In his 17th adventure, Tom finds himself battling something his scientific knowledge has not prepared him for: personal tragedy!Already having conquered several of science fiction's more difficult problems, Tom Swift is faced with a crisis that will test his abilities nearly to the breaking point.An incredibly close person has been stricken with an inoperable tumor inside his head. The tumor will kill him in months, or an operation might do it sooner. At the very least, standard medical procedures would leave him with brain damage.When Doc Simpson proposes an impossible task, Tom, who is mentally fatigued almost to the breaking point, finds that he must rally if there is anything to do to save the man. But the Doctor himself refuses to consider the treatment Tom has in mind when he finds out that what the inventor proposes is more like a living video game that serious surgery.Will it be possible to convince him to let Tom-an unskilled surgeon at the very best-perform the life-saving procedure?And, can Tom rally his emotional and physical strength long enough to make the operation a success?
About the Author: Victor Appleton II never did and never will actually exist, and the same goes double for his father, the original Victor Appleton! However, his very best friend in the world, Thomas Hudson, has existed in various forms for more than 6 decades going from pollywog to fully-formed Toad (his nickname as a fat little baby) and finally to what passes for adulthood in most American males. He lives and tries to keep dry in the great Pacific Northwest of the United States where he dragged his wife after finding life (HA! You call that, life?) in California for over a quarter century had gotten too difficult to bear. As someone who once refused to consider joining MENSA because at a drinks reception for potential new members he found that the only thing those people seemed interested in was, "So, what is your IQ? Mine is 142!" he feels a smugness in knowing where he stands in life. (The only comfort he can take from those encounters is his was usually higher.) One thing he revels in is in placing at least one totally absurd fact or concept in every novel figuring that since this is science FICTION he might as well make something up for the few people out there who just can't let go and feel everything must make perfect sense!