The Leaky Establishment
Encyclopedia
The Leaky Establishment is a novel by David Langford
, first published in June 1984 by Frederick Muller (ISBN 0-584-31167-2) and re-issued, with an introduction by Terry Pratchett
, in 2001 by Big Engine, then July 2003 by Cosmos Books (ISBN 1-59224-125-5).
The book draws on some of Langford's own experiences working at the UK
government's Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston
, Berkshire
.
Nuclear Utilisation Technology Centre, a nuclear weapons facility in Britain. He fights bureaucracy while trying to use it for his purpose, which is to undo the potentially disastrous results of a practical joke gone wrong.
Smuggling plutonium
out of a nuclear research centre turns out to be surprisingly easy. The difficult part is smuggling it back in again without getting caught.
David Langford
David Rowland Langford is a British author, editor and critic, largely active within the science fiction field. He publishes the science fiction fanzine and newsletter Ansible.-Personal background:...
, first published in June 1984 by Frederick Muller (ISBN 0-584-31167-2) and re-issued, with an introduction by Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett
Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
, in 2001 by Big Engine, then July 2003 by Cosmos Books (ISBN 1-59224-125-5).
The book draws on some of Langford's own experiences working at the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
government's Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston
Aldermaston
Aldermaston is a rural village, civil parish and electoral ward in Berkshire, South-East England. In the 2001 United Kingdom Census, the parish had a population of 927. The village is on the southern edge of the River Kennet flood plain, near the Hampshire county boundary...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
Plot introduction
Roy Tappen works for the Robinson HeathRobinson Heath
The Nuclear Utilisation Technology Centre at Robinson Heath is a fictional United Kingdom government research facility featured in the work of David Langford, most notably the novel The Leaky Establishment...
Nuclear Utilisation Technology Centre, a nuclear weapons facility in Britain. He fights bureaucracy while trying to use it for his purpose, which is to undo the potentially disastrous results of a practical joke gone wrong.
Smuggling plutonium
Plutonium
Plutonium is a transuranic radioactive chemical element with the chemical symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, forming a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibits six allotropes and four oxidation...
out of a nuclear research centre turns out to be surprisingly easy. The difficult part is smuggling it back in again without getting caught.
External links
- The Leaky Establishment – information on ansible.co.ukAnsibleAn ansible is a hypothetical machine capable of instantaneous or superluminal communication. Ansibles occur as plot devices in science fiction literature.- Origin :The word ansible was coined by Ursula K. Le Guin in her 1966 novel, Rocannon's World...
- The Leaky Establishment – review on amazon.comAmazon.comAmazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...