John Wyndhams The Crysallids

[Theshizznigg]

I read this book a while back, but it seems that few people I've ever talked to have in fact read it.
The Crysallids for its time is a brilliant piece of post apocolyptica writing, in which human society has had to rebuild in those places not touched by nuclear bombardment.
It makes mentions of cities in the books, but for the most part is centralized in a small town in Newfoundland. Which has turned into a breadbasket, due to globalized warming.
The society in which the protagonist lives, is a society of strict rivalist, (I want to say baptists, but thats not nice) who consider anything that isn't pure in form, or is a deviation of the status quo is an abomination and must be destroyed. Ie, babies with tails, cornstalks with eyes, etc.
Unfortunately for the protagonist, he and a bunch of the children in his community have seemed to develop psychic capabilities, which they must hide from the community.
The secret eventually gets out, and after a long witch hunt, the survivors find sanctuary from these group of psychicly enabled human.
Unfortunately, I believe Wyndham might have died before managing the sequel.
Still, I loved this book. I read it in two days, and was absolutely drawn into it. The whole concept of the book to me created so much interest, because its a story of survival for the most part.
Still, if anyone has actually read this book, I'd love to have a discussion with them about it.

Shizz.

[Grumbleguts]

This is my favourite Whyndham novel. Of his sci-fi output, most is straightforward, something-nasty-in-the-woodshed style fare - triffids, kraken, Midwich cuckoos, etc. This is more thoughtful and the 'freaks' are the good guys here, the real monsters are the fundamentalists. I haven't read it for a lot of years but I do remember hearing it first serialised on the radio and buying the book because I couldn't wait for the next part!

By the way it was also known as 'Rebirth' in some US publications.

[EAP]

It was a solid, entertaining read.

[Logos]

I don't usually like "sci-fi" but I read The Chrysalids (1955) in public school english class.. a few years ago now :lol: but I really liked it for, as you refer to in the poll, its post-nuclear setting which is as relevant today as it was in the 50s (post WWII).

John Wyndham [pseudonym for John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris] (1903–1969) was influenced by H. G. Wells early on when he started to write short stories. The Day of the Triffids (1951) was his first successful novel published. It was followed by The Kraken Wakes (1953), though I also really like Trouble with Lichen (1960). I think he's highly underrated, the films that were adapted from his works are/were far more popular.

[Theshizznigg]

I'm glad you liked it. I personally liked the whole project. It was an interesting read. It had the added affects of real romance (some Sci Fi guys just can't write romanticism inot their stories). The grim feel of a feasible post apocoylptic society. I mean really, what do think wold happen, Mad Max, or a society which rebuild itself? (Gotta love Cyberpunks).
I'm so glad some other people have read this little gem. I mean its really annoying when I'm discussing books, and nobody has ever heard of the Chrysallids.

[thescholar]

favorite apocalypse sci-fi so far, profound yet straightforward. Shizz, I have a thread for comparisons between chrysalids and farenheit 451. I agree, Wyndham shoulda made a sequel.

[Bubble734]

I am reading this book at the moment for English and am on chapter 6. I have to read it by tommorow...HELP!! anyway, I think that it is quite good but alot of the time is spent describing and explaining. When it gets to the actual story, however, it is very good.:thumbs_up

[Laughablefellow]

I read this book before I came to University, back when I had time to read for FUN (seems so long ago haha!), I was working my way through some of the science fiction "classics" (1984, Brave New World, Dune, Farenheit 451 etc...) and came to this one after reading Day of the Triffids. I thoroughly enjoyed both books and if studying English Lit at Uni hadn't interrupted my reading I would have moved onto The Kraken Wakes hot on their heels.