And Then the Town Took Off

In Short

This novel is a whimsical, character-driven satire that explores the human capacity to normalize the impossible. When the entire town of Superior is uprooted and suspended in the atmosphere by an alien force, its residents react with quintessential bureaucratic apathy and petty local politics rather than panic. Blending 1950s Americana with interstellar intrigue, the story remains a charming relic of its time, capturing how society’s ingrained habits—from local government meetings to business-as-usual commerce—persist even when the very Earth beneath one’s feet has vanished.

The Story

The disappearance of Superior, Ohio, on Halloween night registers first as a local mystery before escalating into a national crisis. Don Cort, a bank messenger who happens to be in town when the lifting occurs, finds himself trapped in a rising municipality. He quickly discovers that the town’s residents are remarkably unbothered by their plight. Many attribute the event to the "magnology" experiments of a local professor, Osbert Garet, while the town’s mayor, Hector Civek, attempts to seize absolute power, crowning himself king of the "Kingdom of Superior."

As the town drifts across the American landscape, the federal government intervenes, deploying military surveillance and communication devices that Don is forced to wear to keep the Pentagon updated. The situation grows increasingly complex when "Gizls"—small, kangaroo-like extraterrestrial creatures—are revealed to be the true architects behind the town’s ascent. Operating from a subterranean control center, these beings act with a detachment that baffles the local leadership.

The town’s social structure fractures into competing factions. Senator Bobby Thebold sets up a rival camp to challenge Mayor Civek’s reign, leading to a "midway" of political stunts, propaganda, and rival claims to authority. Meanwhile, Professor Garet constructs erratic, pseudo-scientific machines in a bid for scientific supremacy. Don Cort moves between these camps, acting as an reluctant mediator while trying to maintain his own sanity and his growing relationship with Alis Garet, the professor’s skeptical daughter.

The arc reaches its climax when the extraterrestrial faction’s true plan is revealed: they intend to transport Superior—along with other cities worldwide—to the asteroid belt as part of a mission to re-establish a lost human civilization. The "Master," a frail, ancient human survivor, finally emerges from his long suspension to explain that his people need a new home. In a surprisingly amicable resolution, the human representatives of Superior, the Pentagon, and the alien council reach a compromise. The tension dissipates as the town’s future is secured. The story concludes with Don receiving a commendation from the Secretary of Defense, having successfully navigated the ordeal, and looking forward to a life on the ground with Alis, finally free of his military responsibilities and the bizarre constraints of the sky-bound town.

How It Unfolds

The sudden ascent After a truck driver discovers a massive pit where the town of Superior once stood, the reality of the town's elevation sinks in. Authorities arrive, but the initial confusion is met with a strange, eerie calm from the locals.

The political vacuum With the town cut off from the rest of the world, Mayor Hector Civek attempts to consolidate power by declaring himself king. Rival political factions emerge, turning the town square into a theater of competing banners and petty jurisdictional disputes.

The alien revelation Don discovers that the town is not a victim of human error but is being controlled by subterranean creatures. These kangaroo-like entities, the Gizls, reveal their presence only when the town’s equilibrium is threatened.

The struggle for control Professor Garet and Senator Thebold initiate a series of bizarre, escalating conflicts, utilizing jerry-built gadgets and political maneuvering. The situation teeters on violence as the residents argue over whether to resist or succumb to their captors.

The resolution of the mission The mysterious "Master" appears to settle the conflict, explaining the aliens' desperate need for a new world. Negotiations yield a peaceful transition that satisfies both the human government and the extraterrestrial planners, ending the crisis without bloodshed.

The People

Don Cort is a grounded, pragmatic bank messenger who finds himself the involuntary eyes and ears of the U.S. government. His skepticism and dry wit serve as the reader’s anchor amidst the town’s growing madness. Alis Garet, the professor's daughter, provides a necessary voice of reason; she is sharp, observant, and deeply embarrassed by her father’s eccentricities, yet she remains a loyal ally to Don.

Mayor Hector Civek embodies the book’s satirical look at ambition. He is a man who dreams of power, eagerly donning an ermine robe and crown the moment he perceives a power vacuum, yet he lacks the substance to truly lead. Professor Osbert Garet acts as the foil to this political posturing; his obsession with "magnology" and his desire to be recognized as a grand scientist blind him to the reality of the crisis. Finally, the "Master" appears at the end as a figure of quiet, weary wisdom, providing the necessary moral weight to pull the competing human factions back from the brink.

In Its Own Voice

"The town of Superior, Ohio, certainly was living up to its name! In what was undoubtedly the most spectacular feat of the century, it simply picked itself up one night and rose two full miles above Earth!"

This passage, which appears early in the book, sets the tone for the bizarre, nonchalant way the townspeople accept their new, gravity-defying status.

"The Gizls are on Hector's side. It seems to come full circle. Where do you start?"

Don’t assessment of the situation highlights the absurdity of the political deadlock, where even alien invaders get pulled into the town's petty local rivalries.

What It's Really About

The book is a sharp meditation on the absurdity of bureaucratic and political inertia. It argues that human beings are creatures of habit who will continue to engage in "business as usual"—holding committee meetings, printing newspapers, and squabbling over tax jurisdictions—even when the laws of physics have been suspended. The story poses a quiet, ironic question about whether a community is defined by its physical location or by the social structures its people insist on carrying with them. It suggests that even in the face of an existential, otherworldly threat, humanity’s primary instinct is not to panic, but to organize, complain, and eventually seek a path of least resistance through compromise.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the mid-century blend of "Golden Age" science fiction and social satire will find much to admire here. The book captures a specific, breezy tone common in 1960s paperbacks, where high-concept science fiction is treated with the same casual intimacy as a workplace comedy. It is a brisk read that feels like a long, witty episode of a classic television anthology.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes embedded in the text. The gender roles are firmly rooted in the 1950s, with female characters frequently relegated to roles as secretaries or romantic foils. Additionally, the dialogue often relies on the slang of the era, which can occasionally feel dated. If you can appreciate the satire for what it is—a snapshot of American life projected onto a surreal, interstellar backdrop—the book’s charm will persist. It is less a hard-science exploration and more a playful, biting look at how people cling to their mundane identities, even when floating two miles in the air. The final image of the town, having survived its own insanity, leaves the reader with a lasting sense of the resilience of the absurd.