"During a routine test flight above the deserts of the Southwest, ace pilot Hal Jordan has a too-close-for-comfort encounter with a UFO. His jet takes a nosedive, but before Hal bites the dust, a strange green glow appears and prevents the crash. The mysterious UFO reveals Hal's alien rescuer, who possesses a green ring of untold power. What does Hal do when the alien offers him the ring and announces that the human pilot is now the new Guardian of Earth?"--Unedited summary from book.