Robert Foster produced only a handful of science fiction covers. The most inventive graced a span of Frederik Pohl novels and short story collections released by Ballantine Books in the late 60s. Sadly, I can find no information about the artist himself online (if you do please let me know). Here’s a selection of the most interesting, haunting, and spectacular…

Part II (here)

Mechanical man — a bedraggled simulacra. Nude woman — embodiment of flesh. A lunar landscape greets them…

(ranks among my favorite covers of all time)

(Cover for the 1969 edition of Turn Left at Thursday (1961), Frederik Pohl)

A floating mechanical hybrid, alien planet, humans emerging (portals?)…

(Cover for the 1972 edition of The Burning (1971), James E. Gunn)

Unusual instruments guiding…. what? A production emerging from test tubes and machines?

(Cover for the 1969 edition of Tomorrow Times Seven (1959), Frederik Pohl)

Three women judge a man and his creations? Gossamer folds of hair….

(Cover for the 1969 edition of A Plague of Pythons (1962), Frederik Pohl)

Unusual underwear. Again, machines.

(Cover for the 1969 edition of The Abominable Earthman (1963), Frederik Pohl)

Another great cover!

(Cover for 1969 edition of The Age of the Pussyfoot (1969), Frederik Pohl)

Peacock/tie dye (ish) shirt kind of ruins the effect….

(Cover for the 1968 edition of Thorns (1968), Robert Silverberg)

Run! Run! Through the elephant ear plants!

(Cover for 1969 edition of Light a Last Candle (1969), Vincent King)

This cover looks like the work of Robert Foster however it is uncredited…. Perhaps just speculation on my part.

(Uncredited cover for the 1978 edition of The Female Man (1975). Joanna Russ)

Adventures in Science Fiction Cover Art Index