Phaeton Condition

by Douglas R. Mason

The Phaeton Condition. Once upon a future century, a young man with both feet firmly planted on the ladder of Establishment success discovered that the powers that be--the powers he served--were plotting to lock the planet into a suicidal course for their own profit. For the earth was in the same condition as Phaeton's sun-chariot in the myth--hurtling towards destruction. So, Tom Lockhart had a choice to make. He could pretend not to know what he knew, and protect himself from those who would certainly kill a lone man to preserve their genocidal scheme. He could, at considerable risk, exploit the knowledge to save himself when catastrophe came. Or, he could fight the plot--at the near-certain cost to his life, and with near-zero chances of saving the world anyway. He astonished himself more that anyone when he made the third choice and set off a planet-wide chase employing all the dazzling ingenuity of a technologically sophisticated age with all the weapons in the hands of his ruthless opponents.

Genres: Science Fiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Douglas R. Mason (born Douglas Rankine Mason 26 September 1918) is a British science fiction author, who has written books both as by John Rankine and by Douglas R. Mason.

Mason was born in Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales and first attended Chester Grammar School and in 1937 went to study English Literature and Experimental Psychology at the University of Manchester, where he was a friend of Anthony Burgess (as mentioned in Little Wilson and Big God: The First Part of the Confession, AB's autobiography).

Reviews

[Eric N. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Future world corporate survival at masses expense thing.

[J. D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

An eco-catastrophe book. Entertaining action-drama presenting an over-simplified 'solution' to the 'problem', arguably less silly than the antics of beltway ostriches, but irritating in its own way. A fun read.