The Gregory Circle

The Gregory Circle

In a small village on the edge of the Great Smokies, Bud Gregory, a laid-back automobile mechanic, finds himself unwittingly connected to a series of bizarre and deadly events occurring across the United States. As strange phenomena unfold, including unexplained deaths and environmental devastation, Dr. David Murfree, a physicist from the Bureau of Standards, begins to suspect a link between these occurrences and a mysterious source of radiation. Murfree embarks on a personal investigation, driven by a sense of urgency as he witnesses the escalating crisis. He travels to the Smokies with his family, hoping to uncover the cause of the radioactive dust that is killing people and wildlife. Along the way, he encounters Bud Gregory, who possesses an uncanny ability to repair cars and an intuitive understanding of physics that defies explanation. As Murfree's investigation deepens, he learns that a man had previously approached Bud for a device to shield against radiation. This man, driven by greed and ambition, inadvertently created a massive, uncontrolled atomic pile in the mountains, leading to the catastrophic release of deadly radiation. Murfree realizes that the source of the danger is not a man-made facility but rather a natural phenomenon exacerbated by human intervention. With time running out, Murfree and Gregory devise a plan to neutralize the threat posed by the atomic pile. They create a device that can stop the neutrons responsible for the chain reaction, but the process is fraught with danger. As they execute their plan, they witness the destructive power of the unleashed energy, which transforms the landscape and eliminates the radioactive threat. In the aftermath, Murfree returns to Washington with evidence of the disaster and the potential for extracting valuable radioactive isotopes from the site. However, Bud Gregory, having realized the implications of his abilities, disappears with his family, leaving behind a legacy of untapped genius and a world forever changed by the events set in motion by a simple mechanic's knack for fixing things. The narrative explores themes of scientific responsibility, the unpredictability of human ambition, and the intersection of knowledge and ignorance, ultimately highlighting the delicate balance between progress and peril in the face of nature's power.

By Murray Leinster · First published 1950 · Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Mystery · 6 chapters · 15,049 words

First lines

On Monday Bud Gregory sat in magnificent idleness before the shed which was his automobile repair-shop in the village of Brandon on the edge of the Great Smokies.

That day something impalpable and invisible descended upon Cincinnati and people began to go to hospitals with their blood undergoing changes over which the doctors threw up their hands.

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The Gregory Circle is listed on Textopian as a novel by Murray Leinster, dated 1950 CE.

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Science Fiction · Dystopian · Philosophical · Psychological · Thriller · Mystery · Speculative Fiction · Existentialism · Human Condition · Social Commentary · Cultural Critique · Utopian

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More by Murray Leinster