The Andromeda Strain to the upper atmosphere, where the oxygen content is lower, better suiting its growth. The novel's epilogue reveals that a manned spacecraft, "Andros V", was incinerated during atmospheric re-entry, presumably because Andromeda had eaten its tungsten/plastic laminate heat shield and caused it to burn up. Crichton was inspired to write the novel after reading "The IPCRESS File" by Len Deighton while studying in England. Crichton says he was "terrifically impressed" by the book - "a lot of "Andromeda" is traceable to "Ipcress" in terms of trying to create an imaginary world using recogniseable techniques and real people." He wrote the
John Dickinson (author) John Dickinson (author) John Geoffrey Hyett Dickinson (born June 1962) is an English author of young adult novels. His first novel, "The Cup of the World", was published in 2004. His novel "The Lightstep", written for adults, was published in 2008. Dickinson lives in Painswick, Gloucestershire. Dickinson is the eldest son of author Peter Dickinson and Mary Rose Barnard. He was educated at St Paul's School (London) and Trinity College, Oxford, where he achieved a First in History. From 1985 to 1998, Dickinson worked at the Ministry of Defence (MOD). During this time he was seconded to the Cabinet Office