Alexander Key
Encyclopedia
Alexander Hill Key was an American science fiction
writer, most of whose books were aimed at a juvenile audience. He became a nationally known illustrator before he became an author. After he began writing novels for young people, he moved his family to the North Carolina
mountains, and most of his books include that wild and rugged landscape.
His novel Escape to Witch Mountain
was made into a popular film in 1975, 1995, and again in 2009. The sequel was made into another popular film in 1978. His novel The Incredible Tide
became a popular anime
series called Future Boy Conan
in 1978.
He is known for his portrayals of alien but human-like people who have psychic
powers and a close communion with nature, and who can speak with animals. In The Strange White Doves, he professed his belief that animals are conscious and aware, and have subtle ways of communicating, perhaps via telepathy
. The protagonists of Key's books are often ostracized, feared, or persecuted because of their abilities or alien origin, and Key uses this as a clear metaphor for racism and other prejudice. In several of his novels (most notably The Case of the Vanishing Boy) Key portrays some sort of communal withdrawing from society with a group of like-minded individuals.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
writer, most of whose books were aimed at a juvenile audience. He became a nationally known illustrator before he became an author. After he began writing novels for young people, he moved his family to the North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
mountains, and most of his books include that wild and rugged landscape.
His novel Escape to Witch Mountain
Escape to Witch Mountain
Escape to Witch Mountain is a science fiction novel written by Alexander Key in 1968. It was adapted into a film of the same name by Walt Disney Productions in 1975, directed by John Hough. A remake directed by Peter Rader was released in 1995...
was made into a popular film in 1975, 1995, and again in 2009. The sequel was made into another popular film in 1978. His novel The Incredible Tide
The Incredible Tide
The Incredible Tide is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel written by Alexander Key, published in 1970. It was the inspiration for the Japanese animated television series Future Boy Conan, directed by Hayao Miyazaki.-Overview:...
became a popular anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series called Future Boy Conan
Future Boy Conan
is an anime series, which premiered across Japan on the NHK network between April 4 and October 31, 1978 on the Tuesday 19:30-20:00 timeslot. The official English title used by Nippon Animation is Conan, The Boy in Future....
in 1978.
He is known for his portrayals of alien but human-like people who have psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
powers and a close communion with nature, and who can speak with animals. In The Strange White Doves, he professed his belief that animals are conscious and aware, and have subtle ways of communicating, perhaps via telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
. The protagonists of Key's books are often ostracized, feared, or persecuted because of their abilities or alien origin, and Key uses this as a clear metaphor for racism and other prejudice. In several of his novels (most notably The Case of the Vanishing Boy) Key portrays some sort of communal withdrawing from society with a group of like-minded individuals.
External links
- The Earth Library Read some of Mr. Key's out-of-print books online.
- Facts about Key (hosted at the UtahSFUtah Speculative Fiction CouncilThe Utah Speculative Fiction Council is a non-profit organization designed to allow all the different speculative fiction related organizations in Utah to have a common forum which fosters discussion and inter-group cooperation—a guild of sorts...
site) - Gone But Not Forgotten: Alexander Key — The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, University of Illinois, November 2002
- The Forgotten Door, a three-episode television series based on Key's novel of the same name, distributed by ITVITVITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
and broadcast in 1966