The Time Machine, We, The Trial, Brave New World, Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Chrysalids

Classic Dystopias: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Full-cast dramatisations of six masterpieces from the founding fathers of dystopian fiction 
 
Dark and disturbing, provocative and prescient, dystopian literature has long captured our imagination with its nightmarish visions of forbidding future worlds. Included here are six classic novels of time-travel, totalitarianism and terror, written by some of the masters of speculative fiction and adapted for radio with all-star casts. 
 
The Time Machine by HG Wells - A Victorian inventor takes a fateful journey into the far future, where mankind has diverged into two species - the Eloi and the Morlocks. Robert Glenister and William Gaunt star in this pioneering science fiction adventure. 
 
We by Evgeny Zamyatin - In a post-revolutionary future, OneState is ruled according to the principles of rationality. The penalty for dissent is death. But when engineer D-503 meets the beautiful 1-330, he begins to question everything... Starring Anton Lesser, Don Warrington and Brigit Forsyth. 
 
The Trial by Franz Kafka - Josef K is an ordinary man who lives a quiet life. Then, one morning, he is awoken by two men and arrested - but what is his crime? Mike Gwylim stars in this gripping dramatisation by Hanif Kureishi. 
 
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley - It's 2116 and Helmholtz Watson and Bernard Marx are token rebels in a society where eugenics, promiscuity and happiness are gently enforced. Into this world comes an outsider, John, who will show the duo what rebellion really means... Starring Justin Salinger, John Coy and Milton Lopes. 
 
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell - Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history to suit the Party. When he finds love with Julia, he awakens to new possibilities - but free thinking is forbidden, and Big Brother is always watching... Christopher Eccleston and Pippa Nixon star in Orwell's chilling tale. 
 
The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - In a post-apocalyptic world devastated by genetic mutation, the God-respecting people of Waknuk regard deviation as the work of the Devil. Young David and his friends can communicate by telepathy: but as Mutants, they must hide their powers or face the consequences of discovery... Starring Matthew Beard, Verity-May Henry and Emma Cunniffe. 
 
First published 1899 (The Time Machine), 1921 (We), 1925 (The Trial), 1932 (Brave New World), 1949 (Nineteen Eighty-Four), 1955 (The Chrysalids) 
 
(P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

H. G. Wells (Author) H.G. Wells was a professional writer and journalist who published more than a hundred books, including pioneering science fiction novels, histories, essays and programmes for world regeneration. He was a founding member of numerous movements including Liberty and PEN International - the world's oldest human rights organization - and his Rights of Man laid the groundwork for the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Wells' controversial and progressive views on equality and the shape of a truly developed nation remain directly relevant to our world today. He was, in Bertrand Russell's words, 'an important liberator of thought and action'. Franz Kafka (Author) Franz Kafka (1883-1924) was born of Jewish parents in Prague. Several of his story collections were published in his lifetime and his novels, The Trial, The Castle and Amerika, were published posthumously by his editor Max Brod. George Orwell (Author) George Orwell (1903–1950) is one of England's most famous writers and social commentators. He is the author of the classic political satire Animal Farm and the dystopian masterpiece Nineteen Eighty-Four. He is also well known for his essays and journalism, particularly his works covering his travels and his time fighting in the Spanish Civil War. His writing is celebrated for its piercing clarity, purpose and wit and his books continue to be bestsellers all over the world. John Wyndham (Author) John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Benyon Harris was born in 1903. He had a variety of careers before becoming an author, but decided to take up writing professionally in 1925. Under several pseudonyms, he wrote numerous short stories for American science fiction magazines. During World War II, he worked in the Ministry of Information before serving in the army, and took part in the Normandy landings. He returned to writing in 1946, using the pen name John Wyndham, and The Day of the Triffids was published in 1951. It was a huge success, and was followed by seven further novels. He died in 1969.

The Chrysalids

John Wyndham's classic science fiction novel, published as an Essential for the first time

'WATCH THOU FOR THE MUTANT!' 
 
It is many years since God sent the Tribulation to punish the forebears for their sins, and in the rural settlement of Waknuk David Strorm's father decries any and all blasphemies against nature. Little does he realise that David and his cousin Rosalind, have their own secret aberration which would label them as mutants. But as they grow older it becomes more difficult to conceal their differences from the village elders. Soon they face a choice: wait for eventual discovery, or flee to the terrifying and mutable Badlands. . . 
 
'An outstanding success' New York Times

One of the most thoughtful post-apocalypse novels ever written

The Chrysalids anticipates and surpasses many of today’s dystopian thrillers

Its portrait of a community driven to authoritarian madness by its overwhelming fear of difference—in this case, of genetic mutations in the aftermath of nuclear war—finds its echoes in every society

Remains fresh and disturbing in an entirely unexpected way

Perfect timing, astringent humour . . . One of the few authors whose compulsive readability is a compliment to the intelligence

John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Benyon Harris was born in 1903, the son of a barrister. He tried a number of careers including farming, law, commercial art and advertising, and started writing short stories, intended for sale, in 1925. From 1930 to 1939 he wrote short stories of various kinds under different names, almost exclusively for American publications, while also writing detective novels. During the war he was in the Civil Service and then the Army. In 1946 he went back to writing stories for publication in the USA and decided to try a modified form of science fiction, a form he called 'logical fantasy'. As John Wyndham he wrote The Day of the Triffids, The Kraken Wakes, The Chrysalids, The Midwich Cuckoos (filmed as Village of the Damned), The Seeds of Time, Trouble with Lichen, The Outward Urge, Consider Her Ways and Others, Web and Chocky. John Wyndham died in March 1969.

David Strorm's father doesn't approve of Angus Morton's unusually large horses, calling them blasphemies against nature. Little does he realize that his own son, his niece Rosalind and their friends, have their own secret aberration which would label them as mutants. But as David and Rosalind grow older it becomes more difficult to conceal their differences from the village elders. Soon they face a choice: wait for eventual discovery or flee to the terrifying and mutable Badlands ... 
 
The Chrysalids is a post-nuclear story of genetic mutation in a devastated world, which tells of the lengths the intolerant will go to to keep themselves pure.

Six classic BBC radio adaptations

John Wyndham: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Six classic BBC Radio dramatisations of stories by one of Britain's most popular science fiction authors.

John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Benyon Harris was born in 1903. He had a variety of careers before becoming an author, but decided to take up writing professionally in 1925. Under several pseudonyms, he wrote numerous short stories for American science fiction magazines. During World War II, he worked in the Ministry of Information before serving in the army, and took part in the Normandy landings. He returned to writing in 1946, using the pen name John Wyndham, and The Day of the Triffids was published in 1951. It was a huge success, and was followed by seven further novels. He died in 1969.

Bill Nighy, Sarah Parish, Barbara Shelley and Peter Sallis are among the cast in these six classic BBC Radio dramatisations. 
 
John Wyndham’s quietly menacing post-apocalyptic tales are enduringly popular, and these gripping, atmospheric radio adaptations of his classic fiction are resonant with terror and suspense. In 
 
The Day of the Triffids, first broadcast in 1968, most people have been left blind after a meteor shower, and lethal carnivorous triffids are roaming the land. 
 
The Kraken Wakes, dramatised for radio in 1998, is a thrilling story of monsters from the deep, alien invasion and ecological disaster. 
 
The Chrysalids, first broadcast in 1981, explores the dangers of being different, while the 1989 adaptation of short story Survival focuses on the lengths people will go to in order to survive. 
 
The Midwich Cuckoos, broadcast in 2003, is a disturbing tale of a village sealed off from the world for a day, and subsequently taken over by terrifying, inhuman children. 
 
Dramatised for radio in 1998, Chocky is a chilling tale of a boy who appears to be communicating with an invisible friend. 
 
Also included is Beware the Stare! a half-hour BBC Radio 4 documentary looking at The Midwich Cuckoos in print and on screen. 
 
Note: These are the BBC Transcription Services versions of The Day of the Triffids, prepared for 
sale to overseas territories. At the time, 12 minutes of material was deleted from these episodes to bring down the running time. However, these deleted scenes have been recovered and are included as bonus extra content at the end of the final episode of The Day of the Triffids.

The Day of the Triffids

<a href="https://shop.penguin.co.uk/collections/book-bundles-clothbound-classics/?&amp;utm_source=Penguin.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=Banner&amp;utm_campaign=Penguin_Clothbound_Series_26_06" target="_blank">Buy 3 classics for £33 on the Penguin Shop</a>

A stunning new clothbound edition of one of the most famous science-fiction novels of the twentieth century, designed by the acclaimed Coralie-Bickford Smith. 
 
When Bill Masen wakes up blindfolded in hospital there is a bitter irony in his situation. Carefully removing his bandages, he realizes that he is the only person who can see: everyone else, doctors and patients alike, have been blinded by a meteor shower. Now, with civilization in chaos, the triffids - huge, venomous, large-rooted plants able to 'walk', feeding on human flesh - can have their day...

John Wyndham was born in 1903 in the Midlands. After leaving school, he tried his hand at several careers, including farming, law and advertising, before starting to write stories in 1925. During the war he worked as a censor in the Ministry of Information and afterwards served in the Army. The Day of The Triffids was published in 1951, and was followed by many other famous works of science fiction, including The Kraken Wakes, The Chrysalids and The Midwich Cuckoos. Wyndham died in 1969.

Stowaway to Mars

'It was a desert. A vista of reddish rocks and drifted sand, arid and hot, extending to the limits of their view. A dreary waste upon which nothing moved or grew . . .' 
 
For British pilot Dale Curtance the Keuntz Prize - to be awarded to the first person to take a spaceship to another planet and back - is the ultimate challenge. Not only has he to build a ship to survive the journey, assemble a top-notch crew and choose a destination, he's also got to beat the Russians and Americans. 
 
Soon the GLORIA MUNDI blasts off from Salisbury Plain, bound for Mars. There's only one problem - a stowaway called Joan. Not only does her presence wreck calculations and threaten the mission, but her tale suggests that Mars may be a more dangerous destination than they ever expected. 
 
'Perhaps the best writer of science fiction England has ever produced' Stephen King

John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Benyon Harris was born in 1903. He tried a number of careers including farming, law, commercial art and advertising, and started writing short stories in 1925. During the war he was in the Civil Service and then the Army. In 1946 he went back to writing stories for publication in the USA and decided to try a modified form of science fiction, a form he called 'logical fantasy'. As John Wyndham he wrote The Day of the Triffids, The Kraken Wakes, The Chrysalids, The Midwich Cuckoos (filmed as Village of the Damned), The Seeds of Time, Trouble with Lichen, The Outward Urge, Consider Her Ways and Others, Web and Chocky. John Wyndham died in March 1969.

For British pilot Dale Curtance, the Keuntz Prize - to be awarded to the first person to take a spaceship to another planet and back - is the ultimate challenge. Not only has he to build a ship to survive the journey, assemble a top-notch crew and choose a destination, he's also got to beat the Russians and Americans. 
 
Soon the GLORIA MUNDI blasts off from Salisbury Plain, bound for Mars. There's only one problem - a stowaway called Joan. Not only does her presence wreck calculations and threaten the mission, but her tale suggests that Mars may be a more dangerous destination than they ever expected.

The Secret People

'The Sun Bird was beginning to travel fast, close to the edge of the whirlpool. They could look right down into the hollow of spinning water' 
 
While flying over Africa's New Sea, a water project in the heart of the Sahara desert, Mark Sunnet's rocket plane crashes and is sucked through a hole in the desert floor into a strange, cavernous new world. 
 
There, he and his partner Margaret encounter the survivors of an ancient race of underground dwellers whose whole existence is now threatened. Captured and forced to live with other prisoners taken from the surface, the pair know that they must escape before the waters above drown them all . . . 
 
The Secret People, published in 1935, is John Wyndham's first novel. 
 
'Perhaps the best writer of science fiction England has ever produced' Stephen King

While flying over Africa's New Sea, a water project in the heart of the Sahara desert, Mark Sunnet's rocket plane crashes and is sucked through a hole in the desert floor into a strange, cavernous new world. 
 
There, he and his partner Margaret encounter the survivors of an ancient race of underground dwellers whose whole existence is now threatened. Captured and forced to live with other prisoners taken from the surface, the pair know that they must escape before the waters above drown them all . . .

Classic Science Fiction

The Seeds of Time

In this thrilling collection of stories, John Wyndham, author of the acclaimed classics The Day of the Triffids and The Midwich Cuckoos, conducts ten experiments along the theme of 'I wonder what might happen if . . .' 
 
There's the story of the meteor, which holds much more than meets the eye. 
In Chronoclasm a man is pursued by his own future. 
We meet a robot with an overactive compassion circuit. 
And what happens when the citizens of the future turn the past into a giant theme park? 
 
'One of the few authors whose compulsive readability is a compliment to the intelligence' Spectator

One of the few authors whose compulsive readability is a compliment to the intelligence

John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Benyon Harris was born in 1903, the son of a barrister. He tried a number of careers including farming, law, commercial art and advertising, and started writing short stories, intended for sale, in 1925. From 1930 to 1939 he wrote short stories of various kinds under different names, almost exclusively for American publications, while also writing detective novels. During the war he was in the Civil Service and then the Army. In 1946 he went back to writing stories for publication in the USA and decided to try a modified form of science fiction, a form he called 'logical fantasy'. As John Wyndham he wrote The Day of the Triffids, The Kraken Wakes, The Chrysalids, The Midwich Cuckoos (filmed as Village of the Damned), The Seeds of Time, Trouble with Lichen, The Outward Urge, Consider Her Ways and Others, Web and Chocky. John Wyndham died in March 1969.

In this thrilling collection of stories, John Wyndham, author of the acclaimed classics The Day of the Triffids and The Midwich Cuckoos, conducts ten experiments along the theme of 'I wonder what might happen if . . .' 
 
There's the story of the meteor, which holds much more than meets the eye. In Chronoclasm a man is pursued by his own future. We meet a robot with an overactive compassion circuit. And what happens when the citizens of the future turn the past into a giant theme park?

And Others

Consider Her Ways

The six stories in Consider Her Ways: And Others, the second collecton of John Wyndham's short tales, continue his exploration of the science fiction staple - what if? 
 
In the title story we are introduced to a world where all the men have been killed by a virus and women continue to survive in a strict caste system - bottom of the heap are the mothers. In others we meet the man who accidentally summons a devil and then has to find a way of getting rid of him without losing his immortal soul, as well as the woman who, thanks to an experiment in time, discovers why her lover abandoned her. 
 
'Wyndham writes strongly and has a gift for bizarre plots' Guardian 
 
'One of the few authors whose compulsive readability is a compliment to the intelligence' Spectator 
 
John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Benyon Harris was born in 1903, the son of a barrister. He tried a number of careers including farming, law, commercial art and advertising, and started writing short stories, intended for sale, in 1925. From 1930 to 1939 he wrote short stories of various kinds under different names, almost exclusively for American publications, while also writing detective novels. During the war he was in the Civil Service and then the Army. In 1946 he went back to writing stories for publication in the USA and decided to try a modified form of science fiction, a form he called 'logical fantasy'. As John Wyndham he wrote The Day of the Triffids, The Kraken Wakes, The Chrysalids, The Midwich Cuckoos (filmed as Village of the Damned), The Seeds of Time, Trouble with Lichen, The Outward Urge, Consider Her Ways and Others, Web and Chocky. John Wyndham died in March 1969.

The six stories in this second collecton of John Wyndham's short tales continue his exploration of the science fiction staple - what if? 
 
In the title story we are introduced to a world where all the men have been killed by a virus and women continue to survive in a strict caste system - bottom of the heap are the mothers. In others we meet the man who accidentally summons a devil and then has to find a way of getting rid of him without losing his immortal soul, as well as the woman who, thanks to an experiment in time, discovers why her lover abandoned her.

The most famous catastrophe novel of the twentieth century, John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids, published as a Penguin Essential for the first time. 
 
'When a day that you happen to know is Wednesday starts off by sounding like Sunday, there is something seriously wrong somewhere.' 
 
When a freak cosmic event renders most of the Earth's population blind, Bill Masen - one of the lucky few to keep his sight - finds himself trapped in a London jammed with sightless mobs who prey on those who can still see. But another menace stalks blind and sighted alike. With nobody to stop them the Triffids - walking carnivorous plants with lethal stingers - rise up as humanity stumbles and falls . . .

Frightening and powerful, Wyndham’s vision remains an important allegory and a gripping story

Wyndham was a true English visionary, a William Blake with a science doctorate

One of those books that haunts you for the rest of your life

The best writer of science fiction that England has ever produced

[Wyndham] did more than any other British writer since H. G. Wells to make science fiction popular... His plots, however fantastic, were characterized by inventiveness, clarity and a profound sympathy for mankind

'When a day that you happen to know is Wednesday starts off by sounding like Sunday, there is something seriously wrong somewhere.' 
 
When a freak cosmic event renders most of the Earth's population blind, Bill Masen - one of the lucky few to keep his sight - finds himself trapped in a London jammed with sightless mobs who prey on those who can still see. But another menace stalks blind and sighted alike. With nobody to stop them the Triffids - walking carnivorous plants with lethal stingers - rise up as humanity stumbles and falls . . .

Chocky

<a href="https://shop.penguin.co.uk/collections/book-bundles-modern-classics/?&amp;utm_source=Penguin.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=Linked_text&amp;utm_campaign=Penguin_Modern_Classics_Series_26_06">Choose 3 timeless classics for only £21 over on the Penguin Shop</a>

John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Benyon Harris was born in 1903. He tried a number of careers including farming, law, commercial art and advertising, and started writing short stories in 1925. From 1930 to 1939 he wrote stories under different names, almost exclusively for American publications, while also writing detective novels. During the war he was in the Civil Service and then the Army. In 1946 he went back to writing stories and decided to try a modified form of science fiction, a form he called 'logical fantasy'. He died in March 1969. 
 
Poet, playwright, critic, fiction and science-fiction writer Brian Aldiss was born in 1925 in Dereham, Norfolk, and is the author of more than seventy-five books. He lives in Oxford and was awarded an OBE in 2005 for Services to Literature

Matthew's parents are worried. At eleven, he's much too old to have an imaginary friend, yet they find him talking to and arguing with a presence that even he admits is not physically there. This presence - Chocky - causes Matthew to ask difficult questions and say startling things: he speaks of complex mathematics and mocks human progress. Then, when Matthew does something incredible, it seems there is more than the imaginary about Chocky. Which is when others become interested and ask questions of their own: who is Chocky? And what could it want with an eleven-year-old boy?

Plan for Chaos

Perhaps the best writer of science fiction England has ever produced

John Wyndham (1903-69) is the legendary author of the sci-fi classics The Day of the Triffids, The Chrysalids, The Midwich Cuckoos, The Kraken Wakes, Trouble with Lichen and Chocky. When Triffids was published in 1951 he was widely hailed as HG Wells's only and true successor. In pioneering a new type of novel he called 'logical fantasy', he is credited with single-handedly reviving British interest in science fiction after the Second World War.

In a city that could well be New York, a series of identical women are found dead in suspicious circumstances. Magazine photographer Johnny Farthing, who is reporting on the suspected murders, is chilled to discover that his fiancée looks identical to the victims too - and then she disappears. As his investigations spiral beyond his control, he finds himself at the heart of a sinister plot that uses cloning to revive the Nazi vision of a world-powerful master race... 
Part detective noir, part dystopic thriller, Plan for Chaos reveals the legendary science fiction novelist grappling with some of his most urgent and personal themes.

John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Benyon Harris was born in 1903. He tried a number of careers including farming, law, commercial art and advertising, and started writing short stories in 1925. From 1930 to 1939 he wrote stories under different names, almost exclusively for American publications, while also writing detective novels. During the war he was in the Civil Service and then the Army. In 1946 he went back to writing stories and decided to try a modified form of science fiction, a form he called 'logical fantasy'. He died in March 1969.

Matthew's parents are worried. At eleven, he's much too old to have an imaginary friend, yet they find him talking to and arguing with a presence that even he admits is not physically there. This presence - Chocky - causes Matthew to ask difficult questions and say startling things: he speaks of complex mathematics and mocks human progress. Then, when Matthew does something incredible, it seems there is more than the imaginary about Chocky. Which is when others become interested and ask questions of their own: who is Chocky? And what could it want with an eleven-year-old boy? 
 
A story of innocence and alien contact, Chocky is a sinister tale of manipulation and experimentation from afar.

The Midwich Cuckoos

Vibrant reissue of five of John Wyndham's most famous novels

FROM THE CLASSIC SCI-FI WRITER AND AUTHOR OF THE CHRYSTALIDS AND THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS 
 
Now a modern reimagining starring Keeley Hawes and Max Beesley available to watch on Sky. 
 
'Exciting, unsettling and technically brilliant' Spectator 
 
In the sleepy English village of Midwich, a mysterious silver object appears and all the inhabitants fall unconscious. A day later the object is gone and everyone awakens unharmed - except that all the women in the village are discovered to be pregnant. 
 
The resultant children of Midwich do not belong to their parents: all are blonde, all are golden eyed. They grow up too fast and their minds exhibit frightening abilities that give them control over others and brings them into conflict with the villagers just as a chilling realisation dawns on the world outside . . . 
 
The Midwich Cuckoos is the classic tale of aliens in our midst, exploring how we respond when confronted by those who are innately superior to us in every conceivable way.

[Wyndham] continues to haunt the public imagination... and ask profound questions about the limits of our culture and the foundations of the post-war world

Wyndham’s chef d’oeuvre... a graphic metaphor for the fear of unwanted pregnancies

Exciting, unsettling and technically brilliant

[Wyndham] singlehandedly invented a whole pile of sub-genres of science fiction. It’s as if... he was plugged in to the world’s subconscious fears and articulated them one by one

In the sleepy English village of Midwich, a mysterious silver object appears and all the inhabitants fall unconscious. A day later the object is gone and everyone awakens unharmed - except that all the women in the village are discovered to be pregnant. 
 
The resultant children of Midwich do not belong to their parents: all are blonde, all are golden eyed. They grow up too fast and their minds exhibit frightening abilities that give them control over others and brings them into conflict with the villagers just as a chilling realisation dawns on the world outside . . . 
 
The Midwich Cuckoos is the classic tale of aliens in our midst, exploring how we respond when confronted by those who are innately superior to us in every conceivable way.

The Kraken Wakes

'Ingenious, horrifying' - Guardian 
 
It started with fireballs raining down from the sky and crashing into the oceans' deeps. Then ships began sinking mysteriously and later 'sea tanks' emerged from the deeps to claim people . . . 
 
For journalists Mike and Phyllis Watson, what at first appears to be a curiosity becomes a global calamity. Helpless, they watch as humanity struggles to survive now that water - one of the compounds upon which life depends - is turned against them. Finally, sea levels begin their inexorable rise . . . 
 
The Kraken Wakes is a brilliant novel of how humankind responds to the threat of its own extinction and, ultimately, asks what we are prepared to do in order to survive.

At a time when truth is often stranger than fiction, this is the perfect time to rediscover a writer whose vision has never been more relevant

Few books capture the obscure, elliptical way that threats move from the background to the foreground of reality like The Kraken Wakes. . . . Feels all too familiar in today’s age of anti-vaxxer disinformation and QAnon conspiracists

It started with fireballs raining down from the sky and crashing into the oceans' deeps. Then ships began sinking mysteriously and later 'sea tanks' emerged from the deeps to claim people . . . 
 
For journalists Mike and Phyllis Watson, what at first appears to be a curiosity becomes a global calamity. Helpless, they watch as humanity struggles to survive now that water - one of the compounds upon which life depends - is turned against them. Finally, sea levels begin their inexorable rise . . . 
 
The Kraken Wakes is a brilliant novel of how humankind responds to the threat of its own extinction and, ultimately, asks what we are prepared to do in order to survive.

Trouble with Lichen

FROM THE RENOWNED CLASSIC SCI-FI WRITER AND AUTHOR OF THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS AND THE CHRYSTALIDS 
 
'Ingenious' Evening Standard 
 
Francis Saxover and Diana Brackley, two scientists investigating a rare lichen, discover it has a remarkable property: it retards the aging process. Francis, realising the implications for the world of an ever-youthful, wealthy elite, wants to keep it secret, but Diana sees an opportunity to overturn the male status quo by using the lichen to inspire a feminist revolution. 
 
As each scientist wrestles with the implications and practicalities of exploiting the discovery, the world comes ever closer to learning the truth . . . 
 
Trouble With Lichen is a scintillating story of the power wielded by science in our lives and asks how much trust should we place in those we appoint to be its guardians?

Francis Saxover and Diana Brackley, two scientists investigating a rare lichen, discover it has a remarkable property: it retards the aging process. Francis, realising the implications for the world of an ever-youthful, wealthy elite, wants to keep it secret, but Diana sees an opportunity to overturn the male status quo by using the lichen to inspire a feminist revolution. 
 
As each scientist wrestles with the implications and practicalities of exploiting the discovery, the world comes ever closer to learning the truth . . . 
 
Trouble With Lichen is a scintillating story of the power wielded by science in our lives and asks how much trust should we place in those we appoint to be its guardians?

Classic Radio Sci-Fi

Sacha Dhawan, Owen Teale and Cathy Tyson star in a BBC Radio full-cast drama based on John Wyndham's disturbing tale of a possessed child.

From John Wyndham, author of The Day of the Triffids, comes this chilling tale of a normal boy confronted with abnormal circumstances. Matthew had always been an ordinary boy. Even when he started talking to himself and introduced his invisible friend, Chocky, to the family, it was obviously just a phase he was going through. And all children have imaginary friends, even if Matthew’s a bit old to have one. As he becomes increasingly distressed and blames it on arguments with this unseen companion, his parents become concerned. But when Matthew starts explaining binary maths and anti-gravity propulsion, concerns turn to worry. After all, Chocky is only the product of an overactive imagination. Isn’t he? Chocky stars Sacha Dhawan as Matthew, Owen Teale as David Gore and Cathy Tyson as Mary Gore.

Kraken Wakes, The (Classic Radio Sci-Fi)

John Wyndham’s classic tale of monsters from the deep, alien invasion and ecological disaster comes alive in this full-cast BBC Radio dramatisation.

At first the fireballs seemed to be nothing more than a dazzling display of lights in the sky, plunging into the deepest oceans and disappearing without trace. But, when ships started sinking inexplicably and the sea-lanes became impassable, it seemed that the world was facing a threat of unprecedented proportions.   Mike and Phyllis Watson, both radio journalists, are caught up in the centre of events, well aware that it’s not the cold war or international conflicts that are causing these events, but something infinitely more deadly – an alien invasion.   And that’s not all: the sea level is rising, the ice caps are melting, London and other cities are flooding, millions of people are drowning and ecological disaster looms. And, whatever the alien beings are, they have begun to emerge from the sea...   A science fiction story full of contemporary resonances, from the fear of global warming to the distrust of official information and propaganda, and the ultimate fear of a challenge to the supremacy of human beings on Earth.

Bill Nighy and Sarah Parish star in this unsettling tale of a village taken over by terrifying, inhuman children.

Driving back from a weekend in London, Richard and Janet Gayford are surprised to find the village of Midwich sealed off because of ‘army manoeuvres’. There are no birds singing, the air seems thick and there is a strange sort of music in the air. It soon becomes clear that there is an invisible wall around the village, and everyone within the perimeter is unconscious.   When the barrier lifts, the strange occurrence is put down to a gas leak. The villagers seem to have suffered no adverse effects from their ‘day out’ - until, some months later, there is an epidemic of pregnancies among the women.   All the babies are born on the same day, all have golden eyes - and they can all communicate with each other telepathically. As they grow older and their powers grow stronger, the people of Midwich begin to feel threatened...

The Chrysalids & Survival

A double bill of John Wyndham stories adapted for BBC radio in two full-cast dramatisations.

Two classic tales from acclaimed British science fiction writer John Wyndham. In The Chrysalids, ten-year-old David is a happy, ordinary boy, untroubled except for occasional strange dreams about a mysterious city – until he befriends Sophie, who is unlike anybody he has met before: she has six toes. But, in the ultra-religious village of Waknut, all abnormality is abhorred as an offence against God, and he must keep her secret to himself. When he learns that he, too, is ‘deviant’, he realises that differences can be very dangerous indeed... Survival, set in the future, concerns the first auto-piloted space flight. When the ship meets with an accident, one of the passengers is killed and the others are cast adrift into space. They have enough supplies to last for three months – but the only woman on board, Alice Morgan, is pregnant, and needs extra rations. Then, food starts to go missing from the larder. What lengths will the passengers go to in order to survive? Stephen Garlick, Susan Sheridan, John Moffatt and Nicholas Courtney star in these two disturbing stories about the darker side of human nature. This CD release also includes a detailed sleeve note recounting the making of the radio adaptations, written by Andrew Pixley.

The Day Of The Triffids

John Wyndham’s classic novel of man’s struggle in a besieged world is dramatised by Giles Cooper in this classic 1968 recording.

Bill Masen wakes in his hospital bed, eyes bandaged. Something is wrong: it’s unusually quiet and no one has come to his room. When he removes his bandages he finds a world that has changed utterly. Most of the population are completely blind – only those who didn’t watch the night sky can still see. And, as law and order break down, a new menace appears – Triffids, walking carnivorous plants that can kill a human with their lethal sting. For Bill and the other survivors, it’s now a battle to stay alive. Gary Watson stars as Bill, with Barbara Shelley as Josella in these six stirring episodes. Also amongst the cast are Peter Sallis, Marjorie Westbury and some names familiar to Doctor Who aficionados: Peter Pratt, Christopher Bidmead and David Brierley. First published in 1951, John Wyndham’s novel became his best-known work and a classic of 20th Century fiction.

Mary Shelley

Jules Verne

Samuel Butler

H. G. Wells

Arthur Conan Doyle

John Wyndham

Jamie Parker

Shaun Dooley

Stephen Critchlow

Joel McCormack

Graeme Hawley

Jasmine Hyde

Jonathan Taller

Bridget Forsyth

Blake Ritson

Samuel James

Bill Paterson

Bill Nighy

Sarah Parrish

Full Cast

Six Full-Cast Dramatisations

Full-cast dramatisations of six seminal sci-fi novels that have shaped the genre 
 
Thrilling and thought-provoking, shocking and satirical; science fiction has long captivated us with its surprising scenarios and subversion of the familiar. Included here are six classics from the past 250 years, each offering a unique exploration of the genre's foundational themes. From monsters, Martians and fantastical machines to rip-roaring adventures, utopian tales and ‘cosy catastrophes’, these stunning dramas introduce us to other worlds – and make us see our own world differently... 
 
Brought to life by an incredible cast, including Bill Nighy, Brigit Forsyth, Jamie Parker, Shaun Dooley, Stephen Critchlow, Blake Ritson, Bill Paterson and more. 
 
Frankenstein – First published in 1818, Mary Shelley’s famous horror story about a scientist who reanimates a living creature in a horrific experiment is widely considered the first science fiction novel. 
Journey to the Centre of the Earth – Scientific curiosity sparks an epic quest in Jules Verne’s 1864 novel, as three intrepid explorers venture into the heart of a dormant Icelandic volcano. 
Erewhon – Samuel Butler’s 1872 classic centres on the explorer Higgs, who discovers a remote land where the use of machines is forbidden, having a cold is a crime, and the greatest scholarly achievement is the study of unreason. 
The War of the Worlds – Following sightings of strange explosions on the surface of Mars, Martian ships begin to arrive on Earth. But scientific excitement quickly turns to horror... 
The Disintegration Machine – Indomitable academic Professor Challenger sets out to investigate dastardly Latvian scientist Theodore Nemor, who has invented a startling device capable of disassembling and reforming objects.... 
The Midwich Cuckoos – The rural idyll of 1950s Midwich is overturned by a mysterious alien force that causes all the fertile women in the area to simultaneously become pregnant... 
 
First published 1818 (Frankenstein), 1864 (JttCotE), 1872 (Erewhon), 1895 (TWotW), 1929 (TDM), 1957 (TMC) 
 
Cast and credits 
Frankenstein 
Cast: Jamie Parker, Shaun Dooley, Susie Riddell, Alun Raglan, Robert Blythe, Sam Alexander, Christine Absalom, Patrick Brennan, Emma Hook, Joe Sims, Don Gilet, Bruce Alexander 
Written by Mary Shelley 
Dramatised by Lucy Catherine 
Directed by Marc Beeby 
 
Journey to the Centre of the Earth 
Cast: Joel MacCormack, Stephen Critchlow, Gudmundur Thorvaldsson, Nicola Ferguson, Elizabeth Bennett, Nick Underwood, Sam Rix, Tom Forrister, Scarlett Brookes 
Written by Jules Verne 
Dramatised by Moya O’Shea 
Directed by Tracey Neale 
Composer: Neil Brand 
 
Erewhon 
Cast: Graeme Hawley, Jasmine Hyde, Jonathan Taller, Sue Ryding, Brigit Forsyth, Leigh Symonds, David Fleeshman, Stuart Richman 
Written by Samuel Butler 
Dramatised by Eamonn O'Neill, Martin Shea and James O'Neill 
Produced and directed by Gary Brown 
 
The War of the Worlds 
Cast: Blake Ritson, Samuel James, John Dougall, Sanchia McCormack, Carl Prekopp, David Sterne, Maeve Bluebell Wells, Finlay Robertson, Nick Murchie, Sarah Ridgeway, Georgie Glen, John Bowler, David Sturzaker 
Written by HG Wells 
Dramatised by Melissa Murray 
Directed by Marc Beeby 
 
The Disintegration Machine 
Cast: Bill Paterson, Gunnar Cauthery, Nick Ball, Robert Lloyd Parry, Joanna Monro, Alexandria Everett 
Written by Arthur Conan Doyle 
Dramatised by Robert Lloyd Parry 
Directed by Fiona Kelcher 
 
The Midwich Cuckoos 
Cast: Bill Nighy, Sarah Parish, Clive Merrison, Nicholas R Bailey, Katherine Tozer, Mark Chatterton, Barbara Marten, Malcolm Raeburn, Christine Brennan, Rebecca Bridle 
Written by John Wyndham 
Dramatised by Dan Rebellato 
Produced and directed by Polly Thomas 
Original music composed and performed by Chris Madin 
 
(P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. © 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

John Wyndham

Books by John Wyndham

Series by John Wyndham

Classic Radio Sci-Fi

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter