The Chrysalids of Hydra III is in many ways a homage to the seminal novel by John Wyndham called The Chrysalids. It was first mentioned in Chrístõ’s Chrysalids, the first story in which his telepathic group of smart kids are introduced. I have planned ever since for some kind of backlash against them in their own society, but the story idea didn’t pan out. Instead I thought of something in which Chrístõ and his own Chrysalids help rescue other telepaths from a place where they face persecution. Essentially, they are the Zealanders who rescue the young heroes of Wyndham’s book.
It
is also a story in which Chrístõ tries out the extent of
his telepathic abilities, reaching across a whole galaxy to test himself.
The telepathic skills of Time Lords is something that has always seemed
flexible. The occasions when it has been used in the TV series are limited,
but usually spectacular. What Chrístõ did would be very
spectacular. I’m probably not going to have him do this very often,
though.
What has happened before is Hext’s intervention in Chrístõ’s actions. He did it in Time Rogues to stop him killing Hitler. And in the next story but one after this one he is going to do very much the same for the same reasons. After that, I probably need to stop using Hext as a device to move a story along. It might get to look a bit predictable.
And I really can’t say much more than that about it. Read The Chrysalids. It is a finely written classic that has never been turned into a Hollywood blockbuster and is all the better for it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chrysalids
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wyndham
