Dilation Effect

by Douglas R. Mason

After a millennia of probing into the galaxy, the long retreat had begun. Centaur was a temporary plug in the dyke that kept out the flood of marauding extra-terrestrials. But her crew of two had their own problem when the Time Beacons began to fail. Still, life has to be lived out, wherever or whenever consciousness is, at the level of the situation that exists there. Ava Mallam and Bob Dogood had a complex maze to tread in sorting out the angles of twin lives in counterpoint. And meanwhile, time was catching them in a deadly grip.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Douglas R. Mason (born Douglas Rankine Mason 26 September 1918) is a British science fiction author, who has written books both as by John Rankine and by Douglas R. Mason.

Mason was born in Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales and first attended Chester Grammar School and in 1937 went to study English Literature and Experimental Psychology at the University of Manchester, where he was a friend of Anthony Burgess (as mentioned in Little Wilson and Big God: The First Part of the Confession, AB's autobiography).

Reviews

[A. · Rating 1 out of 5]

The real problem with this book is it might have been interesting. But it wasn't. If you like confusing pseudo-philosophical wankery in which engineering is done at gunpoint, then this book is for you.

As a note, the front cover posts a question which is answered by the book. "How many co-existing selves does a man have?" According to the book, the answer is 2.

[SciFiOne · Rating 3 out of 5]

1983 grade C-