It wasn't the first time I found myself reading a book, by chance, in circumstances that enhance it's dramatic effect. Last time it was reading J G Ballard's The Drought on a beach during one of Greece's hottest summers for some years. This time I read The Kraken Wakes - Wyndham's gloomy story of mankind's struggle against extra-terrestrials now living in our ocean's deepest deeps, who melt the ice caps to raise water levels at a devastating rate (sneaky subterranean bastards!) - during our trip to Fermanagh, surrounded by bank-bursting lakes and over-flowing rivers.
Love John Wyndham. Chocky is my favourite though. Creepy and exciting and lovely and brilliant.
Great cover too, I don't know who it's by but you might...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vickispics/2700566765/in/set-72157605882961040/
Posted by: Vicki | 10 September 2009 at 01:39 PM
That is a great cover on Choky. Really enjoyed Kraken. What to read next?
Posted by: Richard | 10 September 2009 at 05:05 PM
Not familiar with Wyndham's work (apart from nightmare-inducing viewing of Triffids on TV when I was a wee lad), but The Kraken Wakes sounds great – just added it to my ever-growing Amazon wishlist.
And why on Earth hasn't this been made into a movie? Global destruction? Aliens? Oceans? Kerching.
Posted by: Daniel | 18 September 2009 at 09:22 AM
Penguin's current batch of Wyndham covers are particularly lovely (although Triffids has fallen under the new Penguin Classics style that I'm not a fan of), especially the Chrysalids one.
Not sure who the illustrator is – seems strange that Penguin doesn't give this information on their website.
Posted by: Daniel | 18 September 2009 at 09:32 AM