This is a short and pacey space disaster novel by acclaimed American sci-fi author, Harry Harrison, which originally appeared in the November 1969 issue of Venture Science Fiction magazine as "Plague Ship".

Disaster strikes the spaceship passenger liner, "Johannes Kepler" on its routine 92-day trip between Lunar Station and Mars. A meteoroid smashes through the ship's bridge, killing the captain and most of the senior crew. The only officers left alive are the pessimistic First Engineer "We are all dead men" Holtz, who refuses to leave the engine room and Lieutenant Donald Chase, a young doctor in his first post who steps up to the plate and assumes command.

Chase faces crisis after crisis in taking charge of a badly damaged ship which has lost most of its breathable air and has over 100 passengers on the brink of panic. He is a determined and pragmatic chap capable of coming up with clever solutions such as solving the air shortage by using the oxygen content of some of the ship's water supply. However, despite his efforts, the problems continue to mount up - the ship has sailed off course without radio contact and is heading for a solar storm. And if that was not enough, the occupants are struck down by a deadly plague brought on board by the meteoroid (hence the title of the original magazine story).

Suitable for young readers as well as adults, this book is a fairly short read. The story doesn't hang about as crisis follows crisis with terrifying speed. The result is a wonderful rollercoaster ride as Chase attempts to keep everyone aboard alive and the ship going towards its destination. A fine little novel of space-based peril!