Telepath

by Arthur Sellings (Pseudonym), Aurthur Gordon Ley

First novel by Robert Arthur Gordon Ley (1911-68).
Issued later in Britain as THE SILENT SPEAKERS (1963).
Ballantine #F609. Cover by Richard Powers.

Genres: Science Fiction

160 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

Arthur Sellings was the pseudonym of Arthur Gordon Ley, an English scientist, book and art dealer, and science fiction author. In addition to Sellings he also wrote under the pen names Ray Luther and Martin Luther.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_...

Reviews

[Christopher Steinsvold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes books find you.

I give Telepath five stars, not because I'd easily recommend it to others, but because I personally enjoyed it very much.

I was in an unfamiliar city and found a used book store. I went to the science fiction section and poked about, but found nothing tantalizing. Then I saw it: Telepath. I'd never heard of the book or the author, but it was just what I was looking for. I am a sci-fi writer, and the ideas floating around in my head for my next novel revolve around telepathy.

Arthur Sellings deftly explores, philosophically as well as practically, what could very well happen to someone who develops telepathy. If you are a sci-fi writer looking to include telepathy in your next novel, then I highly recommend it.

[Ken of NJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally read this novel shortly after its release in paperback in 1962. In its idealism and seeming simplicity it is typical in tone to much of the science fiction being written at the time. I just pulled it off my shelves and reread it and found I still like it as much as I remembered. I do wish it would come out in ebook, though, since my copy is yellowed and brittle.

Minor spoilers follow:
The story deals with telepathy. Two people meet at a party and come to realize they can communicate with more than words. Then they realize that they can teach this skill to others.

This is light but entertaining read.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Actually, if ‘meh’ were a book, this is the book ‘meh’ would be. \o/

[Patrick Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun book with some very interesting concepts. Loved the dynamic between the main characters Arnold and Claire, and the subject matter of extreme closeness to another human.

This book presents the idea that humanity can only survive expansion and evolution by being telepathically linked, and makes a good argument for it at the end.

Wish the book was longer actually, but it was satisfactory for an old sci-fi paperback.

[Bill Lawrence · Rating 2 out of 5]

Working my way through the works of Arthur Sellings, as I find them. Long out of print and largely forgotten, I was triggered by re-reading An Uncensored Man, a memorable book from my teenage reading. Sellings was interested in how the mind/brain worked and many of his books work around different ideas on this theme. In The Silent Speakers, he considers telepathy. Sadly, the plot is very thin and it staggers along through minor set pieces and never really amounts to anything. A lot of discussion around how his mind is connecting with others, and is this a good or bad thing. At least it was short.

[Erik Graff · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this in elementary school, probably, as was common back in those days, in one sitting. I remember nothing in particular about its contents.