Odd John (Magill’s Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature)
At a glance:
- Author: Olaf Stapledon
- First Published: 1935
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Science fiction—superbeing
- Time of Work: 1910-1933
- Setting: Primarily England and a small island in the Pacific Ocean
- Genres: Long fiction, Science fiction
- Subjects: 1910’s, 1920’s, 1930’s, England or English people, Islands, Utopias, Superman or superbeings, Pacific Ocean, Mutations or mutants
- Locales: England, Islands
The Plot
Odd John (subtitled A Story Between Jest and Earnest) deals with one of the most pervasive questions of science fiction: How will humanity react when confronted with a being of superior intelligence? The narrator is writing a biography of John Wainwright, a mutant who represents the next step of evolution, Homo superior.
The narrator begins by describing John’s odd appearance, precocious intelligence, and early education. Too disruptive to attend school, “Odd” John masters specific subjects, such as mathematics and biology, as they...
[The entire page is 1137 words long]
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