Wyndham was one of Britain's greatest SF writers. He mastered the concept of bringing the strange and eerie into mild-mannered Britain at roughly the same time Ray Bradbury was doing it to the United States.
One of my favourite childhood authors along with C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and Rosemary Sutcliffe. The worlds those authors created helped keep my soul alive until I came alive to the search for soul and coming home to new becoming.
I heard about Triffids somewhere and decided to read it last year. It was a lot of fun and I’d seen that Modern Library had republished several others, including Cuckoos. So I read five of those over fall break. I read them all in a week, they were so good. Same with Chrysalids and Chocky. I read them over three days. They’re short, thought provoking, very well written, and entertaining. What’s not to love?
I have read 'The Chrysalids', having discovered it on the shelf at one of my rentals. I found it memorable, but very dark in its conclusions. There was a disturbing parallel between the protagonist's father and the Zealand woman in how they regarded the physically 'flawed' mutants. I have always wondered if the darkness in the ending was deliberate or if the author didn't notice the parallel he created.
I think that was intentional on his part. Within the scope of the novel, he was saying that the telepathic mutants were an advancement over the norm—at least that’s what the Zealand woman says.
Yes, that dismissal of the lives of the non-telepathic has always haunted me. My family has discussed how it is one of the hallmarks of dystopic novels that the people who fight against the dystopia end up creating another dystopia for other people.
My childhood reading, so theres happy memories there also. Especially his books were so ‘other’ from what girls my age were reading. But then i was bought up on Grimm:)
Wyndham was one of Britain's greatest SF writers. He mastered the concept of bringing the strange and eerie into mild-mannered Britain at roughly the same time Ray Bradbury was doing it to the United States.
One of my favourite childhood authors along with C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and Rosemary Sutcliffe. The worlds those authors created helped keep my soul alive until I came alive to the search for soul and coming home to new becoming.
Another Rosemary Sutcliff fan!
Thanks for posting this!
It would be great if more
people would read him,
especially
"The Day of the Triffids"
and
"Village of the Dammed",
they are great commentaries as well
as great Sci-fi!
I heard about Triffids somewhere and decided to read it last year. It was a lot of fun and I’d seen that Modern Library had republished several others, including Cuckoos. So I read five of those over fall break. I read them all in a week, they were so good. Same with Chrysalids and Chocky. I read them over three days. They’re short, thought provoking, very well written, and entertaining. What’s not to love?
I have read 'The Chrysalids', having discovered it on the shelf at one of my rentals. I found it memorable, but very dark in its conclusions. There was a disturbing parallel between the protagonist's father and the Zealand woman in how they regarded the physically 'flawed' mutants. I have always wondered if the darkness in the ending was deliberate or if the author didn't notice the parallel he created.
I think that was intentional on his part. Within the scope of the novel, he was saying that the telepathic mutants were an advancement over the norm—at least that’s what the Zealand woman says.
Yes, that dismissal of the lives of the non-telepathic has always haunted me. My family has discussed how it is one of the hallmarks of dystopic novels that the people who fight against the dystopia end up creating another dystopia for other people.
A warning unto itself.
Thanks again for John Wyndham ( my favourite) review and thoughts .
I can see why he’s your favorite. He’s a lot of fun.
My childhood reading, so theres happy memories there also. Especially his books were so ‘other’ from what girls my age were reading. But then i was bought up on Grimm:)