(from the book jacket)
The brilliant young ceramics engineer and former government scientist, Dr. Michael Novak, stumbled into a storm center of intrigue and violence when he accepted employment with the widely derided American Society for Space Flight. By taking this job he unwittingly detonated a series of exciting events involving two beautiful women, high figures in Washington, espionage, and murder, all of which were to culminate in man's first voyage to the moon.
In the desert south of Barstow, California, the A.S.F.S.F. was building a space ship, purportedly for research purposes, but as Novak commenced his assigned experiments he detected many incongruous facts about the project. He soon began to suspect that the construction of the ship was being subsidized by a foreign power, and he confided his fears to a fellow engineer. Within twenty-four hours this confidant had been killed.
In the fateful days to follow, as Novak sought further to substantiate his suspicions, he unmasked a lovely spy and thwarted a gigantic political smear. And finally he risked his own life and that of the woman he loved to assure for the United States a vital first foothold in outer space.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
New York-born C. M. Kornbluth as been writing stories since he was ten, selling them since his teens. His creative efforts have appeared in Galaxy, Astounding Science Fiction, Future, Astonishing Stories, and Science Fiction Quarterly, among many other magazines.
During World War II he served as a U. S. Army machine gunner in Belgium, France, and Germany, and wrote a novel while waiting transshipment from Europe to Japan.
For three years after the war Mr. Kornbluth worked as Chicago Bureau chief of the Transradio Press Service. He is married and lives currently with his wife and small child in Red Bank, New Jersey, where he now devotes his full time to free-lance science-fiction writing.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Amateur Rocketeers,
By
This review is from: Takeoff (Doubleday science fiction) (Hardcover)
Takeoff (1952) is a SF novella. It is set is the past following World War II and after the establishment of the Atomic Energy Commission.In this novel, Daniel Holland is the general manager of the US AEC. He is frustrated by the rules and standards set by the commissioners. James MacIlheny is an insurance agent. He is also president of the American Society for Space Flight. Michael Novak is a research engineer with a doctorate in ceramics. Mike started his studies in the field of aeronautic engineering, but changed majors in his junior year. He works for the AEC in Nuclear Energy for the Propulsion of Aircraft. Clifton is a self-taught man. Cliff had worked on various jobs before ASFSF hired him away from Western Air as chief engineer. He is married to Lilly, a god looking Danish woman. Amelia Stuart is the daughter of Wilson Stuart, chairman of Western Air. Amy is a member of ASFSF. In this story, Holland invites MacIlheny to Washington for a discussion about nuclear rocket fuel. Holland says that the current position of the AEC will not allow him to start a project to produce such fuel. MacIlheny points out the futility of the current US rocket research. They separate with frustration in each man. Novak finds NEPA to have underequipped and scarce laboratories and lots of bowing to superiors. Then he gets transferred to the Neutron Path Prediction Division. He finds the mathematics incomprehensible and the theory even more so. He bombards the Argonne Laboratory director with requests for transfer back to ceramic engineering. Then the director posts a denial of his request on the section bulletin board. Novak fells the director with one blow to the chin and resigns his position. Novak purchases an advertisement in the Ceramic Industries journal and makes a round of the local employment agencies. He has only negative or foolish responses for ten days. Then he gets a response that offers a job in research and development for high altitude aircraft. He responds with a telegram and a money order is wired back for a round-trip flight to Los Angeles. When he gets to LA, he stores his bag in a locket and catches a cab to the indicated address. He almost does not go into the office after seeing the name on the door. ASFSF needs a ceramic engineer to build refractory nozzles for their prototype spaceship. He is carefully told that the craft -- named Prototype -- is only a model for future vessels. Novak is impressed by Clifton, despite his mannerisms. After signing the contract, Novak is put to work designing a ceramic lab. He draws up a list of equipment and sketches out a floor plan. He is surprised when the design is excepted. Mike works closely with Clifton. During their tour of the site, he meets Amy testing flight chairs. Then she is picked up by a chauffeur in a limo. Mike likes the casual nature of the ASFSF members and their dedication to spaceflight. He introduces himself at the monthly meeting and the society members seem to like him. Then he finds Clifton dead in the restroom. This tale has Mike becoming the chief engineer in place of Clifton. Then the ASFSF comes under fire by a political demagogue and a newpaper chain. Mike has fencing built around the site with no trespassng signs. This story was published in hardback in 1952 by Doubleday. It was also published as the double novel The Ship from Infinity/Takeoff and later was released in the omnibus Gunner Cade & Takeoff. Recommended for Kornbluth fans and for anyone who enjoys tales of civil spaceflight, political intrigue, and a bit of romance. Read and enjoy! -Arthur W. Jordin
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Bit Dated But Good,
By Dave_42 "Dave_42" (Australia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Takeoff (Doubleday science fiction) (Hardcover)
"Takeoff" by C. M. Kornbluth was first published in 1952, and was nominated for the 1953 International Fantasy Award. Unlike the other nominee, "Player Piano" by Kurt Vonnegut, or the winner "City" by Clifford D. Simak, "Takeoff" is a surprisingly ordinary book. It is very dated by the passage of time, and frankly it is difficult to understand why it would have been considered among the best for that year. That is not to say that it is a bad book, but it doesn't seem to be exceptional in any way. The story is a combination science fiction story and murder mystery.
The story takes place in the near future from when it was written, as a group of scientists, under the guise of researching a potential trip to the moon, are in fact actually trying to build a real rocket ship. Dr. Michael Novak resigns in rage from his job with the Atomic Energy Commission, and finds himself applying for a job with the American Society for Space Flight who claims they are building a mock up of a rocket ship. He becomes suspicious, when their plans seem a bit too specific for a fake ship. When the chief engineer is murdered, Dr. Novak is forced to take on more work, and try to figure out who killed him.
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