planets; their name is due to the fact that, to planet-bound humans, they appeared to age more slowly. (Peter Randa - Les Ancêtres) (1963- )

Commodore Jord Maogan is one of the first Earth astronauts to encounter alien races. (Louis Thirion - Jord Maogan) (1968- )

Anthropologist Terai Laprade fights to protect an unspoiled world and its natives from a ruthless mining company. (Francis Carsac - La Vermine du Lion [The Vermin Of The Lion]) (1967) (Note: This series crosses over with Poul Anderson's Dominic Flandry series.)

Green-eyed, telepathic Chevalier Coqdor, and his pet, the bat-winged pstor, Rax, sometimes teaming up Earth police commissioner Robin Muscat, investigate cosmic mysteries. (Maurice Limat - Robin Muscat (1960- ); Chevalier Coqdor (1964- ) MORE ABOUT MAURICE LIMAT

The Federation's multi-species police force is called Interco and is headquarted in Marvlosk on Mars. The tales of its galaxy-spanning investigations, often starring agents Rockenret and Gerdavid, and their female partners, are featured in a series of novels also describing life in the Federation. (Jean-Louis and Doris Le May - Enquêtes Galactiques) (1967- )

Dan Seymour is Special Agent No. 1 of Earth's space forces. (Richard-Bessiere - Dan Seymour) (1967- )

The exploits of two daring space traders of the future, Blade and Baker. (Jimmy Guieu - Blade & Baker) (1963- )

Doctor Alan travels across the galaxy on his ship the "Blastula", acting as a trouble-shooter for a peace-loving human civilization based on planet Alpha, led by the seductive Artificial Intelligence, Nora. (Jan de Fast - Doctor Alan) (1972- )

Space security agent Jé Mox polices the galaxy. (Max-André Rayjean - Jé Mox) (1975- )

The dashing Alex Courville and his pet Kronon protects Earth's imperial interests throughout the galaxy (Pierre Barbet - Alex Courville) (1978- )

Captain Tom Rod is a commando working for Space Security. (André Caroff - Rod) (1980- ) MORE ABOUT ANDRÉ CAROFF

The adventures of the Surveillance Service Of Primitive Planets, the galactic troubleshooting arm of the Terrestrial Union, often starring an agent called Marc Stone, and his android Ray. (Jean-Pierre Garen - Service de Surveillance des Planètes Primitives) (1982- )

Galactic Temporal Investigator Setni is a special agent for a Galactic Federation ruled by preserved brains. Setni discovers planet where fantasy legends have been recreated, and explores alternate timelines. (Pierre Barbet - Setni) (1969- )

In the Era of the Vangke, an eponymous, mysterious alien race has left behind strange artefacts. The series also features the godlike Yuweh, who have the power to build worlds. (Laurent Genefort - The Era of the Vangke - 1988- )

In this section, we have included series which are located so far in the future that present-day Earth is either a memory (at best) or totally recognizable.

In the Chroniques de la Longue Séparation [Chronicles of the Long Separation], a group of characters from the lost human colony of Mara, which has reverted to feudalism, rediscover their origins and then embark on a quest through space to find Earth. (Georges-Jean Arnaud - Les Croisés de Mara [The Crusaders Of Mara]) (1971- )

The Daym Universe is a galaxy in turmoil, filled with conflicting powers such as the Empire, the Confed, the Nauts, the Scients, the Church and the mystic Taj Ramanes. At the center of the plots and counterplots is Genesis, a planet-wide living computer, who seeks to bring peace to it all. (Ayerdhal - The Daym Saga) (1993- )

Les Guerriers du Silence tells the story of a Galactic Empire in chaos, threatened by the mysterious alien Scaythes of Hyponeros, tools of a power which wishes to uncreate the universe. Against them stand the "Warriors of Silence", a band of reluctant heroes with unique abilities, selected by the forces of Life to save the cosmos. (Pierre Bordage - Les Guerriers du Silence [The Warriors Of Silence]) (1993- )

The world of Dal Ortog Dal of Galankar is a futuristic Earth where sophisticated science cohabits with a pseudo-medieval society. In the first novel, Ortog is sent by the ruling Sopharch, Karella, to find a cure for the slow death that is killing Earth and its inhabitants after a devastating interplanetary war. Ortog eventually returns with the cure, but too late to save his love, Karella's daughter, Kalla. In the sequel, Ortog and his friend Zoltan, embark on an Orpheus-like quest through the dimensions of Death to find Kalla's soul and bring her back to Earth. Ortog is armed with the devastating "Blue Weapon" in the form of a sword whose blade disintegrates everything it touches. He eventually finds Kalla, looses her again and returns to Earth, cursed with immortality. (Kurt Steiner - Ortog) (1960- )

Jag le Félin [Jag The Feline] is a fierce warrior in a futuristic, post-cataclysmic Earth, devastated by the realisation that the universe is no longer expanding but contracting. ("Zeb Chillicothe" - Jag) (1985- )