Moon Odyssey (Space: 1999 #2)

Novelisation of "Alpha Child", "The Last Sunset", "Voyager's Return" and "Another Time, Another Place". Rankine employs a much more conservative approach to the novel, with a faithful script-to-prose adaption of the four episode. Any linking of the four segments is minimal and does not alter events. Thankfully, no explanations are offered for the mysterious and mind-blowing events that the Alphans experience. Rankine's style is clean and fast-paced and, while maintaining character integrity, portrays the regulars as more down-to-earth, regular people in contrast to Tubb's über-intelligent, more tension-ridden interpretation. Changes from established episodes are few and usually because they were present in the final shooting scripts and reflective of last-minute alterations: (1) Sue Crawford was originally named Cynthia Crawford. (2) Jarak and Rena's pursuers from home appeared in a fleet of six ships identical to theirs rather than one large warship. (3) the conclusion of the "biological clock" dialogue between Sandra Benes and Paul Morrow in "The Last Sunset" excised from the final print is restored (Sandra: "Do you know what sound I miss most in the silence of space?" Paul: "Birdsong?" and now, before the kiss, Sandra: "The sound of children".)