The Catacombs The Merchandise Guide
Novelisations
Mikasa, Japan
Compiled by Martin Willey

Mikasa Novels published three novels based on Year 2, translated from the Michael Butterworth titles. Overview

恐怖の惑星脱出!
Escape the Horror Planet!

Mikasa Novels. 15 May 1977. 248 pages.
0297-007004-8001

Translated by Masao Mitani from Planets Of Peril (Does not include New Adam, New Eve)

Escape the Horror Planet!

These books use the traditional Japanese orientation, reading from right to left, with the spine on the right. Each book starts with a six pages of introduction and photos, shown here.

Characters Table of contents Prologue Title page

Prologue

1999
Mankind has accomplished full-scale development on the Moon, constructing "Moonbase Alpha", and is embarking on a vast exploration of the universe. At the same time, mankind has succeeded in avoiding the radioactivity caused by the nuclear fuel waste on the Earth by creating a dumping zone for the unnecessary nuclear material on the back side of the Moon.

However September 13, 1999
An unexpected situation occurs. A mountain of waste heats up to a high temperature and explodes, inducing a further series of nuclear-powered explosions, finally tearing the Moon from the gravitational influence of the Earth --- The Moon is thrown out of orbit and begins to move away from the Earth!

And now "Moonbase Alpha", with its three hundred plus engineers and technicians�Scientists who will encounter unimaginable dangers while on an endless journey of the universe...

Table of Contents

Characters

Moonbase Alpha staff

Mentor
The last tyrant of the planet Psychon, he tries to bring back their civilization using a computer.
Maya, Mentor's daughter
She has the ability of molecular transformation. Later she joins the crew of Alpha and helps save them during their hardships.

Translator Afterword

This book is a translation of the paperback "SPACE 1999: PLANETS OF PERIL", published by W.H. Allen. It is based on "Space 1999", which is a popular SF drama that is currently being broadcast on 101 US stations, including WPIX in New York and KHJ-TV in Los Angeles. It is a novel by the author Michael Butterworth.

"Space 1999" is the title, because humanity dared to foolishly throw away nuclear fuel waste on the Moon, and in September of 1999 a fusion explosion occurred causing the Moon to go out of orbit and move away from the Earth. Over 300 inhabitants reside inside the completely isolated setting of Moonbase Alpha. The story interestingly depicts the lives of the members of the base, including Commander Koenig, as they explore planets for a better life, as well as about being attacked by aliens.

About the author Butterworth, I have no knowledge, but it was a quick study regarding the dramatics of the TV show itself: space warp, spaceship graveyard, humanoids, immortality, BEM, etc. There is no shortage of science fiction tropes, and it's great entertainment for fast paced reading.

The elements that were interesting to me were Mentor of the planet Psychon, and the beautiful girl Maya who can transform into all kinds of animals, including a lynx. Alien creatures such as Strong, Invisible, Transport, and a wide variety of other space monsters that appear abundantly. I am charged with only one other book, but since these books are published in a series, the reader will have the pleasure of meeting the strange alien monsters in every volume. Some would say that this is the real enjoyment of Space Opera.

Masao Mitani

Thanks to Patrick Zimmerman