Hard science fiction often focuses on technological developments. Books like that tend to ask for covers that depict space ships, space stations, advanced weapons of war, that sort o thing. But what about new wave science fiction focusing on abstract ideas like The Female Man, or books that use computing as a metaphor like Neuromancer, or that explore the intersection of power, politics, and religion like Dune? Those books demand something different, which is why many science fiction covers, especially the New Wave covers of the 60s and 70s, tend toward the abstract. Here are some of the best, from Artspace:

Vintage science fiction books have a cult following, with collectors willing to empty their wallets for limited editions of rare titles. Why? In part, because their covers are just so damn good. In an age when most people read on e-readers and screens, tangible book covers—especially ones drawn by hand—are becoming a thing of the past. Here, we absolutely judge these books by their covers, highlighting some of our favorites from the sci-fi genre. So many of them, created decades ago, feel so stylistically relevant today, as figuration, airbrush, and surrealism are back in vogue. Maybe these books really did forecast the future!

See more!