From the first reading of The Day of the Triffids I've been a John Wyndham fan. Since then I've accumulated quite a collection of his works including some obscure ones. Any fan of John Wyndham is a friend of mine.
John Wyndham is one of my all-time favourite authors and, oddly enough, I've just been re-reading some of his books. As well as you ones you highlighted I think I might have most of his published books, plus compilations of stories. My favourite has to be The Midwych Cuckoos, although some others come a close second, especially Web, which I've happily read several times.
The Chrysalids was the 1st John Wyndham novel I read. It was the 1st SF novel that I read for an English class in school. My 1st job was working as a packing clerk for a local bookstore were I ordered every John Wyndham book that was still in print at the time. A few I had to go hunt down in 2nd hand bookstores. For me, I'd say Day of the Triffids and The Chrysalids were my favorites - I need to go back and re-read his novels - it's been about 4 1/2 decades since reading the 1st Wyndham novel . I recently bought a book of his short stories. For my cousin, he recently passed away but I will way in for him, it would be Chocky and The Chrysalids. He was 18 years my senior and encouraged me to read. Thanks for the video. Wish I could have sent it to him. He would have been a fan of this channel. Thanks!!
"Day of the Triffids" was the first Wyndham novel I read, followed by "The Chrysalids". He always found a twist on the alien invasion trope. As a kid, it took a couple of goes to get through "Trouble With Lichen" but once I did, it became a favourite. I once had a copy of "The Outward Urge" and don't remember what happened to it. Certainly, I never finished reading it. As for his short stories, I like "Consider Her Ways" and the humorous "Long Spoon". "Random Quest" is a favourite and between that and Dvorak, Otilka is a favourite name. While I enjoyed the stories of Clarke, Heinlein, and Asimov, I preferred Edmund Cooper, Brian Aldiss, Jack Vance, Anne McCaffrey, and AE van Vogt.
Great video! I’m a fan of Wyndham. Many times when I read vintage SF novels, I have a hard time getting past their dated language or values. For some reason Wyndham’s writing never evokes the cringe I feel from other classic SF authors. Triffids is my favourite so far!
Hi Laura! Yes the vast majority of books from that era are very much products of their time, unfortunately. As you say, Wyndham is better than most. Trouble With Lichen has an excellent female lead character, if you haven't read that yet. Thanks for watching 👀!
“Wynners podium”. Very good. I continue enjoy your unique subjects. The younger generation booktubers won’t and can’t do the same as their breath of reading limits them. Mostly in fantasy, but definitely in SF, the world of reading did not begin until. The 21st century
Are you saying I'm OLD Tom? How very dare you! 😀 to be fair to the yoof, we are all products of our formative years, it requires a bit of digging to find the gold in the past. I'm enjoying broadening my range. Thanks for watching 👀!
I read 'The Chrysalids' in the 1960s, and 'The Kraken Wakes', 'The Day of the Triffids', and 'Trouble with Lichen' in the early 1970s. I enjoyed them all, but 'Triffids' is the only one I've re-read, and my favourite by far. I also really like some of his short stories such as 'Pillar to Post', 'Meteor', and particularly 'Dumb Martian'.
I think strong female characters are quite common in Wyndham books, pretty much all of them have female co-stars which makes him very progressive for a 20th century write (although that is not really a high bar). To me his real feeling characters (both male and female) are one of the reasons why his work stands out amongst his contemporaries, that plus his subtle digs at the British establishment always make me chuckle. I've read pretty much everything he published and will always have a soft spot for Kraken Wakes, and because its the only alien invasion book where you never meet the alien. I'd also put forward The Wheel (proto-Chrysalids horror) and Confidence Trick (a hellish underground ride) as his best short stories.
Yes he was stronger than most at including female characters, although they were often there to be rescued or looked after by the guys. He's a favourite of mine. Cheers Chris, thanks for watching 👀!
Thank you for directing me to this video! I'll bet I would agree with your #1, although your description of The Midwich Cuckoos was so good it sounded hard to beat! Cheers.
Many people rate Cuckoos as their fave. I think they're all good, really, some more than others. Plenty of other videos in the back catalogue thanks for watching 👀!
Chrysalids will always be my favourite. I recently read Stowaway To Mars and Chrysalids back to back and can hardly believe they were both written by the same fella! 😁
I remember being profoundly moved by the old Midwich Cuckoos movie, and became an ardent reader of sci-fi shortly after. Thank you John Wyndham for changing my life.
I'm also a big Wyndham fan and am always pushing his novels on folks. I'd put Triffids on top (lousy film, but the tv series was pretty good), followed by Kraken (which could make a decent film now with advanced cgi tech), then Lichen, Cuckoos, with Chocky and Chrysalids further down. BTW, Triffids and Cuckoos are both available in oversized hardbound editions by the Folio Society.
Yes I haven't read enough of his short stuff. Jizzle, years ago but that's about it I think. I now have a nice Subterranean Press collection of some of his short stories that I should take a look at. Cheers Darren, thanks for watching 👀!
Jon, my history with Wyndham matches yours, as he was one of the first SF I read as a teenager. I really liked The Chrysalids, but I think Day of the Triffids is also my favorite. Love novels that grip you on page one...
Personal Ranking of Any and All Wyndham I Have Read So Far: 1. The Day of the Triffids (#1 by a fairly wide margin) 2. The Midwich Cuckoos 3. Stowaway to Mars (despite some unpalatable aspects...) 4. Web (read it a long time ago; very much enjoyed it - was surprised by this - but who knows what a re-read would do, 40 years later!) 5. The Kraken Wakes 6. The Chrysalids (it's weird how indifferent I am to this book - and also More Than Human by Sturgeon - whereas many SF fans love both; the universal law: different books for different tastes)
Most of the books you feature came out in Penguin with beautiful, simple Lino/Woodcut cover illustrations and a set of those is something to be desired. Add to those the early Penguin edition of The Seeds of Time (short stories) and you have a really nice sub set of books to grace your SF shelves.
Hi Paul, yes those Harry Wilcock woodcut illustrations is the 3rd set I'm collecting! I am missing a couple. I like those too but I do prefer the more colourful Peter Lord covers. Thanks for watching 👀!
I read the basic Wyndham's back in the 1960s or early 1970s. I read "Re - Birth" again last year. I see he was a combat veteran of WWII. I would think that had an effect on his writing.
Yes I imagine that must have had an effect on his writing. I read somewhere that he based his description of post-catastrophe London in Triffids on the eerie silence after a night bombing raid. Thanks for watching 👀!
The first John Wyndham novel that I read was my sister’s old copy of the Chrysalids, cover price 2/6. But my most read and my go to Wyndham is the Kraken Wakes, so much so that the copy that I picked up in the 1970’s has now fallen to pieces and I’ve had replace it with the latest edition, now slowly buying all his other novels in this edition, I can’t think of any other author I’d do bother doing that for. Plus I’m now on the lookout for good second hand editions of those 1970’s covers, but I blame the Outlaw Bookseller for that particular “need”.
Hi Ken, his writing from that period is excellent, I think. Are you referring to the woodcut line drawings? I think I'm just missing two of those now. Thanks for watching 👀!
@@SciFiScavenger Yes those are the one's. From what i just read somwone called Harry Willock did them. Got rid of my copy of Day of the Triffids and the Chrysalids when i brought the Penguin hard back edition of those two books. Now when i get a hardback copy of anything i already have in paperback, i keep the paperback. Never to late to learn.
I've discovered John Wyndham only this year, so far I read The Chrysalids and The Day of the Triffids. Both are very good, but I think I like Triffids more.
Day of the Triffids was a favourite until I read The Kraken Wakes. I found it frightening (as a 12 year old back in the late 60's I guess I would). Incidentally reading John Wyndham's books connected me to another SF writer who is virtually unknown today- Edmund Cooper. He had a similar style to John Wyndham.
Thanks for this; Wyndham has always been a favorite for a re-read. I would put The Kraken Wakes higher up, about even with Day of the triffids IMHO. Kraken would make a spiffy disaster movie; Triffids has had many screenings with the 1980s BBC version the best (good to watch in the plandemic). The Midwich Cuckoos was made into a superior film. SF books made into good films...hmmm...possible future topic?
Good video. I have read a lot of Wyndham and I love them all, I scavenged most of the ones in this review off my parents shelf starting when I was a kid. The Day of the Triffids is and always has been my number one, so I guess I am biased too. Kraken Wakes is a close second with the Midwich Cuckoos just behind. I only recently found out about his earlier writings and the only one I have read is The Secret People.
I find the Chysalids a book I can return to again and again and find no fault with, it has not aged for me or since it was written. As a youth I didn't understand how people couldn't get on in the extremes of the Triffids, much like the more modern walking dead. As for the Kraken, I envied the small holding at the end but there was no way to communicate with the 'Krakens'. Probably too young for Midwhich and its moral problems but I came to understand it better with age. The others I read in my 40's and enjoyed.
I think I prefer his short stories, but I do like John Wyndham. Strangely my favourites are not 'The Chrysalids' or 'Day of the Triffids', which is probably my least favourite. These, particularly Triffids, read like thought experiments, they are 'fish tank' stories. You can almost hear Wyndham saying 'end simulation' at the end. As novels they are so contained that they don't go anywhere. I much prefer 'The trouble with Lichen' and 'Chocky' which leave room for speculation after the last page.
As you know, Jon, I find end of the world novels very depressing. I like the stories where humanity fights back effectively. I'm pretty sure I DNF-ed Wyndham years ago...sorry. But, Bookfriends, I'm going to recommend James White, an Irish author who grew up during "the Troubles", and his books have a distinct pacifist theme. His Sector General books are wonderful. And a candidate for your Mysteries of Science Fiction theme, Jon! His short stories often feature the protagonists trying to figure out the metabolism of unknown alien creatures, to figure out how to cure them! 😮
@SciFiScavenger although I didn't find anything 'cozy' about the plot lol. A bit like John Christopher at his most visceral. Talking of which....do you know Christopher's 'young adult' sword of the spirits trilogy?
Wyndham was a key writer/set texts when I was a kid. Sadly largely forgotten now. Time for a reappraisal. So much is borrowed by other books/films. Films are really rather good. Although not particularly faithful to the texts. Similarities with H.G.Wells often overlooked.
From the first reading of The Day of the Triffids I've been a John Wyndham fan. Since then I've accumulated quite a collection of his works including some obscure ones. Any fan of John Wyndham is a friend of mine.
DotT was my first Wyndham too, although it has taken me 40 years to catch up and read all his major works. Cheers Daniel, thanks for watching 👀!
John Wyndham is one of my all-time favourite authors and, oddly enough, I've just been re-reading some of his books. As well as you ones you highlighted I think I might have most of his published books, plus compilations of stories. My favourite has to be The Midwych Cuckoos, although some others come a close second, especially Web, which I've happily read several times.
I haven't read Web yet, I have it on my shelves, more than once probably. Thanks for watching 👀!
The Chrysalids was the 1st John Wyndham novel I read. It was the 1st SF novel that I read for an English class in school. My 1st job was working as a packing clerk for a local bookstore were I ordered every John Wyndham book that was still in print at the time. A few I had to go hunt down in 2nd hand bookstores.
For me, I'd say Day of the Triffids and The Chrysalids were my favorites - I need to go back and re-read his novels - it's been about 4 1/2 decades since reading the 1st Wyndham novel . I recently bought a book of his short stories.
For my cousin, he recently passed away but I will way in for him, it would be Chocky and The Chrysalids. He was 18 years my senior and encouraged me to read.
Thanks for the video. Wish I could have sent it to him. He would have been a fan of this channel. Thanks!!
Aw, thank you! I have really enjoyed re-reading my old favourites of Wyndham's this year. I can recommend it! Thanks for watching 👀!
Wyndham's writing style was smooth as silk. I've enjoyed just about everything he wrote. His short stories are worth tracking down as well.
Yes I have quite a bit of his short stories, must read more of them. Thanks for watching 👀!
"Day of the Triffids" was the first Wyndham novel I read, followed by "The Chrysalids". He always found a twist on the alien invasion trope. As a kid, it took a couple of goes to get through "Trouble With Lichen" but once I did, it became a favourite. I once had a copy of "The Outward Urge" and don't remember what happened to it. Certainly, I never finished reading it.
As for his short stories, I like "Consider Her Ways" and the humorous "Long Spoon". "Random Quest" is a favourite and between that and Dvorak, Otilka is a favourite name.
While I enjoyed the stories of Clarke, Heinlein, and Asimov, I preferred Edmund Cooper, Brian Aldiss, Jack Vance, Anne McCaffrey, and AE van Vogt.
Yes same first read as me. I haven't read many of his short stories, must get to it. Thanks for watching 👀!
I always liked The Trouble With Lichen and it's probably my favourite
Definitely up there for me. Cheers Martin thanks for watching 👀!
Great video! I’m a fan of Wyndham. Many times when I read vintage SF novels, I have a hard time getting past their dated language or values. For some reason Wyndham’s writing never evokes the cringe I feel from other classic SF authors. Triffids is my favourite so far!
Hi Laura! Yes the vast majority of books from that era are very much products of their time, unfortunately. As you say, Wyndham is better than most. Trouble With Lichen has an excellent female lead character, if you haven't read that yet. Thanks for watching 👀!
Great video on one of my all time favourite writers. Personally I would have swapped 'Cuckoos' and 'Lichen' but that is probably also personal bias.
Oh very much so, entirely subjective this ranking lark. Cheers Steve, thanks for watching 👀!
“Wynners podium”. Very good.
I continue enjoy your unique subjects. The younger generation booktubers won’t and can’t do the same as their breath of reading limits them. Mostly in fantasy, but definitely in SF, the world of reading did not begin until. The 21st century
Are you saying I'm OLD Tom? How very dare you! 😀 to be fair to the yoof, we are all products of our formative years, it requires a bit of digging to find the gold in the past. I'm enjoying broadening my range. Thanks for watching 👀!
I read 'The Chrysalids' in the 1960s, and 'The Kraken Wakes', 'The Day of the Triffids', and 'Trouble with Lichen' in the early 1970s. I enjoyed them all, but 'Triffids' is the only one I've re-read, and my favourite by far. I also really like some of his short stories such as 'Pillar to Post', 'Meteor', and particularly 'Dumb Martian'.
I haven't read much of his short fiction, and not for ages, I should read some more. Thanks for watching 👀!
I think strong female characters are quite common in Wyndham books, pretty much all of them have female co-stars which makes him very progressive for a 20th century write (although that is not really a high bar). To me his real feeling characters (both male and female) are one of the reasons why his work stands out amongst his contemporaries, that plus his subtle digs at the British establishment always make me chuckle.
I've read pretty much everything he published and will always have a soft spot for Kraken Wakes, and because its the only alien invasion book where you never meet the alien. I'd also put forward The Wheel (proto-Chrysalids horror) and Confidence Trick (a hellish underground ride) as his best short stories.
Yes he was stronger than most at including female characters, although they were often there to be rescued or looked after by the guys. He's a favourite of mine. Cheers Chris, thanks for watching 👀!
"The Chrysalids". But "The Day of the Triffids" is a pretty close second. He's a very nice writer.
Hi Ken. The Ken MacLeod, I wonder? Anyhow, I do find Chrysalids a very satisfying read. Very rich world building. Thanks for watching 👀!
Thank you for directing me to this video! I'll bet I would agree with your #1, although your description of The Midwich Cuckoos was so good it sounded hard to beat! Cheers.
Many people rate Cuckoos as their fave. I think they're all good, really, some more than others. Plenty of other videos in the back catalogue thanks for watching 👀!
Love Wyndham, have since a boy. Great video mate
Fab, glad you enjoyed it Robert. Thanks for watching 👀!
Chrysalids will always be my favourite. I recently read Stowaway To Mars and Chrysalids back to back and can hardly believe they were both written by the same fella! 😁
Hi Luke, I haven't read any of his pre war material, but as you say I hear they're very different. Thanks for watching 👀!
I remember being profoundly moved by the old Midwich Cuckoos movie, and became an ardent reader of sci-fi shortly after. Thank you John Wyndham for changing my life.
I feel the same, although it was Triffids for me not Cuckoos. Cheers Andy, thanks for watching 👀!
I'm also a big Wyndham fan and am always pushing his novels on folks. I'd put Triffids on top (lousy film, but the tv series was pretty good), followed by Kraken (which could make a decent film now with advanced cgi tech), then Lichen, Cuckoos, with Chocky and Chrysalids further down. BTW, Triffids and Cuckoos are both available in oversized hardbound editions by the Folio Society.
@aadamtx yeah the folio editions are fabulous (but pricy). Can sometimes be cheaper in their sale. Thanks for watching 👀!
Midwhich Cuckoos was made into a movie called “Village Of The Damned”.
Yes that's right, twice in fact. Also a tv series. Cheers Steve, thanks for watching 👀!
@ Yes, “Children”..Both of those movies terrified me when I was 7 yrs old in 1960. Those glowing eyes 👀!!!
I like his collection of short stories in Wanderers Of Time.
The Puffball Menace was entertaining.
Yes I haven't read enough of his short stuff. Jizzle, years ago but that's about it I think. I now have a nice Subterranean Press collection of some of his short stories that I should take a look at. Cheers Darren, thanks for watching 👀!
Jon, my history with Wyndham matches yours, as he was one of the first SF I read as a teenager. I really liked The Chrysalids, but I think Day of the Triffids is also my favorite. Love novels that grip you on page one...
Great minds think alike, as they say. Cheers Luiz, thanks for watching 👀!
Personal Ranking of Any and All Wyndham I Have Read So Far:
1. The Day of the Triffids (#1 by a fairly wide margin)
2. The Midwich Cuckoos
3. Stowaway to Mars (despite some unpalatable aspects...)
4. Web (read it a long time ago; very much enjoyed it - was surprised by this - but who knows what a re-read would do, 40 years later!)
5. The Kraken Wakes
6. The Chrysalids (it's weird how indifferent I am to this book - and also More Than Human by Sturgeon - whereas many SF fans love both; the universal law: different books for different tastes)
I excluded Web because it was published after he died. I will read it at some point. Cheers Seth, thanks for watching 👀!
Most of the books you feature came out in Penguin with beautiful, simple Lino/Woodcut cover illustrations
and a set of those is something to be desired.
Add to those the early Penguin edition of The Seeds of Time (short stories) and you have a really nice sub set
of books to grace your SF shelves.
Hi Paul, yes those Harry Wilcock woodcut illustrations is the 3rd set I'm collecting! I am missing a couple. I like those too but I do prefer the more colourful Peter Lord covers. Thanks for watching 👀!
I read the basic Wyndham's back in the 1960s or early 1970s. I read "Re - Birth" again last year.
I see he was a combat veteran of WWII. I would think that had an effect on his writing.
Yes I imagine that must have had an effect on his writing. I read somewhere that he based his description of post-catastrophe London in Triffids on the eerie silence after a night bombing raid. Thanks for watching 👀!
The first John Wyndham novel that I read was my sister’s old copy of the Chrysalids, cover price 2/6. But my most read and my go to Wyndham is the Kraken Wakes, so much so that the copy that I picked up in the 1970’s has now fallen to pieces and I’ve had replace it with the latest edition, now slowly buying all his other novels in this edition, I can’t think of any other author I’d do bother doing that for. Plus I’m now on the lookout for good second hand editions of those 1970’s covers, but I blame the Outlaw Bookseller for that particular “need”.
Hi Ken, his writing from that period is excellent, I think. Are you referring to the woodcut line drawings? I think I'm just missing two of those now. Thanks for watching 👀!
@@SciFiScavenger Yes those are the one's. From what i just read somwone called Harry Willock did them. Got rid of my copy of Day of the Triffids and the Chrysalids when i brought the Penguin hard back edition of those two books. Now when i get a hardback copy of anything i already have in paperback, i keep the paperback. Never to late to learn.
The only book of his I've read is Day of the Triffids . So I've got some catching up to do .
You started with a good one! Cheers Raymond, thanks for watching 👀!
Me too. I've only read The Midwich Cuckoos, but enjoyed it enough that I'll try others.
I've discovered John Wyndham only this year, so far I read The Chrysalids and The Day of the Triffids. Both are very good, but I think I like Triffids more.
Yah, same here. Thanks for watching 👀!
Day of the Triffids was a favourite until I read The Kraken Wakes. I found it frightening (as a 12 year old back in the late 60's I guess I would). Incidentally reading John Wyndham's books connected me to another SF writer who is virtually unknown today- Edmund Cooper. He had a similar style to John Wyndham.
Interesting, I have a bunch of Cooper's books on my shelves not resd any yet. Thanks for watching 👀!
@@SciFiScavenger Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
Me too! Cheers Jeff.
Thanks for this; Wyndham has always been a favorite for a re-read.
I would put The Kraken Wakes higher up, about even with Day of the triffids IMHO.
Kraken would make a spiffy disaster movie; Triffids has had many screenings with
the 1980s BBC version the best (good to watch in the plandemic).
The Midwich Cuckoos was made into a superior film.
SF books made into good films...hmmm...possible future topic?
Hi Andrew, I should probably reread Kraken, didn't quite do it for me (although I did enjoy the last third very much). Thanks for watching 👀!
Good video. I have read a lot of Wyndham and I love them all, I scavenged most of the ones in this review off my parents shelf starting when I was a kid. The Day of the Triffids is and always has been my number one, so I guess I am biased too. Kraken Wakes is a close second with the Midwich Cuckoos just behind. I only recently found out about his earlier writings and the only one I have read is The Secret People.
I haven't read any of his early stuff, I have low expectations for some reason. Cheers Deb, thanks for watching 👀!
@@SciFiScavenger No worries, I really enjoy your videos. Your low expectations are probably justified in The Secret People, as I recall.
My favorite is The Chrysalids, closely followed by Triffids
Both books that I love. Thanks for watching 👀!
I find the Chysalids a book I can return to again and again and find no fault with, it has not aged for me or since it was written. As a youth I didn't understand how people couldn't get on in the extremes of the Triffids, much like the more modern walking dead. As for the Kraken, I envied the small holding at the end but there was no way to communicate with the 'Krakens'. Probably too young for Midwhich and its moral problems but I came to understand it better with age. The others I read in my 40's and enjoyed.
I really enjoyed re-reading the Wyndhams of my teen reading, still fantastic books. Cheers Jay, thanks for watching 👀!
I think I prefer his short stories, but I do like John Wyndham. Strangely my favourites are not 'The Chrysalids' or 'Day of the Triffids', which is probably my least favourite. These, particularly Triffids, read like thought experiments, they are 'fish tank' stories. You can almost hear Wyndham saying 'end simulation' at the end. As novels they are so contained that they don't go anywhere. I much prefer 'The trouble with Lichen' and 'Chocky' which leave room for speculation after the last page.
Interesting perspective! Always fascinating to hear when folks have a wildly different take on the same books. Thanks for watching 👀!
I'd argue that Triffids was the inspiration for zombie films.
Yes, agree, think I made the same point in my mini review a few months back. Thanks for watching 👀!
As you know, Jon, I find end of the world novels very depressing. I like the stories where humanity fights back effectively. I'm pretty sure I DNF-ed Wyndham years ago...sorry.
But, Bookfriends, I'm going to recommend James White, an Irish author who grew up during "the Troubles", and his books have a distinct pacifist theme. His Sector General books are wonderful.
And a candidate for your Mysteries of Science Fiction theme, Jon! His short stories often feature the protagonists trying to figure out the metabolism of unknown alien creatures, to figure out how to cure them! 😮
I like the sound of the Sector General books, I never see them in the wild. 🤷♂️ thanks for watching 👀!
Im a huge trouble with lichen fan
It's a good one! I like the protag. Thanks for watching 👀!
Got to be day of the Ts.
Indeed, I concur.
@SciFiScavenger although I didn't find anything 'cozy' about the plot lol. A bit like John Christopher at his most visceral. Talking of which....do you know Christopher's 'young adult' sword of the spirits trilogy?
Wyndham was a key writer/set texts when I was a kid. Sadly largely forgotten now. Time for a reappraisal. So much is borrowed by other books/films. Films are really rather good. Although not particularly faithful to the texts. Similarities with H.G.Wells often overlooked.
I was struck by how well they held up despite the passage of time, especially my top 2. Cheers Steve, thanks for watching 👀!