The island of Tanakuatua seems like heaven to the 40 people who go there in order to create a utopian society, but soon they start to die in a horrible way and it seems that something strange and deadly is out there in the jungle.
Francis Saxover and Diana Brackley, two scientists investigating a rare lichen, discover it has a remarkable property: it retards the aging process. Francis, realising the implications for the world of an ever-youthful, wealthy elite, wants to keep it secret, but Diana sees an opportunity to overturn the male status quo by using the lichen to inspire a feminist revolution. As each scientist wrestles with the implications and practicalities of exploiting the discovery, the world comes ever closer to learning the truth . . . Trouble With Lichen is a scintillating story of the power wielded by science in our lives and asks how much trust should we place in those we appoint to be its guardians?
The Outward Urge is a science fiction novel by John Wyndham, consisting of linked short stories originally published in four issues of "New Worlds Science Fiction." Released in 1959, a fifth chapter was later added, initially published as a separate story in November 1960. The work was credited to both Wyndham and the pen-name Lucas Parkes, which Wyndham had used earlier in his career. This collection leans towards hard science fiction, diverging from Wyndham's typical style, prompting publishers to use both names. Set between 1994 and 2194, the narrative unfolds in 50-year intervals, chronicling humanity's exploration of space, including Earth orbit space stations, moon bases, and landings on Mars in 2094, Venus in 2144, and the asteroids. The Troon family, driven by "the outward urge" to explore, plays a central role in this journey. They are depicted as hearing "the thin gnat-voices cry, star to faint star across the sky," a quote from Rupert Brooke's The Jolly Company. The story begins with "Ticker" Troon, who is killed while thwarting a Soviet missile attack on a British space station in 1994, posthumously awarded a Victoria Cross. By 2044, a nuclear war devastates the Northern Hemisphere, leading Brazil to claim dominance in space, only to face competition from Australia later on.
A space opera set on Mars by one of the twentieth century’s most brilliant—and neglected—science fiction and horror writers, whom Stephen King called “the best writer of science fiction that England has ever produced.” What if alien life-forms included autonomous, conscious machines? An international prize is offered to the first man to complete an interplanetary journey. For British pilot Dale Curtance, it is the ultimate challenge; he must build a ship, assemble a top-notch crew, and beat the Russians and the Americans, too. Soon the Gloria Mundi heads for Mars. There’s only one problem: a stowaway named Joan Shirning. At first, the men resent Joan’s presence. But they come to realize that she is the only one who has firsthand knowledge of the Martians—or at least the intelligent beings that will one day replace them. . . .