Five Against the World From the emptiness of the room a rich resonant voice spoke -- an alien voice from an alien planet: "You five earth people have in your hands the power of life and death. Each capsule you hold can destroy a continent. This weapon will be lent to you for a period of 27 earthly days. If by the end of this time you have not used it, it will become harmless. Our records of your racial history show that there is a better than 50 per cent possibility of this weapon's being used within the 27 days -- but in the end it will be your choice." THE 27TH DAY is the incredible story of five ordinary human beings who were abducted into the unknown and returned to earth with the power to destroy it. It is a frightening and prophetic novel of the not-too-distant future. John Mantley (1920-2003) was a Canadian theatrical actor, writer, director, screenwriter and producer, known for the long-running television series Gunsmoke (1955), How the West Was Won (1976) and Dirty Sally (1974). During World War II, he flew fighter planes for the Royal Canadian Air Force. And he was Mary Pickford's cousin.