Edmond Hamilton
Last Call for Doomsday!
"Last Call for Doomsday!" by S. M. Tenneshaw is a science fiction novel written in the mid-20th century. The story unfolds in a future Earth that is on the brink of destruction due to an impending asteroid collision, known as "Kendrick's World," named after the brilliant scientist who warned humanity about it. The narrative centers on Jay Wales, who reluctantly returns to Earth to locate his friend Lee Kendrick, whose recent disappearance is tied to a troubling slowdown in the critical evacuation process to Mars. At the start of the story, Wales grapples with the chaotic state of Earth, witnessing the breakdown of society as desperate individuals succumb to hysteria amidst their impending doom. Despite this turmoil, Wales is determined to uncover the mystery behind Kendrick's vanishing, as he fears it may be linked to conspiracies against the evacuation efforts. As he navigates through increasingly dangerous encounters with looters and fanatics, including the mysterious Brotherhood of Atonement, he becomes embroiled in a larger plot that suggests some influential figures may want certain populations to remain on Earth for sinister reasons. The opening sets the stage for a tense exploration of survival, betrayal, and the moral dilemmas faced in the face of catastrophe.