I’m probably way off the mark here……so this is a guess!

James P. Blaylock – ‘The Digging Leviathan’

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Unknown objects are operating under intelligent control... It is imperative that we learn where UFO's come from and what their purpose is..."

Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter Director, Central Intelligence Agency 1947-1950

Ah no, think more science fiction, rather than aspects of fantasy.. though as I have commented before, I'm not going to attempt to draw a line between them.

Interesting nomination, I've yet to read anything by Blaylock but have greatly enjoyed several works by Tim Powers, with whom he is compared in some reviews. So I'll keep my eye's open for some Blaylock during future visits to the second hand book store..

No further suggestions? I am astounded, particually after the heavy hint I gave with the first quote, which continues..

A Mission of Gravity by Hal Clement?

Correct Kadava, your go!

First serialized in Astounding Science Fiction in 1953, & published in book form in 1954. It is set upon the planet Mesklin, which has 16 (!) times the mass of Jupiter, resulting in a local gravity of some 700 g at the poles, but only 3 g at the equator, due to it's rapid rotation. The quote was, of course, from an equatorial region.

Thanks. I thought I recognised it from the first quote. I worked out what the hints were from knowing the book.

Try this one. If you know the book it should be instantly recognisable.

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Unknown objects are operating under intelligent control... It is imperative that we learn where UFO's come from and what their purpose is..."

Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter Director, Central Intelligence Agency 1947-1950

Very good. Your turn.

Thanks Kadava.....

I have had quite a few goes lately and would be quite happy to give someone else an opportunity to submit a quote.
I do have a few others of my own which I can chuck in if anyone is stuck for a quote.

They are becoming more difficult to find aren’t they?

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Unknown objects are operating under intelligent control... It is imperative that we learn where UFO's come from and what their purpose is..."

Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter Director, Central Intelligence Agency 1947-1950

Naw, they're still easy to find, just harder to guess.

Go ahead, throw another log on the fire.

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The Devil offered me power. I told him I preferred aperture.

OK Mike, let’s see how we go with this one then!

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Unknown objects are operating under intelligent control... It is imperative that we learn where UFO's come from and what their purpose is..."

Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter Director, Central Intelligence Agency 1947-1950

Just for the heck of it: 'Iceborn', Carter and Benford.

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The Devil offered me power. I told him I preferred aperture.

Negative!...

Think ‘space opera’……..whose first novel appeared in the early 1980s.

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~~Phlash~~

Unknown objects are operating under intelligent control... It is imperative that we learn where UFO's come from and what their purpose is..."

Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter Director, Central Intelligence Agency 1947-1950

Mmm. Haven't read much in that area in recent decades. I'll toss out a name: Iain M. Banks.

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The Devil offered me power. I told him I preferred aperture.

I'll go one better, and toss out a book

The Algebraist

Well done Mike and stutefish.......

Take it away folks!

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Unknown objects are operating under intelligent control... It is imperative that we learn where UFO's come from and what their purpose is..."

Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter Director, Central Intelligence Agency 1947-1950

So, stutefish, toss out another book.

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The Devil offered me power. I told him I preferred aperture.

I apologize for the delay. Without further ado, my submission:

"As it is difficult from our viewpoint to imagine Earth of that time, it was virtually impossible for Earth to comprehend the reasoning of spacers who refused to leave their ships and who, in their turn, found the (to them) teeming corridors of Sol Station chaotic and terrifying."

Has this ever been published in hardcopy?

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The Devil offered me power. I told him I preferred aperture.

Is it from one of the books in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series?

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~~Phlash~~

Unknown objects are operating under intelligent control... It is imperative that we learn where UFO's come from and what their purpose is..."

Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter Director, Central Intelligence Agency 1947-1950