Allen Meisner is a member of INSANE, the International Network of Scientists Against Nuclear Extermination. A card-carrying mad scientist, he develops a hyperdrive engine capable of taking anyone to the stars for just a few dollars. But after a demonstration aboard a space ship goes awry, Allen learns that there's no such thing as a free ride.
Allen's ideas do not have quite the effect he desires. While the ability to travel great distances excites some, it terrifies others. Earth is in chaos as governments prepare for war to control this unleashed power. With everyone waiting for the bomb - now propelled by hyperdrive - to fall, Allen and his shuttle pilot, Judy Gallagher, look for a way to save humanity.
With electronic parts from Radio Shack and a plastic septic tank from a lumberyard, they build their own spacecraft and go in search of habitable planets. Armed with new allies, an intelligent butterfly, and a temperamental tree, they return to Earth for a final showdown between fear and freedom.
The Getaway Special, and its sequel, Anywhere But Here by Jerry Oltion aren't exactly great works of science fiction, but they're still some of my favorite. I love the concept of somehow jury-rigging a functioning spaceship, without the backing of a major government or company. I also enjoy how a good part of the novels deal with the scary, life-threatening difficulties of spaceflight and exploration, and discovering alien ecologies.
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