The Lure - Tapa dura

'Written by a leading astronomer, THE LURE combines electrifying thrills with issues of real concern to the scientific community and all of us...An intelligent, thought provoking and satisfying 'what if' adventure' Irish Independent

'It's excellent fiction: a way to catch up on some physics and planetology while an entertaining and gripping story unfolds. The story has a gritty authenticity' New Scientist

'A gripping and pacy yarn' Belfast Telegraph

'A successful combination of thriller conventions and conflicting agendas' Buzz

'One of those rare 'can't put down' books that keeps you on the edge of your seat and where the build-up of tension, which is tangible, brings you out in a nervous sweat...both fascinating and entirely credible...It is awesome in its scope and frighteningly realistic...both powerful and thought-provoking...a story that will captivate the reader from beginning to end. It raises fundamental issues that will, inevitably, have to be addressed at some point in the future. But it also contains a dire warning, one that we dare not ignore' UFO magazine

'An electrifying thriller which combines cutting edge science with roller-coaster suspense...Much more than a sci-fi thriller...A thought-provoking and suspenseful read, the book takes a fascinating look into the future of the search for alien civilisations' Ulster Gazette

'A fine third thriller which will win [Napier] many fans' Astronomy and Space magazine

A planetary monitoring station in Eastern Europe is suddenly bombarded with rhythmic bursts of light particles from beyond earth - a pattern so regular and complex that they can only have emanated from a highly evolved intelligence. As the scientists begin to decode the messages, they are amazed by the information they reveal: secrets of a technology far in advance of our own, suggesting that a benign civilisation wishes to share its knowledge with humankind. Surely, the scientists argue, the signals should be acknowledged and contact established. But the world's superpowers have other ideas, and suddenly the scientists find themselves at the heart of a global conspiracy - on the run from forces determined to claim the benefits of the alien messages for themselves. And what will be the effect on a world suddenly faced with unimaginable technological breakthrough...?