Bratton's Idea by Manly Wade Wellman
The story revolves around a young man who returns to his hometown after serving in the military and becomes embroiled in a mystery involving a local politician's murder. As he delves deeper into the case, he uncovers a complex web of corruption and deceit that threatens to destroy the town's social fabric.
By Manly Wade Wellman · First published 1940 · Genre: Science Fiction, Horror, Mystery · 11,457 words
First lines
Old Bratton, janitor at the studios of Station XCV in Hollywood, was as gaunt as Karloff, as saturnine as Rathbone, as enigmatic as Lugosi. He was unique among Californians in professing absolutely no motion picture ambitions. Once, it is true, a director had stopped him on the street and offered to test him for a featured role, but old Bratton had refused with loud indignation when he heard that the role would be that of a mad scientist. Old Bratton was touchy about mad scientists, because he was one.
What this Textopian page supports
Bratton's Idea is listed on Textopian as a novel by Manly Wade Wellman, dated 1940 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Manly Wade Wellman
- Date: 1940 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy
- Length: 11,457 words
- Structure: 1 section, 242 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Bratton's Idea by Manly Wade Wellman
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Science Fiction — The plot revolves around the creation of life through electrical means, exploring themes of artificial intelligence and the consequences of playing god.
- Horror — The story contains elements of horror, particularly with the transformation of a ventriloquist's dummy into a malevolent being, and the violent outcomes associated with it.
- Mystery — The narrative includes a murder mystery, with investigations into the deaths of characters and the identity of the true antagonist.
- Thriller — The tension and suspense build as characters face danger from the animated dummy and the criminal underworld.
Tags
Fantasy · Adventure · Historical Fiction · Alternate History · Science Fantasy · Speculative Fiction · Alternate Reality · Time Travel · Romance · Action · Thriller · Mystery