"La fraternité du Panca" by Johann Goutard

(click to enlarge)

This book cover art, by Johann Goutard, was last week’s top image on my Facebook page. It was posted Sunday, quickly raked in 339 Likes, and held the top spot all week. It’s a great image and, at first glance, looks like a scene from Bungie’s Destiny. But the planet in the sky lets you know it isn’t Earth, and the orb floating above the city is too small to be the Traveler. Goutard mentions the book La fraternité du Panca in the image description (which roughly translates to: The Brotherhood of Five), a space opera series written by Pierre Bordage. However, I wasn’t able to find a book in the series using this cover art.

Regardless of its association, I think what makes this such a great image is that it captures a feeling shared by many science fiction fans. I won’t try to name it, because it isn’t anything specific. It varies from mind to mind and could be anything—curiosity, pride, longing. Exactly what the image makes you feel doesn’t matter, and I think that’s what makes it great. It captures an emotion, but allows the viewer to insert his/her own vision. As fans of science fiction, we’ve all stood on that platform, gazing out in awe at some epic, interstellar future that exists only in our minds. Science fiction, like this image, can be whatever we want it be. And that’s why we love it.


Favorite Comments

"I'd love to see sunsets like this every day." ~ Bill Spagnuola 

"I'm curious about the close proximity of the planet & moon & their tidal & other effects?" ~ Andrew Miller 

"Our homeworld, there in the night sky a reminder of our mistakes." ~ Shawn StClair