"Cooper posits that we are poised between two philosophical and scientific frontiers: we have discovered alien worlds, but not yet discovered alien life. He sets out to explore the frontiers of our understanding of exoplanets, as seen from two complementary viewpoints. Shaped by interviews with an eclectic mixture of science fiction authors, exoplanet astronomers, planetary and atmospheric scientists, Cooper's engaging and informative text traces how our perceptions of alien worlds are reshaped by both scientific discoveries and cultural influences. As popular science communication, it aims for the middle ground, and hits that target solidly, building towards a clear and correct description of both the range of genuine alien worlds now under investigation and the uncertainties intrinsic to research in a fast-moving field. The science fictional examples provide a means for readers to visualize the possibilities that the scientific content then contextualizes in current research. In combining the two, Amazing Worlds is a peon of praise to both contemporary exoplanet research and science fiction. Above all, it encourages readers to recognize the ways in which changing science changes our worldview, and to ponder both the potential and limitations of our explorations of exoplanets -- real or imagined.".