| Author | Message | ||
     Mark_lynch (Mark_lynch) Username: Mark_lynch Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 89.168.184.172 |
I thought this might be of interest to Wyndham fans on here. It's not cheap, but it is a first edition . . . http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plan-Chaos-Liverpool-University-Press/dp/1846311799 I think Gwyneth Jones reviewed it hesitantly positively on Radio 4's book show this week. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 90.208.48.111 |
Wasn't it Diana Wynne-Jones? I don't like that programme as it's presented by the highly irritating SF-disliking Mariella Frostrup. But it certainly sounded as if Wyndham fans would get a kick out of this. But the price needs to come down a bit for me | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
I adore Wyndhan's work. Day of The Triffids is a true classic and I've never understood people who refer to it as cosy catastrophe (I think that was Aldiss actually) as I always thought it was really bleak. The Chrysalids too has a kind of poetic darkness about it, about things winding down. The Midwich Cuckoos is probably the one that has aged the most for me and has a touch of the 'women know your place' which never bodes well. But a stunning writer and I'm glad his work is still getting attention as he is one of the more unusual Brit SF writers. Did any of you guys ever attempt Simon Clark's sequel to Triffids? It's woefully off the mark, which is a shame as he's otherwise a pretty decent writer. | ||
| Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.47 |
Do you know what John Wyndham and Evan Hunter have in common? | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.110.248.89 |
JW was a pseudonym (though using the author's first and one of his middle names) while EH was the real name of the author better known as Ed McBain. So it's not pseudonyms. It must be wearing black stilettos. | ||
| Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.47 |
Almost there with one of your points | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 82.20.31.211 |
Manolo Blahniks? | ||
| Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.47 |
wrong direction The link is the unusual aspect of the novels 'Candyland' and 'The Outward Urge' BTW Evan Hunter isn't Ed McBain's real name either. | ||
| Stephen Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 145.229.156.40 |
A new John Wyndham novel I never even knew existed!! Wyndham is probably the author most responsible for turning me onto science fiction as a youth and the one whose books I've most often reread - with ever increasing pleasure. 'The Kraken Wakes' is probably my fav but I think they're all great - even the very early pure pulp material has great entertainment value. He was also a cracking short story writer. I believed I had all his available material until reading this thread so this is what I call an early Christmas present! Where has this book been hiding all these years? I knew there was an unpublished sequel to 'The Midwich Cuckoos' lying in the vaults - titled 'Midwich Main' I believe - but hadn't heard the slightest rumour about 'Plan For Chaos'. | ||
| Gcw (Gcw) Username: Gcw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.151.125.173 |
"Did any of you guys ever attempt Simon Clark's sequel to Triffids? It's woefully off the mark, which is a shame as he's otherwise a pretty decent writer." I did, it is absolutely dreadful, surely he must have realised what a piece of trite, mannered crap he was writing at the time? Perhaps the paycheck was good. gcw | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
But in the old days they all spoke posh you know? No Simon, no they didn't. | ||
| Mark_lynch (Mark_lynch) Username: Mark_lynch Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.170.127.210 |
The answer to Webers's question is that the authors co-authored books with their pseudonyms. For a while, Graham Masterton had extracts of the first chapter of Simon Clark's trifids sequel up on his website as examples of bad writing. Then the book won the British Fantasy Award and he took it down. | ||
| Hubert (Hubert) Username: Hubert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 78.22.231.44 |
Anything by Wyndham is welcome here, though the price of this new offering is a bit steep. I've always been very fond of the short stories collected in Consider Her Ways and The Seeds of Time. The latter includes the fascinating "Survival". Of the novels I'd go for The Chrysalids. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.241.143 |
Whyndam is great. Really great. "The Chrysalids" is sublime and "Day of the Triffids" is simply an incredible novel. I'm also fond of "The Trouble with Lichen". | ||
| Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.47 |
The answer to Webers's question is that the authors co-authored books with their pseudonyms Correct, award yourself three points and give yourself a pat on the head. |