The Prometheus Crisis

In northern California, Project Prometheus, a five-billion-dollar nuclear power station, the largest in the world, has reached the final critical stages of thermal equilibrium. Momentarily, the President of the United States is going to announce to the nation that Prometheus has been activated and that this country has the solution to the energy crisis within it's grasp. But deep within the reactor's central core, the factor of human error sparks that one chance in 300,000,000: Prometheus unleashes a hideous nuclear holocaust that no one can reverse.... There are no reviews that describe this book so I simply typed out the information found on the dustjacket of the book I own. Hope it helps. Written in 1975, and read by me many times, this book STILL keeps me turning the pages as fast as I can read them (which isn't fast enough!). My biggest wish is that this book was about 200 pages longer. Scortia and Robinson have written some spectacular books together and I own them all. They know how to put fear in our hearts without grossing us out like so many books do today. Yes, there are many books written on nuclear disasters, crisis, etc. but no one writes it as well as these two. I'd like to believe our nuclear energy is safer than it was back in 1975 but, to be honest, until human error and greed for massive profits can be eliminated all together, I don't think it's possible. With that thought in mind, pick up this book and start reading. You won't regret it.

I first read this book back in the late 1970's just before the Three Mile Island Incident. After recently reading it again I must say that the suspense still holds up. I would imagine that nuclear power facilities are much safer these days, but don't let that deter you from an exciting read. All of the Scortia/Robinson novels have something to offer.

The Promethesus Crisis, (written around 1975) deals with a nuclear power plant melting down....and goes into detail about how this happens and its aftermath. Written some years before the 3 Mile Island Accident, this book almost seems to be an omen, warning of the dangers of nuclear power and what can happen when that "1 in a million" chance of an accident happens. A very fightening and informative book, and extremely well written.