 A central character with albinism appears in one of the earliest science fiction books ever published, H. G. Wells's The Invisible Man, written at the tail end of the nineteenth century. Unfortunately, this character sets quite a negative precedent — a self-centered and irritable man to begin with, he is thrust into single-minded obsession, extreme paranoia, and contempt for all life but his own as the story unfolds.This sordid tale follows the descent into madness of Griffin, an experimental investigator with hair and a beard of "white — not grey with age, but white with the whiteness of albinism, and his eyes were like garnets." A scientist deep in study and desperate for recognition in his field, Griffin discovers a formula for invisibility that works successfully on unpigmented tissue. Being albino gives him a natural advantage in putting it to use, which he eagerly exploits. However, he soon discovers that invisibility isn't all it's cracked up to be, and is frought with fear and loathing as its adverse effects become increasingly apparent. His warped view of what is necessary for self-preservation leads him to resort to ferocious tactics, and his growing insanity makes him a local terror. The plot climaxes with him being hunted down and, ultimately, slain. Given that a character with albinism serves as a metaphor for evil in a pioneering work of science fiction, one can imagine how this would influence later authors. Sadly, there have been few admirable characters with albinism in the genre to counterbalance this trend.
Like many other fictional characters with albinism, Olivia is given at least one very serious handicap along with supernatural ability. Her circumstances make for an interesting story, but propagate the myth that people with albinism are psychologically maladjusted and that they suffer from severe physical limitations of one sort or another. While it is true that most people with albinism have poorer vision than average, total blindness is extremely rare.
Juete and Veate are both albinos, referred to in this novel as "Albino Exotics." In this particular world-setting, Albino Exotics were bred for their extraordinary beauty and served as a form of sexual recreation for members of the upper class. On one hand, the fact that their genes and their fates were manipulated by others in such a crass manner compromised their human dignity and their ability to control their own lives. On the other hand, their sexual prowess was indisputable, and Albino Exotics habitually used it to their advantage. The author writes, "There were few normal humans...who could look at any albino without feeling desire...There was the white skin, the white hair, the pink eyes...and the beauty that hit you like a fist to the solar plexus, stealing your breath and your soul at the same time." Although albinism is objectified and fetishized in this novel (the book includes a detailed description of Veate's bodily features as she emerges from skinny-dipping in a swimming pool), both Veate and Juete are intelligent, likable, and adaptable characters who positively motivate Khadaji to once again put his leadership abilities to use in the name of justice. Veate also assists Khadaji and his team as they face various enemies and obstacles. Fortunately, Veate and Juete's merits extend beyond their physical appearance. While most albino characters in other science fiction novels are portrayed as ugly, evil, and/or sickly, Perry's are exactly the opposite. |
Hugo Award-winning author Alfred Bester's 1956 sci-fi classic, The Stars My Destination (originally released as Tiger! Tiger! in the UK), follows the trials and tribulations of Gulliver Foyle in a 26th-century world of war and intrigue resulting from staggering technological advances. In the course of his struggles, he manages to fall in love with Lady Olivia Presteign, "a glorious
albino...Her hair was white silk, her skin was white satin, her nails, her lips, and her eyes were coral."
However, this is complicated by the fact that Olivia is the daughter of the most powerful man on earth, who also happens to be Foyle's arch-enemy. Olivia's suitors are numerous and rank among the most influential figures in society. But despite her enviable position, she is driven to acts of hostility, plagued by bitterness stemming from one substantial, lifelong flaw — blindness — which has led her to feel "cheated...helpless...dependent...begging...crippled." She does possess the ability to see the infrared spectrum (heat waves, magnetic fields, radio waves, radar, sonar, and electromagnetic fields), but nothing beyond.
The Albino Knife is the sixth installment in the Matador series, a futuristic science fiction interplanetary action-adventure written by New York Times bestselling author Steve Perry. Marcus Jefferson Wall, the once-defeated leader of an evil confederation, attempts to regain power through an elaborate scheme and take revenge on Emile Khadaji, who had successfully led the anti-confederation rebellion. Wall arranges to have Khadaji's wife Juete kidnapped as bait. Their daughter Veate finds Khadaji, alerts him to Juete's disappearance, and sets into motion the quest to find her and, ultimately, to confront Wall. Also working with Khadaji is a small band of loyal matadors, special agents with whom he had previously overthrown the confederation.