Anthony Barnett

Interstellar Drive Anthony Barnett

It started as the greatest feat of exploration in the history of humanity-using the newly developed Interstellar Drive to propel a crew of scientists to a solar system 40 light years distant to explore Earth-like planets. It ended with the likely destruction of Earth by an unknown enemy with awesome destructive power. It is 200 years in the future. Scientific advances have made it possible to travel to the nearest stars in a timeframe of months on highly sophisticated spacecraft capable of supporting hundreds of personnel in relative comfort. Exploring new worlds in the TRAPPIST-1 System, scientists discover the first evidence of humanoid intelligence. But they are being tracked by civilizations of much more advanced life forms with an almost unimaginable power to destroy and a history of hatred and fear going back many generations. First Officer Jon Webster, his beautiful girlfriend nurse Sally Pardoe and brilliant scientist Axel Eff are key characters on this first manned extra-solar spaceship. We travel with them to explore new worlds and experience the extreme dangers they encounter. The excitement of exploration and discovery is palpable, but then eclipsed by fear and potential disaster. The crew must determine the source of this alien power and how it can be combatted. If necessary, they must make the ultimate sacrifice to keep Earth safe. A high risk plan is devised to at least delay, and hopefully prevent, Earths' destruction. Aided by a few survivors from an almost extinct humanoid race, the crew offer themselves as bait to an amoral alien dictatorship and summon all their ingenuity to combat them. We share their suspense in this "race against time", hear their arguments to save Earth and how they cope with their aggressive captors. But-success against the enemy is nothing compared with the intransigence of the rulers of Earth. How can you successfully negotiate with a powerful enemy when your own rulers fail to support you? The author is a Professor of Medicine in a major university in the United Kingdom. He has written many medical/academic books and scientific articles over a long career. He also has a longstanding interest in astronomy and cosmology and this is his first science fiction novel. Whilst the story is exciting and indeed compelling, throughout he has tried to ensure that scientific advances/breakthroughs are described which break no physical laws and are at least within the bounds of possibility. Enjoy!