The Power
The Power is a science fiction novel by British author Naomi Alderman, first published in the United Kingdom on 10 November 2016 by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Books, and in the United States on 10 October 2017 by Little, Brown and Company.[1][2] The narrative depicts a near-contemporary world in which adolescent girls awaken to a latent biological capacity for generating and discharging electrical energy through a glandular organ termed the "skein," conferring physical superiority over men and catalyzing the erosion of patriarchal institutions, the rise of matriarchal governance, and widespread geopolitical upheaval.[3][4] Alderman structures the story around interwoven perspectives of four young protagonists—a religiously inclined American orphan, a British crime-family daughter, a Nigerian male journalist documenting the changes, and a U.S. mayoral candidate's daughter—who navigate the personal and institutional consequences of this power shift, including transformations in religion, warfare, and interpersonal relations.[5] The novel's epistolary framing, presented as a historical manuscript exchanged between a male author and a female mentor in a future reverted society, underscores themes of cyclical power abuse and the non-gender-specific corruptive nature of dominance.[6] It received the 2017 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction, the first science fiction entry to win the award, and was longlisted for the Orwell Prize, with judges praising its bold interrogation of authority structures.[3][7] The book has been adapted into a nine-episode television series for Amazon Prime Video, premiering on 31 March 2023 and featuring actors such as Toni Collette and Auliʻi Cravalho, which expands on the source material's premise amid discussions of potential further seasons.[8] While lauded for its speculative rigor and challenge to assumptions about innate gender hierarchies—positing that hierarchical violence stems from power asymmetries rather than biology—the work has elicited debate over its graphic portrayals of brutality and torture, with some reviewers questioning whether its gender-inversion device inadvertently equates female empowerment with historical male aggressions.[9][10] This reception highlights the novel's role in prompting empirical reflection on causal drivers of social order, beyond ideological framings often prevalent in literary criticism.Literature
The Power by Naomi Alderman (2016)
The Power is a science fiction novel by British author Naomi Alderman, first published in the United Kingdom by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House, on 27 October 2016. The book presents a speculative premise in which adolescent girls globally awaken to a latent biological capacity to generate and unleash electrical discharges from their bodies, granting them physical dominance over men and catalyzing a reversal of historical gender hierarchies. This ability, termed "the power," initially manifests in teenage girls before extending to adult women through training or proximity, prompting societal upheaval as women seize political, economic, and violent control. Alderman frames the narrative as a futuristic manuscript authored by a male historian named Tunde and presented to a contemporary male scholar called Neil, underscoring themes of historical revisionism in power transitions.[1][11] The plot unfolds over roughly a decade, tracking four central characters whose paths intersect amid global chaos: Allie, an abused foster child in the United States who flees her home and rises as a charismatic spiritual leader known as Mother Eve; Roxy, the street-smart daughter of a London crime family who leverages her power to challenge criminal syndicates; Tunde, a Nigerian journalist documenting the phenomenon's spread across continents; and Margot, an American suburban mother and politician who harnesses her daughter's abilities to ascend in electoral politics. As the power proliferates—spreading via a gland activated in girls and inducible in women—the novel depicts cascading effects, including the collapse of male-dominated institutions, the rise of female-led cults and militias, and geopolitical realignments, such as the fictional nation of Bessapara becoming a contested matriarchal stronghold. The structure interweaves personal vignettes with faux news excerpts, academic notes, and archaeological speculations, building to a climax that interrogates whether power inherently corrupts or merely unmasks preexisting moral failings.[12][13][14] Alderman developed the novel over five years, drawing from her experiences as a video game designer and her observation that physical strength has historically underpinned male dominance; she posited a reversal to test feminist hypotheses about gender and authority. The author collaborated with Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin via email exchanges, where he encouraged her to amplify violent realism, resulting in graphic depictions of electrocution, rape, and warfare to mirror historical atrocities committed under patriarchal systems. Alderman has stated that the book argues power does not corrupt the pure-hearted but reveals the corruptible nature of humanity regardless of sex, challenging narratives that attribute societal ills solely to male biology. The U.S. edition, published by Little, Brown and Company on 10 October 2017, expanded its audience, with the story's electrical motif inspired by real-world bioelectricity in eels and human cells.[9][12][15] Critically, The Power received acclaim for its provocative exploration of power dynamics, with reviewers praising its unflinching portrayal of how reversed oppression mirrors historical male violence, though some noted its reliance on archetypes risked oversimplifying complex social forces. It won the 2017 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction, the first science fiction work to do so, selected by a panel chaired by Lionel Shriver for its "electrifying" imagination and relevance to contemporary gender debates. The novel was longlisted for the Orwell Prize and included in Barack Obama's 2017 favorite books list, while Bill Gates commended it for questioning whether power's corruptive potential transcends gender. Sales exceeded expectations, bolstered by adaptations including a 2023 Amazon Prime television series, though Alderman has critiqued media tendencies to soften the book's brutal realism.[7][3][16]The Power by Rhonda Byrne (2010)
The Power is a self-help book written by Rhonda Byrne, an Australian television producer known for creating the 2006 documentary film The Secret, which popularized the concept of the law of attraction. Published on August 17, 2010, by Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, the hardcover edition spans 272 pages and carries the ISBN 978-1439181782.[17][18] As a direct sequel to The Secret, it expands on the earlier work's pseudoscientific framework by asserting that love represents the universe's most potent force, capable of manifesting desired outcomes through vibrational alignment.[19] Byrne posits that human thoughts emit frequencies that interact with a purported law of attraction, whereby positive emotions—particularly love—act as magnets drawing corresponding realities, such as health, wealth, and relationships. The book instructs readers to cultivate feelings of gratitude and love deliberately, claiming this process overrides negative vibrations and aligns individuals with abundance; for instance, it suggests visualizing loving scenarios to attract literal prosperity, independent of action or external conditions.[20][21] These assertions build on The Secret's introduction of the law of attraction but shift emphasis to emotional states as the primary mechanism, with Byrne drawing anecdotal examples from historical figures and unnamed contributors rather than controlled studies. Commercially, The Power achieved significant success, debuting at number one on The New York Times hardcover advice and miscellaneous bestseller list in early September 2010 and maintaining positions for at least six weeks thereafter.[22][23] Exact global sales figures remain undisclosed, though its performance mirrored the momentum of The Secret, which exceeded 20 million copies sold by 2010.[24] Critics, including psychologists and physicists, have dismissed the book's core claims as lacking empirical foundation, characterizing the law of attraction as a repackaged confirmation bias—wherein individuals notice outcomes aligning with preconceptions while ignoring disconfirming evidence—rather than a verifiable causal principle.[25][26] Byrne's invocation of quantum mechanics to explain vibrational attraction has been rebuked as a misrepresentation, as no peer-reviewed research supports thoughts directly influencing material events via such mechanisms; instead, any motivational benefits from positive thinking resemble placebo effects or heightened behavioral initiative, not universal laws.[27][28] Skeptics note that promoting unchecked positivity can foster victim-blaming, as the framework implies personal fault for misfortunes like illness or poverty through insufficient "love vibrations," without addressing structural or probabilistic realities.[29] Despite these critiques from scientific outlets, the book has retained popularity among self-help audiences seeking inspirational narratives over evidence-based methodologies.Film
The Power (1968 film)
The Power is a 1968 American science fiction thriller film produced by George Pal and directed by Byron Haskin in his final directorial effort.[30] Adapted from Frank M. Robinson's 1956 novel of the same name, the screenplay by John Gay centers on a government research facility where scientists probing human limits for space travel are systematically murdered by an individual possessing telekinetic abilities.[31] The film stars George Hamilton as project leader Jim Tanner, alongside Suzanne Pleshette as psychologist Margery Lansing, Michael Rennie as the enigmatic Professor Konrad, and a supporting ensemble including Richard Carlson, Nehemiah Persoff, Yvonne De Carlo, Earl Holliman, and Aldo Ray.[32] Running 109 minutes in Metrocolor with mono sound, it was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on February 21, 1968.[31] The plot unfolds at a secluded desert laboratory where Tanner's team tests physiological responses to simulated space conditions, uncovering evidence of a superhuman intellect dubbed "Adam II" capable of mind control and telekinesis.[30] As colleagues succumb to inexplicable accidents—such as cardiac arrests induced remotely or structural failures—Tanner suspects an internal saboteur, leading to a tense manhunt amid escalating paranoia and chases through the facility.[33] The narrative builds to revelations about hidden identities and the ethical perils of unchecked psychic power, emphasizing themes of evolutionary superiority and institutional vulnerability.[34] Production reunited Pal and Haskin, collaborators on War of the Worlds (1953), with Miklós Rózsa composing the score and Ellsworth Fredericks handling cinematography.[32] Shot on a modest budget, the film incorporates practical effects for telekinetic sequences, including animated visualizations of mental forces, though critics noted its reliance on stock footage and confined sets limited visual ambition.[33] Pal's involvement aimed to explore speculative human potential amid Cold War-era space race anxieties, adapting Robinson's novel to heighten suspense over scientific detail.[35] Reception was mixed, with praise for the cast's performances—particularly Hamilton's stoic resolve and Rennie's understated menace—but criticism for uneven pacing and dated dialogue.[34] Contemporary reviews highlighted its thrilling set pieces and prescient ESP themes, yet faulted the predictable whodunit structure.[35] On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 39% approval rating from nine critics, reflecting its status as a competent but unremarkable B-picture in the sci-fi genre.[36] IMDb user ratings average 5.9/10 from nearly 2,000 votes, appreciating its atmospheric tension despite production constraints.[30]The Power (1984 film)
The Power is an American supernatural horror film co-directed by Stephen Carpenter and Jeffrey Obrow, released on January 20, 1984, in a limited U.S. theatrical run by Artists Releasing Corporation.[37][38] Produced by Jeff Obrow Productions and Film Ventures International, the 84-minute film follows a group of Los Angeles high school students who acquire a small ancient Aztec idol housing the demon Destacatyl, an entity capable of possessing humans and compelling them toward destructive acts that amplify the dark impulses within.[37][38] The spirit first seizes control of a young man named Jerry, propagating chaos through interpersonal conflicts, bodily takeovers, and escalating violence among peers, including Sandy, Julie, Tommy, and Matt.[38] Principal photography occurred in Redondo Beach, California.[37] The screenplay was written by Carpenter and Obrow, based on a story by Obrow, Carpenter, John Penny, and John Hopkins.[38] The cast features Suzy Stokey as Sandy, Warren Lincoln as the possessed Jerry, Lisa Erickson as Julie, Chad Cowgill as Tommy, and Ben Gilbert as Matt, alongside supporting roles such as Chris Morrill as Ron Prince.[37][38] Rated R for its depictions of possession-induced horror and limited gore, the film draws on tropes of cursed artifacts and demonic influence prevalent in 1980s low-budget horror.[39][37] Upon release, the film received limited distribution, later appearing on VHS through Vestron Video and Gemstone Entertainment, with DVD editions from Lionsgate in 2003 and Scorpion Releasing in 2014.[38] It has garnered a poor critical and audience reception, holding a 4.5/10 rating on IMDb from over 800 user votes and an 11% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on minimal reviews, with commentators describing it as derivative, confusing, and featuring a low body count despite its R rating.[37][39] Reviews note its entertainment value for fans of obscure 1980s demon flicks but criticize the lack of originality and execution flaws typical of microbudget productions.[38]Television
The Power (2023 TV series)
The Power is a science fiction drama television series adapted from Naomi Alderman's 2016 novel of the same name, depicting a near-future world in which adolescent girls worldwide awaken to an innate ability to generate and discharge electricity from their bodies, capable of stunning or killing with electric shocks.[8] This physiological change, which later spreads to adult women through training or proximity, fundamentally alters global power structures, societies, and interpersonal dynamics, prompting explorations of corruption, authority, and gender roles as women leverage their newfound capacity for self-defense, dominance, and institutional control.[40] The series was developed by Raelle Tucker, Naomi Alderman, Claire Wilson, and Sarah Quintrell, and produced by Amazon MGM Studios in association with British firms like Sister Pictures.[8] It premiered on Amazon Prime Video on March 31, 2023, with all nine episodes released weekly through May 12, 2023.[41] The narrative follows multiple interconnected storylines across locations including Seattle, London, Nigeria, and Eastern Europe, centering on young women navigating the implications of their powers amid societal upheaval. Key characters include Allie (Halle Bush), a troubled teen who uses her ability to escape abuse and rises as a charismatic cult leader; Joss Monaghan (Auliʻi Cravalho), daughter of Seattle mayor Roberta "Bobby" Monaghan (Toni Collette), whose power exacerbates family and political tensions; and Bernie (Ria Zmitrowicz), a British schoolgirl grappling with ethical dilemmas in a shifting world.[8] Supporting roles feature Toheeb Jimoh as Tunde, a Nigerian journalist documenting the phenomenon; Zrinka Cvitešić as Kristin; and Heather Agyepong as Ndidi, among others, with the ensemble highlighting diverse cultural responses to the power's emergence.[8] Production began in 2021, with filming in the UK and other sites to capture international scope, though director Reed Morano departed mid-process due to creative differences before the 2023 release.[42] Executive producers included Alderman, Tucker, and Jane Featherstone, emphasizing fidelity to the novel's themes of power's corrupting influence irrespective of gender, as evidenced by depictions of female-led violence mirroring historical male aggressions.[8] The adaptation expands on the book's speculative premise, which posits that physical power enables societal reconfiguration but inevitably replicates cycles of oppression, a point reinforced through plotlines showing women's institutions devolving into authoritarianism.[43] Critically, the series received mixed reception, praised for visual effects simulating electrical discharges and strong performances—particularly Collette's portrayal of political maneuvering—but critiqued for narrative overload across too many subplots, diluting tension and deviating from the novel's tighter structure.[44] [45] It holds a 76% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes based on 51 reviews, with audience scores similarly middling, and an IMDb average of 6.7/10 from over 10,000 users citing engaging concepts marred by pacing issues.[40] [8] Prime Video canceled the series after one season in April 2025, with no second season forthcoming despite initial buzz around its provocative gender-power inversion.[46]Music
"The Power" by Snap! (1990)
"The Power" is a song by the German Eurodance group Snap!, released on January 3, 1990, as the lead single from their debut album World Power.[47] The track features rap verses by American vocalist Turbo B (Durron Butler) and female vocals by American singer Penny Ford, produced by Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti under the pseudonyms Benito Benites and John "Virgo" Garrett III.[48] Snap! originated as a studio project by the Frankfurt-based producers Münzing and Anzilotti, who handled composition, arrangement, and instrumentation, blending hip-house elements with electronic beats.[47] The song's hook, repeating "I've got the power," derives from a sample of Jocelyn Brown's 1985 disco track "Love's Gonna Get You," while the rap section lifts lyrics and delivery from Chill Rob G's 1989 hip-hop song "Let the Words Flow" without initial clearance, prompting Snap! to re-record the rap with Turbo B for later pressings to resolve licensing disputes.[48] [49] Additional samples include Chaka Khan's "Some Love" (1984) for bass elements and uncredited beats from other sources, contributing to its aggressive, percussive sound characterized by a juddering synth riff and slow-building tempo.[49] The lyrics emphasize themes of lyrical dominance and energy, with Turbo B's verses boasting, "Like the crack of the whip I snap attack / Front to back in this thing called rap."[50] Commercially, "The Power" achieved international success, topping charts in the Netherlands and reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart. In the United States, it peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending August 11, 1990, held off by Mariah Carey's "Vision of Love," and held the top position on both the Billboard Dance Club Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts.[51] The single's remix package, including club-oriented versions, bolstered its dance radio play, selling over 500,000 copies in the UK alone by mid-1990.[47] The official music video, directed by Anselm Springer, depicts Turbo B performing amid urban scenes and abstract effects, with Penny Ford's vocals lip-synced by a model due to her unavailability during filming, a common practice for the era's manufactured acts.[52] Despite sampling controversies—Chill Rob G publicly claimed credit for the rap's origin, leading to ongoing recognition debates—the track's raw energy established Snap! as pioneers of early 1990s eurodance, influencing subsequent acts with its fusion of rap, house, and pop.[53] By 2022, it retained cultural impact, ranking among enduring dance anthems for its hook's memorability and production simplicity.[48]Other notable songs
"The Power" by American rapper Chill Rob G, released in April 1990 on his debut album Ride the Rhythm via Wild Pitch Records, served as the source for the rap verse sampled without permission in Snap!'s version.[54][53] The track originated from Chill Rob G's earlier recording "Let the Words Flow," produced by DJ Mark the 45 King, which featured the iconic "I've got the power" refrain derived from Jocelyn Brown's 1985 single "Love's Gonna Get You."[53] This unauthorized sampling sparked a legal battle between Wild Pitch and Snap!'s label Arista/BMG, with multiple re-recordings and versions emerging, including a 1990 reconstruction by Power Jam featuring Chill Rob G and a 1998 re-issue crediting him as the primary artist.[53] German industrial metal band Die Krupps recorded "The Power" as the ninth track on their 1992 self-titled album I, released via Rough Trade Records, blending aggressive riffs with electronic elements characteristic of the EBM genre.[55] Japanese hip-hop group THE RAMPAGE from EXILE TRIBE released "THE POWER" in June 2022 as a digital single and the theme song for the film HiGH&LOW THE WORST X, later included on their EP of the same name; it peaked at number 3 on Japan's Oricon weekly digital singles chart.[56][57]Other uses
Miscellaneous references
The Power (Alderman novel)The Power is a 2016 science fiction novel written by British author Naomi Alderman. The narrative depicts a world where adolescent girls suddenly acquire the physiological ability to generate and discharge electrical energy from their bodies, leading to a reversal in global gender hierarchies as women gain physical dominance over men.[2] This premise serves as a speculative examination of power structures, violence, and societal reorganization, framed through interconnected stories of characters including a Nigerian heir, an American foster child, and a British bureaucrat.[12] The book received the 2017 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction and has been adapted into a 2023 television series by Amazon Studios. The Power (Robinson novel)
The Power is a 1956 science fiction novel by American author Frank M. Robinson, first serialized in the March 1956 issue of Blue Book magazine before book publication. The plot revolves around a research scientist who discovers a colleague possesses superhuman mental abilities, including telepathy and enhanced intelligence, prompting a thriller-style investigation into the origins and implications of such emergent human evolution. The novel anticipates themes of genetic mutation and ethical dilemmas in scientific advancement, reflecting mid-20th-century concerns about atomic-age human potential.