John Wainwright is extremely intelligent even if he is stunted in his physical development. He believes in communist ideas but is critical of mainstream Marxism. He is also quite vain and highly skillful in the arts of seduction. From a human viewpoint, he can be considered amoral or perhaps to be following a morality beyond human understanding. The novel explores the theme of the Übermensch (superman) in the character of Odd John whose supernormal human mentality inevitably leads to conflict with normal human society and the utopian colony founded by him and other superhumans.

A human narrator from England is transported out of his body via unexplained means. He realizes he is able to explore space and other planets. After exploring a civilization on another planet in our galaxy at a level of development similar to our own that existed millions of years ago thousands of light years from Earth (the "Other Earth") in some detail, his mind merges with that of one of its inhabitants, and as they travel together, they are joined by still more minds or group-minds. This snowballing process is paralleled by the expansion of the book's scale, describing more and more...

Last and First Men is a "future history" science fiction novel, describing the history of humanity from the present onwards across two billion years and eighteen distinct human species, of which our own is the first. Conception of history follows a repetitive cycle with many varied civilizations rising from and descending back into savagery over millions of years, as the later civilizations rise to far greater heights than the first. It is an early example of the fictional supermind; a consciousness composed of many telepathically linked individuals.

Sirius is a dog with humanlike intelligence. He is raised by scientist Thomas Trelone in North Wales, near Trawsfynydd. Thomas embarks on a program of using steroids and other chemicals to rapidly develop cognitive power of dogs, resulting in super sheep dogs. Sirius, however, proves to possess a dog intelligence comparable to a normal human being, as he is able to communicate with English words, although it takes some time for the humans to understand his canine pronunciation. He is born at the same time as his creator's human daughter, Plaxy, and the two of them are raised together as...

Enjoy this meticulously edited SF Collection, filled with space adventures, dystopian novels and apocalyptic tales: Novels: Last and First Men: A Story of the Near and Far Future Last Men in London Odd John: A Story Between Jest and Earnest Star Maker Darkness and the Light Sirius: A Fantasy of Love and Discord Death into Life Short Stories: The Flames (1947) The Seed and the Flower The Road to the Aide Post A Modern Magician East is West A World of Sounds Arms Out of Hand