Customer Reviews

STRANGE GENIUS - Classic Tales of the Human Mind at Work Including the Complete Novel The New Adam, the 'van Manderpootz' Stories and Others (v. 3)

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Sometimes said to be the `classic' (and perhaps the first) Superman novel, The New Adam attempts to examine seriously and thoughtfully how a man born as the next step in human evolution might cope with a world populated by inferior beings.

Allegedly nine years in the making, The New Adam was first published in 1939 with the help of his wife four years after Stanley's death. She went on to edit/complete and publish many more of his works posthumously in the years that followed. Many of his short stories (including Valley of Dreams, Mad Moon, Redemption Cairn, Lotus Eaters and Parasite Planet) were initially published in early SF pulp magazines like `Astounding" or `Wonder Stories'.

The New Adam is the tale of Edmund Hall, a superman. This superman is no caped crusader fighting for justice though. Rather, he is a dual-brained super-intellect with an IQ so far off the charts that normal human beings appear as Neanderthals next to him.'While the story is fascinating, the book may best be enjoyed as a glimpse into 1930s science fiction writing styles.

NOTE: An excellent companion book to "THE NEW ADAM" might be `GLADIATOR' by Philip Wylie, which also explores the `superman' concept from a slightly different angle.

-Michael Jaquish, Author
Country Cop Books