Pages : 220
Overall Mark : 8/10
In the sleepy English village of Midwich, a mysterious silver object appears and renders all the villagers unconscious. The next day they awaken – to find that all of the women are pregnant. But the blonde, golden-eyed children of Midwich cannot be human: they grow too fast and their minds exhibit frightening abilities that give them control over others. Inevitably, their nature brings them into conflict with the villagers, just as a chilling realisation dawns on the world outside...
JOHN WYNDHAM (1903-69)
John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris started writing short stories in 1925. He wrote under many pen names, eventually settling on John Wyndham for his modified form of science fiction, which he called ‘logical fantasy’. He is best-known as the author of The Day of the Triffids, but he wrote many other successful novels including The Kraken Wakes, The Chrysalids and The Midwich Cuckoos (filmed as Village of the Damned).
VERDICT
Fans of alien invasion stories might find this a little tame due to the subtle nature of the invasion, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the methods that mankind chose to use in battling the menace. In spite of the twee surroundings and old fashioned nature of the book, there is still an element of defeatism present in this that is just as relevant to the world we now live in.
