The typical protagonist in these books was a boy in his late teens who was proficient in the art of electronics, a hobby that was easily available to the readers.

In the town of Mayfield high-school senior Ken Maddox is among the people fascinated by a giant comet whose path is just grazing Earth's orbit.

After a short stint in a wood-cutting crew bringing in fuel for the coming winter, Ken is called to assist in the work at the college.

At the same time Ken and his friends make contact with several ham radio operators around the country, intending to share information.

One by one, the radio contacts cease as violence sweeps over the metropolitan areas, but aided by a clue from Berkeley just before it was destroyed Ken's father devises a compound that will decontaminate metal surfaces.

A failed attack by marauders attempting to rob the town and a flu epidemic decimate the population, but Ken has an idea that using ultrasound will coagulate the comet dust so that it will fall out of the atmosphere.

Only a few--among them Dr. Maddox, chemistry professor at the state agricultural college, and his son Ken, a student--kept their heads to seek constructive counter-measures and an ultimate answer to the baffling cause of the new phenomena.