The Lost Planet

What will they find? Can they survive? Will they ever come home?

'Absorbing Science fiction' - Kirkus Reviews

Sixteen year old Jeremy Grant, born in Australia, comes to live with his uncle Dr. Lachlan McKinnon in Inverard, Scotland, following the sudden death of his parents.

On his arrival, Janet Campbell, his uncle's pretty secretary, also a science student, meets him at the train station and Jeremy takes an instant liking to her.

On their journey to Jeremy's uncle's house, Janet gives him an overview of the inhabitants. Jeremy is fascinated to learn that there is a deep secret guarded beyond the electric fence at his uncle's residence.

Jeremy spends his first night in silence. With his uncle too busy to pay much attention to him, he has his evening meal alone, with just the friendly cook, Miss Smith, as intermittent company. The silence is shattered by something that sounds like the wail of a banshee ... a long-drawn, piercing wail ...

Over the next few days, Jeremy learns his uncle has built a spaceship, one of a kind, rivalled only by a European called Hermanoff. McKinnon is aware that Hermanoff may have planted a spy within his team of workmen and, with only a few days to go until launch, he becomes aware of potential sabotage attempts. With Jeremy's help, McKinnon must strive to keep his work secret and safe.

McKinnon soon realises his nephew is no longer a young boy and extends his invitation of travelling to new frontiers to Jeremy. Beyond excited at the prospect of a new discovery, Jeremy does all he can to ensure he is knowledgeable about spaceflight. Shadowing Janet, he soon becomes familiar with the mechanics of the spaceship.

With the launch imminent, a certain fear amongst the travellers takes over the household.

Will they reach their destination? The mythic planet Hesikos...

What will they find there? ... Can they survive? ... Will they ever come home?

The Lost Planet is a thrilling science fiction adventure tale, filled with trials and tribulations, wonder and calamity, as Jeremy, McKinnon and company endeavour to make their voyage into the great unknown.

Praise:

'Absorbing Science fiction' - Kirkus Reviews

Angus MacVicar was an accomplished Scottish author, screenwriter and playwright who published work in a variety of genres. Earlier in his career he was known for his crime thrillers and autobiographies, but his early writing was interrupted by his service as a captain in the Royal Scots Fusiliers. As a result, most of his juvenile science fiction was not published until after World War II. It was then that his 'Lost Planet' series became extremely popular, with MacVicar himself adapting the stories as TV and radio serials.