Top Israeli scientist, Arnie Klein, 'defects' to Denmark in order to protect
his discovery, the secret of simple, economic space travel by use of the
'Daleth effect'. He wishes to develop the idea without it falling into the
hands of the military, since it also has potential as a weapon. But he is
forced to reveal his secret to the world when the Daleth effect unit is fitted
to a submarine which is sent into space to rescue two stranded Soviet
cosmonauts.
Klein and his friends are then subjected to all kinds of international
pressure from people wanting the secret.
This is a novel about the misuse of scientific discovery, and was listed by
Stanley Schmidt as one of the '10 SF Books For Scientists'
Dedication: Tilegnet Svend Dragsted
Analog, December 1969, January and February 1970. Illustrated by Kelly Freas. The December issue also featured a cover for the story by Kelly Freas.
as: The Daleth Effect. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1970, 217pp., Jacket: Richard Powers.
as: The Daleth Effect. New York: Berkley, September 1970, 192pp., ISBN: 0-425-0188-0, pbk. Cover: Kelly Freas (from Analog); Reprinted December 1977 (ISBN: 0-425-03649-9).
as: Der Daleth-Effekt. Lausanne: Editions Rencontre, 1971. Translated by Thomas Schlück. [German]
as: Der Daleth-Effekt. Munich: Lichtenberg, ISBN: 3-7852-2008-1, 197?, hbk. [German]
as: Der Daleth-Effekt. Munich: Heyne, 1973. [German]
Devon: Science Fiction Book Club (UK), January 1972, 217pp., hbk.
as: En Nuestras Manos las Estrellas. Barcelona: Veron, 1972, 212pp. Translated by Vicente de Artadi. [Spanish]
as: Le Stelle Nelle Mani, in: Urania #631, 11th November 1973. Milan: Arnoldo Mondadori Editore. Translated by Maria Benedetta de Castiglione. Reprinted 12th May 1985. [Italian]
as: Der Daleth Effekt. Munich: Heyne, 1973, 141pp., pbk. Translated by Thomas Schlück. Cover C.A.M. Thole. [German]
London: Arrow, June 1975, 218pp., ISBN: 0-09-910450-4, pbk. Cover: Bergen. Reprinted 1981; May 1986. Reprinted under 'Legend' imprint 5th September 1991, Cover: Peter Jones/Solar Wind.
as: Tai Kong Quian Ting. Hong Kong: Ming Tian Chu Ban She, 1981. Translated by Du Jian Yi. [Chinese]
as: Der Daleth Effekt. Munich: Moewig, December 1984, 160pp., ISBN: 3-8118-3404-5, pbk. Cover: Bob Layzell. Translated by Thomas Schlück. [German]
Analog, September 1970, p. 165-166. Review by P. Schuyler Miller.
Library Journal, 15th March 1970. Review by J. Davis
The Magazine Of Fantasy And Science Fiction #235, December 1970,
p.24. Review by James Blish.
"... most of it is set in Denmark, a country barely known to most otherwise
cosmopolitan authors and fans. Otherwise, however, it is quite straight
forward - a driving action story of the effect of an unexpected discovery in
the field of spaceflight, and its effects both on world politics and upon the
complex characters who have to try to keep it out of world politics...
"And in addition, this is a cautionary tale, like the best of Wells; Harrison
has something to say about the habit of 'Security' as a mode of thought which
bears pondering. It has been said before in SF, but never, to my knowledge,
this well.
"Considered solely as a novel of technological espionage, it could have been
simply another crazy extravaganza like a James Bond or U.N.C.L.E. episode. But
it isn't. The total effect, in fact, is at once as exciting and as somber as
John Le Carre... This is worth buying, and worth pondering."
Publishers Weekly, 23rd March 1970.
Worlds of If, May / June 1971. Review by Lester Del Rey.
