Astounding British Edition, Vol. 9, No. 7 — page 41: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

CRUCIFIXUS ETIAM 49 6 crowd. “You mean there may be an explosion?” “There will be a limited explosion. And there’s very little danger of anything more. The worst danger is in having ugly rumors start in the cities. Some fool with a slip-stick would hear about it, and calculate what would happen to Mars if five cubic miles of tritium ice detonated in one split second. It would probably start a riot. That’s why we’ve kept it a secret.” The buzz of voices was like a disturbed beehive. Manue Nanti sat in the midst of it, saying nothing, wearing a dazed and weary face, thoughts jumbled, soul drained of feeling. Why should men lose their lungs that after eight centuries of tomorrows, other men might breathe air of Mars as the air of Earth? Other men around him echoed his thoughts in jealous mutterings. They had been helping to make a world in which they would never live. An enraged scream arose near where Manue sat. “They’re going to blow us up! They’re going to blow up Mars.” “Don’t be a fool!” Kinley snapped. “Fools they call us! We are fools! For ever coming here! We got sucked in! Look at me!’ A pale dark-haired man came wildly to his feet and tapped his chest. “Look! I’m losing my lungs! We’re all losing our lungs! Now they take a chance on killing everybody.” BOOKS “Including ourselves,” Kinley called coldly. “We oughta take him apart. We oughta kill every one who knew about it—and Kinley’s a good place to start!” The rumble of voices rose higher, call- ing both agreement and dissent. Some of Kinley’s staff were looking nervously to- ward the trucks. They were unarmed. “You men sit down!” Kinley barked. Rebellious eyes glared at the super- visor. Several men who had come to their feet dropped to their haunches again. Kinley glowered at the pale upriser who called for his scalp. “Sit down, Handell!” Handell turned his back on the super- visor and called out to the others. “Don’t be a bunch of cowards! Don’t let him bully you!” “You men sitting around Handell. Pull him down.” There was no response. The men, in- cluding Manue, stared up at the wild-eyed Handell gloomily, but made no move to quiet him. A pair of burly foremen started through the gathering from its outskirts. “Stop!” Kinley ordered. “Turpin, Schultz—-get back. Let the men handle this themselves.” Half a dozen others had joined the rebellious Handell. They were speaking in low tense tones among themselves. “For the last time, men! Sit down!” The group turned and started grimly toward the cliff. Without reasoning why, Manue slid to his feet quietly as Handell RECEIVED.... EARTH ABIDES by George R. Stewart This, the first book to appear in the newly formed Science Fiction Book Club, offers a cleverly written and ingenious tale that should appeal to a great many ASTOUNDING readers. Describing how a newly developed virus can all but destroy an entire universe, the author gives a sober and convincing picture of a slowly disintegrating system—avoiding the spectacular with telling effect. Gollancz 12/6 Science Fiction Book Club Members 6/- (apply to your bookseller or Messrs. Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd., for membership.) OF com books.com