J.K. Heydon

WORLD D by Hal P Trevarthen (official historian of the Superficies) being a brief account of the founding of HELIOXENON. Edited by J K Heydon.

If you're looking for a fast read then you'll probably be pretty quickly bored with this one but I found all the talk of scientific, mathematical, religious and philosophical ideas in this hidden 'world' story quite fascinating, especially given the time it was written (1935) and how accepted ideas have changed. Obviously it's old fashioned in places but that just adds to the interest for me.

The amazing 'cylinder' world of Helioxenon buried deep in the rock, made of a previously unknown material and occupied only by a genius inventor, his granddaughter and his close friend (ex-follower of the occult, now a priest) welcomes the arrival of a new recruit, the lawyer Bob Hasson. Needless to say there is romance between Bob and Val (the granddaughter) and this forms the backbone of the story - but it is not that straightforward. They are trying to save humankind from certain destruction and there is contact with alien species, tough choices to be made, convincing scientific and mathematical talk (at least to someone as ignorant on these matters as me) and much religious, metaphysical and philosophical discussion. It's a very 'talky' book but still surprisingly easy to read. The whole thing is presented as being real, the manuscript having been approved for our eyes by Helioxenon itself, and unfortunately ends very obviously set up for a second book - a book I have not been able to find and that, quite possibly, was never written.

While Trevarthen is presented as the 'author' of the manuscript, the real writer is J K Heydon, a writer whose only other books I've been able to find are non-fiction books on religion and philosophy (interests that very definitely show in World D). He does not seem to have written any other science fiction, or fiction of any kind that I've been able to find. It's a shame. I'd have liked to have read more. If anyone knows of other fiction by him, please let me know.

In conclusion, not one for a quick, fast moving read but if you're willing or interested enough to get through the characters' long discussions then it's a book I would recommend. The closest comparison I can think of is some of the 'wordier' works of H G Wells (who gets a brief mention in the book at one point). If it sounds like your kind of thing then search it out and enjoy it. I did.… (altro)