Seahorse In The Sky

Author: Edmund Cooper

Like his later novel, Transit, this here is a story ofâ€”what looks likeâ€”an abduction of a bunch of humans by aliens (in this instance from the interior of a transatlantic plane). After the abduction, the abductees awake in coffin-like capsules. When they emerge from unconsciousness, they find themselves in what looks like a simple movie-set town, which includes a store with food supplies. It's surrounded by a vast expanse of grass and that's that. Though the abductees are from different nationalities, they find that they understand each other perfectly. Not knowing what to do, they hang around for a while, then some go off to explore. They find a fantasy world populated by knights, primitive warriors and other creatures, including unpleasant giant metal spiders. Why are they here? That's what they must find out; as well as how they'll survive this strange environment. And how will they cope with the final revelation about who they really are? Why it's on the list: Alien abduction story! Aliens experimenting on people like we do with rats in mazes. A bit like #12 on this list, but all wrapped up into one book, rather than extending over a whole series. Read if you like: Alien abduction stories. SF involving the solving of riddles.