The Trigger

by Arthur C. Clarke, Michael P. Kube-McDowell

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Fiction. Science Fiction. HTML: A "thought-provoking, suspenseful" political sci-fi thriller *from the authors of 2001: A Space Odyssey* and Star Wars: The Black Fleet Crisis (Library Journal).** In the near future, a team of scientists who intend to create an anti-gravity device inadvertently develop something far more powerful�??a mechanism that can render guns and bombs virtually harmless. Their creation, "The Trigger," causes nitrate-based bombs and explosives to detonate automatically. The idealistic scientists who envision the benevolent use of their great invention soon discover that even protective weaponry comes with its own moral trade-offs. Soon, every faction of the gun industry is involved�??politicians, manufacturers, lobbyist, military�??and the scientists must fight to keep the weapon out of violent hands. While negotiating this tricky territory, they realize that not even those with the best intentions can be trusted. There are no easy answers in this thriller that "lend[s] the familiar issue of gun control new urgency and excitement" (Publishers Weekly… (more)

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Good book looking into some interesting issues. maybe a bit polemic at times, but maybe not without reason. Dunno the percentage written by which author, but you can see Clarke's inventiveness throughout - and the final twist is delicious if you know anything about his work on RADAR. (

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expatscot | Apr 10, 2019 |

more of a diatribe against Christians and guns than a scifi novel, pathetic (

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BookstoogeLT | Dec 10, 2016 |

It was a very good story told very well, but what else would I expect from these authors. The story did drag a bit in spots and was heavy on getting a message across, but for me it was a good message. (

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ajlewis2 | Feb 24, 2016 |

Scientists find a breakthrough that makes gunpowder obsolete. The book develops the issues involved in such a find and also enlightens us on the issues with guns and crime. (

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amacmillen | Jan 11, 2010 |

What if a weapon was built that neutralized all other modern conventional weapons that we know of? this book wanders through the possible ramifications of society accepting the changes wrought by technology. (

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xavierroy | Aug 27, 2009 |

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Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
Clarke, Arthur C.	—	primary author	all editions	confirmed
Kube-McDowell, Michael P.	—	main author	all editions	confirmed

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Contains

Tetik 2 by Arthur C. Clarke

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Canonical title

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

1999-11

People/Characters

Important places

Terabyte Laboratories

Washington, D.C., USA

Important events

Related movies

Epigraph

Dedication

To the Memory of the Children of Dunblane, Scotland, and Jonesboro, Arkansas

First words

"Vox," Jeffrey Alan Horton said to his car

Quotations

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Original language

English

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

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The Trigger

▾Book descriptions

Fiction. Science Fiction. HTML:

A "thought-provoking, suspenseful" political sci-fi thriller from the authors of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars: The Black Fleet Crisis (Library Journal).

In the near future, a team of scientists who intend to create an anti-gravity device inadvertently develop something far more powerful�??a mechanism that can render guns and bombs virtually harmless. Their creation, "The Trigger," causes nitrate-based bombs and explosives to detonate automatically. The idealistic scientists who envision the benevolent use of their great invention soon discover that even protective weaponry comes with its own moral trade-offs.

Soon, every faction of the gun industry is involved�??politicians, manufacturers, lobbyist, military�??and the scientists must fight to keep the weapon out of violent hands. While negotiating this tricky territory, they realize that not even those with the best intentions can be trusted. There are no easy answers in this thriller that "lend[s] the familiar issue of gun control new urgency and excitement" (Publishers Weekly

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