Strange rockets crash to earth in England, the USSR and in America's New Mexico desert. The people of the world are stunned by these space ships - but what could the cryptic symbols and maps contained in them mean? Joining forces to decipher the messages, the world's scientists reveal a terrifying threat: if the Earth does not turn over all its gold, Martians will annihilate the planet. To demonstrate their resolve, the aliens deploy both a representative - unfortunately killed on landing, but disturbingly unlike any human - and a bomb, far more powerful than any nuclear weapon known. The political and military leaders of the world are shocked into an unprecedented unity. To fight this common enemy, they must resolve their planet-bound antagonisms, from Cold War tensions to violent standoffs in Ireland and Palestine. But are these martians real?

The first book to use the term 'flying saucer' in its title, this novel appeared in the wake of the Roswell incident and other UFO sightings, at a time when people feared both the threat from outer space and humanity's tendency toward self-destruction. With a playful take on weighty matters, The Flying Saucer is a satisfying combination of science fiction and thriller, witty satire and political commentary.