(Probably Found) Title and Author Please.

[dippy53uk]

Years ago, probably late 70's early 80's I read a memorable Sci Fi novel and for the life of me I can't remember the title. Plot goes along the lines of:

Small spacecraft dispatched from earth to nearest potentially habitable star with a crew of hand picked genius'. On route, one dies and becomes a 'ghost'. Mental capacity of crew becoms enhanced through prolonged isolation and they invent a near light speed drive. On arrival at destination they fire off an 'inertia' type projectile to destroy earth.

Then my mind goes blank wrt plot. Vaguely recall it being published by Golancz. Please can somebody help me out with this 'cause it's driving me to distraction and I'd dearly like to reaquaint myself.

 

[chrispenycate]

Could this be Fred Pohl's "Starburst"? Published '82, but not Golancz.

Communication by factorial prime numbers?

 

[dippy53uk]

Thanks Chrispen,

Ordered a copy for 1p off Amazon just now. It sounds like it might be the one. The one reviewer gives it a shocking rating. I'll let you know.

 

[chrispenycate]

They weren't trying to destroy Earth, you know. If I remember correctly, (this was a loooong time ago) they merely prevented nuclear fission so reactors stopped and atomic weapons wouldn't work. A few thousand people died in the power cuts, but nothing devastating.