One man possesses the power to destroy the world—and believes humanity will be better for it.

During a sea voyage to Britain, traveler Arthur Marcel encounters Herbert Brande, an enigmatic intellectual whose cold philosophy is matched only by his extraordinary scientific knowledge. Drawn into Brande’s secret organization, Marcel discovers a society devoted to a terrifying belief: physical matter is a corruption of true existence, and the universe must be liberated from it.

Brande has found the means to release the immense energy hidden within the atom. With a single calculated experiment, he intends to trigger an unstoppable chain reaction that will reduce the entire planet to nothing.

As Marcel learns more about the approaching catastrophe, he becomes captivated by Brande’s sister, Natalie—a gifted woman bound to her brother through a mysterious telepathic connection. Torn between suspicion, loyalty, and love, Marcel must uncover the details of Brande’s formula and sabotage the experiment before time runs out.

But altering even one element of the calculation could mean the difference between saving the world and annihilating it.

Blending scientific speculation, philosophical extremism, romance, conspiracy, and apocalyptic suspense, Robert Cromie’s *The Crack of Doom* is a remarkable early science-fiction thriller about the destructive potential of knowledge without conscience.

Narrated by Mike Frankland.