Edward Chapman
The story of a century: a decades-long second World War leaves plague and anarchy, then a rational state rebuilds civilization and attempts space travel.
Hapless Henry Palfrey is patronised by his self-important chief clerk at work, ignored by restaurant waiters, conned by shady second-hand car salesmen, and, worst of all, endlessly wrong-footed by unspeakably rotten cad Raymond Delauney who has set his cap at April, new love of Palfrey’s life. In desperation Henry enrolls at the College of Lifemanship to learn how to best such bounders and win the girl.
After a mysterious explosion leaves a large fissure in the ground, two young boys are confronted by an unknown phenomenon that inflicts severe radiation burns on one of them. There follows a spate of attacks at radiation establishments as the inexplicable life-form plunders radium stores. Dr Royston, an expert in atomic research, is brought in to explain and curtail the activities of this alien creature before it causes disaster.