Chocky

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The novel was adapted and produced by John Tydeman as a single 60-minute drama for the BBC Radio 2, first broadcast on 27 November 1968. The cast includes: Wyndham singlehandedly invented a whole pile of sub-genres of SF. It’s as if . . . in the 1950s he was plugged in to the world’s subconscious fears and articulated them one by one in short, amazingly readable novels.” Later that evening when Matthew goes upstairs to bed, the doctor relays his findings: from what he can determine, Matthew's experience is somewhat similar to what our human ancestors called "possession," although in Matthew's case, it isn't possession in the traditional sense, it's more like a rational, working relationship.

Re-Birth ( The Chrysalids) was one of the first science fiction novels I read as a youth, and several times tempted me to take a piggy census. Returning to it now, more than 30 years later, I find that I remember vast parts of it with perfect clarity…a book to kindle the joy of reading science fiction.” The Chrysalids comes heart-wrenchingly close to being John Wyndham’s most powerful and profound work.” You should be employing your resources, while you still have them, to tap and develop the use of a source of power which is not finite…." I listened to the audiobook narrated by Damien Lynch, who does a very good job, bringing every character to life and managing the children’s voices well – not something every narrator can pull off. His unhurried approach suits the tone of the book and allows the listener time to absorb the themes.The Chrysalids is a famous example of 1950s Cold War science fiction, but its portrait of a community driven to authoritarian madness by its overwhelming fear of difference—in this case, of genetic mutations in the aftermath of nuclear war—finds its echoes in every society.”

The non-binary people who are increasingly visible today can surely relate to being pigeon-holed that way.What John Wyndham does so brilliantly is invest quiet suburban streets with menace. The idea of an alien intelligence inhabiting a child is always frightening. But here Wyndham turns a story of ‘possession’ into a touching fable about our profligate use of the planet.” BBC Radio 4 presented a reading by Andrew Burt of the novel in seven 15-minute episodes, abridged by Neville Teller, produced by David Johnson, and broadcast daily between 19 and 27 May 1975. intelligent life is the only thing that gives meaning to the universe. It is a holy thing, to be fostered and treasured.…" Reality is relative... When people live their lives by their beliefs objective reality is almost irrelevant.” No, no. This is still a rational world in this short novel. Of course, if King wrote it, I would expect something with a death toll, a very, very angry alien, and a kid hounded by pitchforks.