Wyndham, John: W*E*B

John WYNDHAM was born in England in the year 1903 and died in the year 1969. He did a variety of jobs from farming to advertising, before he wrote his first novel. His most famous books are „The Day of the Triffids“, „The Kraken Wakes“ and „The Midwych Cuckoos“. „WEB“ was his last novel and did first appear ten years after his death.

„WEB“ is an adventure story that begins in England and ends on the island Tanakuatua in South-Pazific.

The story is told in the first person and the main characters are:

ARNOLD DELGRANGE, who tells the story

CAMILLA, a good-looking, friendly, self-confident biologist

WALTER TIRRIE, an architect and journalist

LORD FOXFIELD, an individualist who wish to be remember for leading, important social change and who has a lot of money to carry out the project.

Lord Foxfield wants to build a free politically independent society in which people were able to create a new way of living. To make this dream come true he needs a lot of voluntary members for his project. After a time he has about 200 people and they sail for the new land. It´s an island called TANAKUATUA which Lord Foxfield has bought for the project.

Before they arrive Camilla found out that the island is cursed. But nobody believes in her. So they settle down on the west-side of the island. But soon one after the other dies in a horrible way. Then after exploring the island, they found a web which was built all over the half island. They know that it would take hundreds or millions of spiders to build such a web. So they decide to burn the forest down to have a clear area to fight against the spiders. Arnold and Camilla should light the fire in forest. But they get captured by natives. On the way to their huts they see some bags with contents that move slightly.

From the leader Naeta they hear that his father Nokiki had cursed the island Tankuatua for destroying his people because the white men had chased his people away.

He also tells them that they are here only to help the little sisters.

When Arnold and Camilla return to their camp, all the people are dead. They found similar bags they already saw by the natives. So they know that the natives had carried the spiders to the settlement .

Now they understand what Naeta means with „help the little sisters“.

A week later Arnold and Camilla are brought home from a ship which passed the island.

In my opinion some passages are difficult to read and underständ and some passages are too brutal for an adventure book. The author has created some unscrupulous persons to make the text gripping. I think the story is implausible but nevertheless it was interesting and exciting to read the story because I like phantasy and sciente-fiction books very much.