The Midwich Cuckoos: Now a major Sky series starring Keeley Hawes and Max Beesley

When the inhabitants of a sleepy English village mysteriously fall asleep, the authorities take charge, trying to discover how and why it happened. But aside from a few mishaps, no-one appears to have suffered any ill-effects and the incident takes on the significance of an urban myth. However, nine months later, all the women are found to be pregnant, and after the children are born, strange things begin to happen...I first read John Wynham’s classic tale as a teenager, after seeing the 1960 film version (with the suave George Sanders as Zellaby). Though the movie wasn’t a patch on the book, my memories of that first reading still featured Sanders, so I decided to revisit the original and see if the tale of alien beings scaring the pants off an ordinary community, could still leave me fascinated and thoughtful.Though peppered with proper English chaps and jolly-hockey-stick-type women, the story is magnificent in the way it builds tension with each small revelation. The narrator thoughtfully takes a back seat much of the time, leaving local brain-box Gordon Zellaby to explore the possibilities and threats presented by the Children. With his theoretical monologues, he does at times rather dominate the action, which can be a little wearing. However, while nothing much happens in comparison to modern tales of alien invasions, the unhurried progress of the invaders and their gradually-revealed world-domination plans, is still a cracking good yarn.

I anticipated reading this, thought it would remind me of being a kid and reading 'The Day of the Triffids'. For anyone not accustomed to John Wyndham, I'd say his style is distinctive but I feel the story suffers from being a product of its time. It would be an interesting book for an English Literature or Sociology class to explore from the viewpoint of its attitude towards women, childbearing and motherhood. It's very readable but there were long tracts of discussion and the subject matter was tantalising but felt rather unexplored. A modern writer would no doubt tell it very differently. None of this is to detract from what the book is - classic sci fi - but modern readers may feel, as I do, that the idea was fantastically chilling but the delivery has dated quite badly.

Having only read “The Day of the Triffads” before, (which I loved) I wasn’t sure if John Wyndham was going to become a new favourite author or was a one book author, I’m relieved to find out that he is an accomplished author who captivates his reader.To say this book is un-put-downable would be an understatement, I found even when I had to put it down, (work gets in the way) I couldn’t stop thinking about it or talking about the story to anyone who would listen.I don’t want to say anything about the story, the blurb on the back of the book is sufficient, I think a review should be more about how accessible the book is, very, and about how enjoyable it is, very. Highly recommended even for people (like me) who don’t normally like or read science fiction novels.

The book cover has a modern illustration, but the type face looks like the original. I rather liked this and would enjoy collecting the series. I haven't read this book for years, when I was in my teens, but the story hasn't aged and the ideas intrigue. A page- turner you could enjoy in one long sitting.

Another great book from Wyndham. A short and eerie read. Free from Hollywood style drama and cliched emotion, Wyndham has a way of writing about tense scenarios in such a calm and considered manner with time to contemplate on the human condition. If such a fictitious event were to occur in real life I could imagine it unfolding something like this.