Midwich cuckoos (Penguin Books)

In the sleepy English village of Midwich, a mysterious silver object appears and all the inhabitants fall unconscious. A day later the object is gone and everyone awakens unharmed - except that all the women in the village are discovered to be pregnant. The resultant children of Midwich do not belong to their parents: all are blonde, all are golden eyed. They grow up too fast and their minds exhibit frightening abilities that give them control over others and brings them into conflict with the villagers just as a chilling realisation dawns on the world outside. "The Midwich Cuckoos" is the classic tale of aliens in our midst, exploring how we respond when confronted by those who are innately superior to us in every conceivable way.