[net.sf-lovers] SF-LOVERS Digest V9 #25

FINCH.DLOS@PARC-MAXC.ARPA (02/04/84)

I have been looking for a book that I read in the 60's (I think it was
63 or 64). I don't remember the author or the title but I am hoping
someone can help me out. I would like to find it and read it again.

It starts with a woman riding a bus when suddenly she can read other
peoples thoughts. She is amazed by this but it doesn't last long. In the
next few days the ability seems to turn on and off as if a switch was
thrown. Later in the book we find out that 20 some years previously some
aliens landed on earth and did something to several hundred pregnant
women so their children would have esp and all the classical mental
abilities, but only if certain radiation was present. Naturally they had
transmitters to transmit this radiation.

These aliens by nature were cowards and they wanted to counquer the
earth. But being cowards, they could not bring themselves to do any
violent acts so when the children were born they kidnapped them and
raised them on the moon. Somehow they missed the protagonist and she was
left to save the world.

The aliens kept the boys and the girls separate and ignorant of each
other. Different radiation controlled each. They had hundreds of boys
and a lot fewer girls. Their plan was to send the boys down to conquer
the earth and kill all humans then send the girls down later when the
boys transmitter was turned off and let them kill the boys. Then the
aliens could take over.

Seems strange not to remember the title at least after all that, but
that's the way it is.

Jim Finch
Xerox, Dallas