The Screaming Face

by John Lymington

The Screaming Face chronicles the last two days of life on earth before its destruction by floods as a result of the conjunction of four heavenly bodies. Only a few humans can escape in the specially prepared space craft. One of them is Bill, a senior test pilot, whose preoccupation with his work has estranged him from his wife, Marty. Torn between his faded love for Marty and his animal need for her sister, Laura, Bill has to decide which is to survive. Throughout the night of
screaming horror which presages disaster, Bill struggles with his problem, only to learn at last that he has been betrayed. Finally personal tragedy is overshadowed by world-wide disaster as mankind awaits extinction.

Genres: Science Fiction, Pulp, Post Apocalyptic

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1963

About the author

John Lymington is a pseudonym for author John Newton Chance.

John Newton Chance was born in London in 1911 and educated at a private school there. He went to a Technical College with the intention of becoming a Civil Engineer, but left that to become a Quantity Surveyor. While surveying, he began to write for the BBC, and on his twenty-first birthday gave up all honest work to become a writer. The first novel was published in 1935, was hailed as a masterpiece and, like so many such, grossed more glory than gain. But it established the writer's career, which he has followed ever since with the exception of the four war years. When his war ended, he and his wife came to live in Hampshire where their first son was horn. Seventeen books later a second son arrived, and six books further on, the third came along. Among the books of the time there were a number for children, and the adult stories were published here, in America and on the Continent; some were filmed and a number broadcast.

source: his autobiography Yellow Belly

He would eventually write over 160 books under several names. Pseudonyms used by Chance throughout his career included:
John Drummond, John Lymington, David C. Newton, and Jonathan Chance. He was also one of the writers who used name the Desmond Reid which was one of the many personas responsible for the 'Sexton Blake' series that spanned decades.

Reviews

[Wesley Cassford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lymington's excellent writing takes a rather ordinary doomsday novel and spins it on it's head giving deep insight into the character and morals of the characters in the book. I personally loved every bit of it and look forward to reading more of John Lymington in the future.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Went a different direction than I was expecting - hyper focused on one guy and his immediate nucleus with a backdrop of "the extinction of Earth". Slow build, but glad I finished.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A kind of insane pulp scifi novel I found in a used booked store. Actually won me over by the end, despite its bizarre pacing and focus. Still sad about the lack of a literal screaming face.

[Luigi · Rating 3 out of 5]

John was one of his eras easy reads, always had interesting left field subject matter. I always looked forward to his next book.