{"product_id":"9781469114255","title":"MR. MUFFET STRIKES BACK","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is a story about the determination of one man, solving a rather unique problem that threatens to destroy the entire human race. Sound familiar? Perhaps.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHuman technology of the early Twenty First Century has developed a space drive system that has one thing basically wrong with it – it works too well. Two test and evaluation flights, that were to make small forays into space, but remain near the solar system, have jumped to a position in the Milky Way Galaxy twenty-five thousand light years from Earth. The problem is not only to determine where they went, but also how to get them back once they are found.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNoted astrophysicist, Dr. Samuel Ugo, has just been pulled from this project in order to solve a more pressing problem, one that threatens to destroy all of Earth’s inhabitants in a very short time. He is called upon to get rid of a menace closer to home.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBasically, his current problem centers around bugs.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpiders really. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGiant spiders, to be specific. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGiant spiders living in Earth’s clouds, and creating all sorts of havoc, to be more specific.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot ordinary spiders by any stretch of the word, these giants are twice as large as basketballs. They look like daddy longlegs, sometimes called Harvestmen, graze like cows, for what, is not known, and in a relatively short time, begin raising all kinds of hell with the population.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn addition to ridding the clouds of the spiders, there are associated problems that Sam must solve: Who put them there? Why is the temperature and humidity increasing so rapidly, and why are he and his lovely daughter, Sharon, hearing voices?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs far as his technical training is concerned, Sam is the perfect person for this job. Physically, Sam has no business doing what he is doing. He suffers from degenerative arthritis, limiting his ability to move around, and he harbors a secret he believes not many people know. On top of all this, Sam is an alcoholic. It’s not Sam’s fault, however. Sam has been using the false courage provided by the alcohol to help him to get through his day. His personal phobia is one acquired by him during an episode in his early childhood: Sam is arachnaphobic! He is deathly afraid of spiders of any size, let alone the giants living in the clouds.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSam knows he will need help, big time. In addition to his intelligent daughter, Sam calls upon a friend who is an entomologist. Together, these three acting as a team, and aided by Sam’s faithful secretary, devise a method of defeating the spiders.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJust how dangerous can spiders become living in the clouds? For one thing, airplanes can’t fly without collisions occurring, killing all the passengers as well as some of the spiders. In fact, that’s how the spiders are found out. There is yet another danger, not readily apparent.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYou see, the density of the wet clouds is changing, because the temperature and the humidity of the Earth are increasing. To support the spiders, naturally. And the changes are happening at a rate faster than the human race can adapt. Something or somebody is causing this.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere also are aliens involved, who watch all this take place from a space ship hidden behind Triton. They have been there for two hundred of Earth’s years, brain washing selected humans. Via a tiny transponder located on the Moon, they monitor the progress of the space ventures, and the reaction to the spider problem. Mankind is being given a test.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs if all this isn’t enough, the spiders come down from the clouds, to the surface of Earth, and really begin causing problems. They are carnivorous.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo further add an insult to injury, the spiders are filled with Hydrogen. It helps them to remain aloft. But, whenever anyone tries to destroy a spider, say with a flame thrower or a missile, there is an enormous explosion as the Hydrogen gas ignites. The spiders now become more lethal without even trying.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSam’s secretary makes the ultimate sacrifice, proving her love for her boss, an act that almost kills Sam. However, her sacrifice forces the resolve necessary to push Sam into finding a solution to defeat the spiders. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYet, when the spider menace is over, there is still the problem of the aliens.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOh, yes, the two missing space craft are recovered.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Xlibris Corporation","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47144314077424,"sku":"9781469114255","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781469114255_p0.jpg?v=1763698358","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781469114255","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}