The following comments and reviews of Destination: Moonbase Alpha come from fans of Space: 1999:
“A Great Resource for Space: 1999 Fans...”
“A fantastic cover... A nice photo section with photos of Martin Bower’s models, which shows the real size and amazing detail of some of the spaceships from the series. Plus this book has 500 pages of solid text. It’s not fluff either... You are expected to have seen the episodes, and want to find out more. If you do, this book delivers... There are lengthy overview sections where you read exactly what Martin Landau, Nick Tate, Johnny Byrne and the others thought about the characters, the producers, and each other... The chapters explaining how the second series came about, and the disappearance of Bergman and the others, are particularly clear and absorbing... Some of the cast were quite aggressively hostile to the second series of Space: 1999 (their comments are of course recorded in these pages), but Robert doesn’t just dismiss the Year Two episodes... Each is assessed on its own merits... But it’s not hagiography, and he frankly discusses the flaws of episodes in both seasons... Overall, this is a great resource for Space: 1999 fans. Before or after watching an episode, look through these pages to read the perfect DVD commentary.”
- Martin Willey, The Space: 1999 Catacombs
“An Absolute Triumph...”
“The book is an absolute triumph... The best book on SPACE: 1999. There are great observations about each episode and I really think you have crystallized what was special about the show... I love how you give context for us to love a show where we don’t always get the answers. You also prove that the subtle performances make each bit of humanity more rewarding... Brilliant!”
- Kit Bevan
“Other books have had the word ‘complete’ on the cover but don’t come close...”
“Excellent... Really love the exploration of each episode’s metaphor, literary influences etc., and also the incredible amount of comments from cast and writers for each episode... Other books have had the word ‘complete’ on the cover but don’t come close to the depth of research and discussion here - Anyone with an interest in learning more about this series won’t be disappointed.”
- dukedexter (AKA: the creative force behind Andersonic)
“Addictive... Awesome...”
“VERY addictive... Saw Martin Bower’s photos - they’re not new to me but I’m glad they’re part of this awesome book.”
- Jorge Carmo
“Priceless...”
“LOVE the commentary from everyone. What a great idea. You have taken all these priceless, uncensored interviews done over the years at Cons... and put them into the most definitive well-researched balanced book on the history of Space: 1999 EVER!”
- Christopher Paulsen
“A Masterpiece...”
“A wonderful book... A masterpiece... One of the aspects I like the most is the way you identify some of the themes mentioned by Byrne, such as Technological Man vs. Biological Man, and how the first year deals with this issue in different ways... I feel you have done Penfold and Byrne a great service in clarifying their message, making the mythology of the three final episodes of year one even more explicit... Absolutely wonderful... You have contributed magnificently to the Space: 1999 community in helping us get an even better picture of the subtext of Space: 1999. Fantastic.”
- John K. Balor
“Couldn’t put it down!...”
“I just couldn’t put it down! This book really captures the essence of the series. The extensive use of interview material is what made the book for me... The true nature of why Barry Morse didn’t return for Year Two made my jaw drop as it’s something I really wasn’t expecting... The extensive episode guide was informative... This book has helped me understand the series so much better... A compelling read!”
- Rich (AKA: Achilles Messenger)
“Congratulations...”
“Far more detailed than any book published on the series before... A treasure trove of information... Robert Wood deserves a hearty congratulations for a job well done.”
- David Bobzien
“Truly Impressive...”
“...A truly impressive read. I like the intelligent writing style that never veers into ‘fanboy-speak’, and it gives an honest assessment of the series... It makes me want to sit down over the coming weeks and re-watch the entire series in full. I also appreciate the ‘getting behind the scenes’ feel of some of the anecdotes from cast and crew, and you do get a tasty helping of juicy (but never out-of-order) gossip from people who worked on the show! As for the true reason behind Barry Morse’s exit from the show, it is an utter stunner!! ...A fine book, and I think it is an absolute, bottom-line must read for anyone who has an interest in the show.”
- Danny Box
“A Great Book!...”
“A great book! I hope there is a follow-up with unmade scripts, or something very like it.”
- Charles Mento
“Much more subtle than what has been written before...”
“Great... It tells us a lot about relationships between the actors on the set, something I’ve never read before. And the author goes deeper in the explanations of the changes between season one and two. He goes deeper in the analysis of each episode. I find the analysis... much more subtle than what has been written before. It’s not ‘good series one’ and ‘bad series two’ again.”
- Nicolas Lemarignier
“Highly Recommended!...”
“Jam-packed with information about Space: 1999 ... I have never seen a book so jam-packed with excellent information! It is well done and highly recommended!”
- Floyd Resler
“Simply brilliant... This book is a must-have...”
“I have read every book on Space: 1999, since I was eleven years old in 1975. This book is the pinnacle of ‘making-of’ books. It is far superior to John Muir’s Exploring Space: 1999, which was second hand information. Robert has researched and written an intimate look at the making of the TV series... I loved the input of all that worked on the series... Simply brilliant, it is the best production book on the making of Space: 1999 ever written... This book is a must-have...”
- Steve Gerard
“Informative & Enlightening...”
“...A LOT of fun. Very concise without being dry, as well as informative & enlightening... Great book!”
- David A Sobral
“...It’s Fantastic!”
“...It’s fantastic! Some of the material is completely new to me and I’ve been following the show and researching it for over 30 years. Many thanks for a great book (if there is scope to, I hope you do a follow-up of some sort).”
- Mark Moss
“Thoroughly Enjoyable...”
“...A thoroughly enjoyable book. I have found myself agreeing wholeheartedly, disagreeing wholeheartedly (who would want to only read something they completely agree with all the time?), and learning new and interesting little tidbits after all these years. Anecdotes and commentary are wonderful.”
- Pat Sokol
“Loved the Book...”
“I loved the book... it’s virtually the ‘bible’ of the show. I can pick it up at any page, start reading and find it hard to stop...”
- Steve Cromby