Johnny Cordon (The Fury)

Daniel Keyes' modern science fiction portrayal of enhanced intelligence experiments takes one on a journey of morality, emotional self-discovery and scientific ethics as it explores what the mind is capable of whilst nodding to what experimental science can do - and perhaps what it should and shouldn't. 'Flowers for Algernon' allows us to explore what being 'smart' entails; its powers and advantages existing alongside its unavoidable unhappiness and relentless self-questioning depression, spiralling into a vortex of suffering and IQ-targeted self-inflicted Capgras syndrome. Theistic evolution warring with advanced God-like artificial neurological augmentation is never a dull premise (albeit somewhat overplayed since Crichton) and the genuine exploration of emotion, fear and anger within Charlie's mind throughout the novel speaks to the scope. The short story expands with the discovery of love; its beauty and lust and ultimately its dissolution and decay. 'Flowers for Algernon' has everything: love, God, humanity (and lack thereof) and even a convincing notion that a bakery can exist without being commandeered by nothing less than a genius level IQ, but perhaps Keyes was just trying to get a rise. Beautiful, thoughtful and ahead of its time, though everything is. Brought me to tears and I'm essentially a crocodile.