Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > rec.arts.sf.written > #658834 > unrolled thread

(Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham

Started byjdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll)
First post2026-07-05 13:32 +0000
Last post2026-07-08 16:23 +0000
Articles 16 — 10 participants

Back to article view | Back to rec.arts.sf.written

Contents

  (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) - 2026-07-05 13:32 +0000
    Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> - 2026-07-05 08:51 -0700
      Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) - 2026-07-05 12:13 -0400
      Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) - 2026-07-05 16:20 +0000
      Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) - 2026-07-05 18:39 +0000
        Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham BobbieSellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextremeinvalid.com> - 2026-07-05 12:25 -0700
        Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) - 2026-07-05 17:53 -0400
      Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-07-05 23:39 +0000
      Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> - 2026-07-08 14:42 -0400
        Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham BCFD 36 <bcfd36@cruzio.com> - 2026-07-08 12:02 -0700
    Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham Charles Packer <mailbox@cpacker.org> - 2026-07-08 07:58 +0000
      Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) - 2026-07-08 12:26 +0000
      Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) - 2026-07-08 13:23 +0000
        Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham Charles Packer <mailbox@cpacker.org> - 2026-07-09 07:32 +0000
      Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) - 2026-07-08 10:14 -0400
    Re: (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham Don <g@crcomp.net> - 2026-07-08 16:23 +0000

#658834 — (Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham

Fromjdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll)
Date2026-07-05 13:32 +0000
Subject(Tears) The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
Message-ID<112dme4$o76$1@reader1.panix.com>
The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham

A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth
-- 
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

[toc] | [next] | [standalone]

#658836

FromDimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net>
Date2026-07-05 08:51 -0700
Message-ID<112duhu$16gni$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#658834
On 7/5/2026 6:32 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
> The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
> 
> A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.
> 
> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth

For a relatively small country Britain seems to have a lot of insidious 
invasions.

-- 
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky 
dirty old man.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#658837

Fromkludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey)
Date2026-07-05 12:13 -0400
Message-ID<112dvqs$jbj$1@panix2.panix.com>
In reply to#658836
Dimensional Traveler  <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:
>On 7/5/2026 6:32 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>> The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
>> 
>> A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.
>> 
>> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth
>
>For a relatively small country Britain seems to have a lot of insidious 
>invasions.

Don't be putting down my Martian friends with the heat rays.  They are good
guys, just misunderstood.   And those Triffid plants just want to be friends
with your tomatoes.  
--scott

-- 
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#658838

Fromted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>)
Date2026-07-05 16:20 +0000
Message-ID<navehvFgervU1@mid.individual.net>
In reply to#658836
In article <112duhu$16gni$1@dont-email.me>,
Dimensional Traveler  <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:
>On 7/5/2026 6:32 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>> The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
>> 
>> A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.
>> 
>> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth
>
>For a relatively small country Britain seems to have a lot of insidious 
>invasions.
>

It's the villages!

   Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village
   by Maureen Johnson (Author), Jay Cooper (Author) Format: Hardcover
   https://amzn.to/4aB9lbR
-- 
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#658840

Fromjdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll)
Date2026-07-05 18:39 +0000
Message-ID<112e8ci$ci6$1@reader1.panix.com>
In reply to#658836
In article <112duhu$16gni$1@dont-email.me>,
Dimensional Traveler  <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:
>On 7/5/2026 6:32 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>> The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
>> 
>> A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.
>> 
>> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth
>
>For a relatively small country Britain seems to have a lot of insidious 
>invasions.

Islands are logical place to start invasions. At least Britain's 
visitors are not radioactive like Japan's.
-- 
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#658842

FromBobbieSellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextremeinvalid.com>
Date2026-07-05 12:25 -0700
Message-ID<112eb3c$1bo5d$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#658840
On 7/5/26 11:39, James Nicoll wrote:
> In article <112duhu$16gni$1@dont-email.me>,
> Dimensional Traveler  <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:
>> On 7/5/2026 6:32 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>>> The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
>>>
>>> A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.
>>>
>>> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth
>>
>> For a relatively small country Britain seems to have a lot of insidious
>> invasions.
> 
> Islands are logical place to start invasions. At least Britain's
> visitors are not radioactive like Japan's.

	It is the reputation of the former British Empire that has
attracted them.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#658843

Fromkludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey)
Date2026-07-05 17:53 -0400
Message-ID<112ejp0$4nn$1@panix2.panix.com>
In reply to#658840
James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>In article <112duhu$16gni$1@dont-email.me>,
>Dimensional Traveler  <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:
>>On 7/5/2026 6:32 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>>> The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
>>> 
>>> A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.
>>> 
>>> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth
>>
>>For a relatively small country Britain seems to have a lot of insidious 
>>invasions.
>
>Islands are logical place to start invasions. At least Britain's 
>visitors are not radioactive like Japan's.

A viewing of Quatermass And the Pit will show this is not always the case.
--scott
-- 
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#658844

FromLawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid>
Date2026-07-05 23:39 +0000
Message-ID<112epuu$1h8ub$1@dont-email.me>
In reply to#658836
On Sun, 5 Jul 2026 08:51:27 -0700, Dimensional Traveler wrote:

> For a relatively small country Britain seems to have a lot of
> insidious invasions.

“Airstrip One”.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#658916

FromTony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com>
Date2026-07-08 14:42 -0400
Message-ID<112m5nd$3rh3n$2@dont-email.me>
In reply to#658836
On 7/5/26 11:51 AM, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
> On 7/5/2026 6:32 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>> The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
>>
>> A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.
>>
>> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth
> 
> For a relatively small country Britain seems to have a lot of insidious 
> invasions.
> 

Like Cabot Cove's murder rate, that is.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#658918

FromBCFD 36 <bcfd36@cruzio.com>
Date2026-07-08 12:02 -0700
Message-ID<112m6s1$24v7j$3@dont-email.me>
In reply to#658916
On 7/8/26 11:42, Tony Nance wrote:
> On 7/5/26 11:51 AM, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
>> On 7/5/2026 6:32 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>>> The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
>>>
>>> A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.
>>>
>>> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth
>>
>> For a relatively small country Britain seems to have a lot of 
>> insidious invasions.
>>
> 
> Like Cabot Cove's murder rate, that is.
Or Midsomer County, which is on the island in discussion. Even bloodier 
than Cabot Cove.

-- 
----------------

Dave Scruggs
Senior Software Engineer - Lockheed Martin, et. al (mostly Retired)
Captain - Boulder Creek Fire (Retired)
Board of Directors - Boulder Creek Fire Protection District (What was I 
thinking?)

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#658899

FromCharles Packer <mailbox@cpacker.org>
Date2026-07-08 07:58 +0000
Message-ID<pan$333c5$88c968c4$2769a826$cf7706c0@cpacker.org>
In reply to#658834
On Sun, 5 Jul 2026 13:32:52 -0000 (UTC), James Nicoll wrote:

> The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
> 
> A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.
> 
> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth

Along with "Childhood's End" by Clarke and "The First Men" by
Howard Fast, do we have a cluster of stories written around the 
same time about efforts to raise a brood of exceptional
children?

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#658900

Fromted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>)
Date2026-07-08 12:26 +0000
Message-ID<nb6tuqFlro9U1@mid.individual.net>
In reply to#658899
In article <pan$333c5$88c968c4$2769a826$cf7706c0@cpacker.org>,
Charles Packer  <mailbox@cpacker.org> wrote:
>On Sun, 5 Jul 2026 13:32:52 -0000 (UTC), James Nicoll wrote:
>
>> The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
>> 
>> A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.
>> 
>> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth
>
>Along with "Childhood's End" by Clarke and "The First Men" by
>Howard Fast, do we have a cluster of stories written around the 
>same time about efforts to raise a brood of exceptional
>children?

Is "Mimsy Were The Borogoves" too early?
-- 
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#658901

Fromjdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll)
Date2026-07-08 13:23 +0000
Message-ID<112lj1e$4st$1@reader1.panix.com>
In reply to#658899
In article <pan$333c5$88c968c4$2769a826$cf7706c0@cpacker.org>,
Charles Packer  <mailbox@cpacker.org> wrote:
>On Sun, 5 Jul 2026 13:32:52 -0000 (UTC), James Nicoll wrote:
>
>> The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
>> 
>> A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.
>> 
>> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth
>
>Along with "Childhood's End" by Clarke and "The First Men" by
>Howard Fast, do we have a cluster of stories written around the 
>same time about efforts to raise a brood of exceptional
>children?

Oh, there's bunches and bunches of eerie/genius kid stories from
the early Baby Boom. 
-- 
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#658939

FromCharles Packer <mailbox@cpacker.org>
Date2026-07-09 07:32 +0000
Message-ID<pan$47f73$b06d646b$315291c0$c6f4a75@cpacker.org>
In reply to#658901
On Wed, 8 Jul 2026 13:23:59 -0000 (UTC), James Nicoll wrote:

> In article <pan$333c5$88c968c4$2769a826$cf7706c0@cpacker.org>, Charles
> Packer  <mailbox@cpacker.org> wrote:
>>On Sun, 5 Jul 2026 13:32:52 -0000 (UTC), James Nicoll wrote:
>>
>>> The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
>>> 
>>> A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.
>>> 
>>> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth
>>
>>Along with "Childhood's End" by Clarke and "The First Men" by Howard
>>Fast, do we have a cluster of stories written around the same time about
>>efforts to raise a brood of exceptional children?
> 
> Oh, there's bunches and bunches of eerie/genius kid stories from the
> early Baby Boom.


Yes, I had in mind the decade of the 50's. Is there a keyword for that
in the ISFDB so I could get a complete inventory?

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#658902

Fromkludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey)
Date2026-07-08 10:14 -0400
Message-ID<112llvr$lds$1@panix2.panix.com>
In reply to#658899
Charles Packer  <mailbox@cpacker.org> wrote:
>On Sun, 5 Jul 2026 13:32:52 -0000 (UTC), James Nicoll wrote:
>
>> The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
>> 
>> A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.
>> 
>> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth
>
>Along with "Childhood's End" by Clarke and "The First Men" by
>Howard Fast, do we have a cluster of stories written around the 
>same time about efforts to raise a brood of exceptional
>children?

Childhood's End was 1953.  The First Men was 1960.

The Boys from Brazil didn't come out until 1976, and I think Village
of the Damned doesn't really count...
--scott

-- 
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#658911

FromDon <g@crcomp.net>
Date2026-07-08 16:23 +0000
Message-ID<20260708a@crcomp.net>
In reply to#658834
James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
> The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
>
> A small British town falls victim to an insidious invasion.
>
> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/truth

Excerpt:

    The Children, thirty boys and twenty-eight girls, have
    some minor anatomical peculiarities. Otherwise, they
    could be regular children. However, it becomes apparent
    they are mentally profoundly different from humans.

This story shares some elements with Tamara White's short story
CATHEDRAL where:

    Genetically engineered geniuses, designed to solve all of
    the world’s problems so the average people don’t have to
    bother with such concerns as curing cancer and preventing
    plagues.

For the sake of efficient exploitation Proctors keep their young
charges on a short leash. The geniuses glow with self-pride in the
knowledge of their far superior intelligence. Yet, in the end, the
Proctors' pride is greater.

-- 
Don.......My cat's  )\._.,--....,'``.                     veritas    _|_
telltale tall tail /,   _.. \   _\  (`._ ,.               liberabit   |
tells tall tales.. `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.'              vos         |

[toc] | [prev] | [standalone]

Back to top | Article view | rec.arts.sf.written

csiph-web