The Kraken Wakes

Giant squids have been inspiring horror stories for as long as man has taken to the seas. Since the development of science fiction, the kraken has moved from threat of the deep to threat from the skies. The Kraken Wakes begins a visitation from space but sinks to the deepest oceans where a threat lingers misunderstood and ready claim the seas and the shoreline from mankind. It sounds like a great premise but the story is rather too ponderous. It takes forever for things to get moving. The main characters, reporters from a rival to the BBC don't know enough about what's happening to be credible or interesting first hand witnesses to this invasion. The best and most horrific part of the book is the cover art which reminds me of how Eric Carle would illustrate Call of Cthulhu. Apparently the world ends with people living on tiny islands surrounded by hostile creatures; it's the same ending that Wyndham used in Day of the Triffids. The Kraken Wakes has a very similar narrative, that of a man recording the events that lead up to him living on an island surrounded by hostile creatures, in a book report fashion. There is very little in terms of character development or drama. The Watsons are so dispassionate through the entire book that I frankly didn't care what happened to him. There are a few good scenes, like the initial landing of the fire balls (presumably pods from space), the attacks on the islands and the flooding of London. Unfortunately these scenes were hidden among long and boring laundry lists of mundane events.

An intelligent species occupying an area of the earth which we cannot is an excellent premise. Creatures comfortable in the deep ocean trenches would surely be a nightmare!!

It is a shame John Wyndham's books are no longer in print. His writing compares quite favorably to Wells, Asimov, and Heinlein. He should be considered one of the better writers in the field. There is a feeling of horror throughout this book that puts it miles above other "invaders from another planet" tales.

I found this story in a collection of 3 John Wyndham novels in my local library. In this volume, the novel is entitled "The Kraken Awakes". It is an excellent, gripping science fiction story of an alien invasion that is written in a style that makes it utterly believable. I became so involved in the tale that it took me awhile to collect myself and return to reality each time I put the book down. Absolutely chilling.