Only You Can Save Mankind facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Terry Pratchett |
|---|---|
| Original title | Only You Can Save Mankind |
| Cover artist | David Scutt |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Johnny Maxwell Trilogy |
| Genre | Children's Literature, Science Fiction |
| Publisher | Doubleday (London) |
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Publication date
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1992 |
| Media type | book |
| Pages | 173 |
| ISBN | 0-385-40308-9 |
| OCLC | 28065341 |
| Followed by | Johnny and the Dead |
Only You Can Save Mankind is an exciting adventure book written by the famous author Terry Pratchett. It was first published in 1992. This book is the very first story in his popular Johnny Maxwell series. The other books in the series are Johnny and the Dead (1993) and Johnny and the Bomb (1996).
Terry Pratchett is well-known for his amazing Discworld fantasy books. But in the Johnny Maxwell series, he tells stories set in the real world. This was a new and different kind of story for him to write.
What's the Story About?
The main character is a twelve-year-old boy named Johnny Maxwell. One day, his friend Wobbler gives him a copied version of a brand new video game. The game is called Only You Can Save Mankind.
Johnny starts playing the game. But something very strange happens. The alien race in the game, called the ScreeWee Empire, suddenly surrenders to him! After he accepts their surrender, Johnny finds himself inside the game world when he dreams.
In his dreams, Johnny has to figure out what to do with the ScreeWee. He meets their suspicious Gunnery Officer and their understanding Captain. It's all very confusing!
This might just be Johnny's imagination working overtime. But then he finds out something even stranger. The ScreeWee have completely disappeared from everyone else's copies of the game!
Johnny needs help. He teams up with another player named Kirsty. She calls herself "Sigourney" in the game, like the actress Sigourney Weaver. Together, Johnny and Sigourney must try to help the ScreeWee aliens get back home.
Cool Ideas in the Book
This book explores how what we think we see can change things. For example, Kirsty believes the ScreeWee are just alien monsters meant to be shot. Because of this, they look less human-like when she is around. But when Johnny is alone with them, they seem much more like people.
The book also talks about another computer game. Johnny's friend Wobbler creates a game called Journey to Alpha Centauri. This game is meant to be played in "real-time." This means it would take three thousand years to finish the journey! If someone actually played it for that long, they would get a message saying, "Welcome to Alpha Centauri. Now go home."
This funny idea inspired a real interactive fiction game. It was made by Julian Fleetwood and released in 1998. It also took three thousand years to complete, just like in the book!
From Book to Screen and Stage
Only You Can Save Mankind has been adapted into other forms of entertainment.
- In 1996, the book became a three-part radio show. It was broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Tim Smith played the voice of Johnny.
- In 2004, the story was turned into a musical for the stage. It first showed at the Edinburgh Festival. Leighton James House wrote the music, and Shaun McKenna wrote the lyrics. An album of the musical's songs was released online in 2009.
