Mankind had finally made the Big Jump. But when the first expedition to another star system returned, only man mad with pain and nearly dead from an unknown and ghastly form of radiation sickness... No one could learn what became of the rest of the crew. Arch Comyn had to find out what happened, and eventually he made the second Big Jump himself--and came face to face with the secret horror that awaited all men in the outer reaches of the universe. From Hardcover edition: Stardrive! Access to the farthest reaches of the Galaxy! Ballantyne created and tested the new engines. Then he returned from the stars ... alone and dying of radiation. Arch Comyn must find out what happened -- and to do that he must make the perilous journey himself, and come face to face with the horrifying secret that awaits mankind. From 1967 Ace Printing: All signs pointed to the fact that no human could come back alive from Barnard's Star. Something elusive, beyond comprehension, existed out there; something that was a perpetual bait, a perpetual trap. But Arch Comyn knew he had to join tht second fated mission. For somehwere beyond the veil of the Transuranae lay the answer to the question that was more important than life to him.
Description:
Mankind had finally made the Big Jump. But when the first expedition to another star system returned, only man mad with pain and nearly dead from an unknown and ghastly form of radiation sickness... No one could learn what became of the rest of the crew. Arch Comyn had to find out what happened, and eventually he made the second Big Jump himself--and came face to face with the secret horror that awaited all men in the outer reaches of the universe. From Hardcover edition: Stardrive! Access to the farthest reaches of the Galaxy! Ballantyne created and tested the new engines. Then he returned from the stars ... alone and dying of radiation. Arch Comyn must find out what happened -- and to do that he must make the perilous journey himself, and come face to face with the horrifying secret that awaits mankind. From 1967 Ace Printing: All signs pointed to the fact that no human could come back alive from Barnard's Star. Something elusive, beyond comprehension, existed out there; something that was a perpetual bait, a perpetual trap. But Arch Comyn knew he had to join tht second fated mission. For somehwere beyond the veil of the Transuranae lay the answer to the question that was more important than life to him.