Post-apocalyptic fiction

JkFlesh · October 24, 2011, 03:57:28 PM

JG's Ballard's The Drowned World. Ballard wrote a ton of dystopian/ apocalyptic fiction -- check out his short stories-- and IMO no one does it better.

Stickman · October 25, 2011, 09:12:30 PM

Quote from: JkFlesh on October 24, 2011, 03:57:28 PM
JG's Ballard's The Drowned World. Ballard wrote a ton of dystopian/ apocalyptic fiction -- check out his short stories-- and IMO no one does it better.

His early stuff is indeed great, but he loses me by the mid-70s, after Crash. Also worth a mention is Phillip Jose Farmer's novella, Riders of the Purple Wage, which is excellent (and won a Hugo in '68).

gnombient · December 08, 2011, 05:35:41 PM

Most of the PA fiction I like tends toward the fantastic -- stuff like Philip Jose Farmer's Dark is the Sun, Andre Norton's Star Man's Son, and Brian Aldiss's Hothouse. On the more realistic side, I thought James Howard Kunstler's recent novel World Made By Hand was pretty good, but I haven't read the sequel.

alfie · December 19, 2011, 03:33:02 PM

Earth Abides, George R. Stewart, really enjoyed it, actually quite moved in the end, well worth a read.

agent of change · October 19, 2012, 11:07:35 PM

Plague Year by Jeff Carlson has the best opening line of any book in this genre: "They ate Jorgensen first." The following two novels in the trilogy weren't worth the read though. Rushed them to publication, methinks.

berrugal · November 13, 2012, 05:39:11 PM

I'm looking forward to read The Diamond Age: Or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer. A friend read it, and made some drawings... it made him make drawings... um? plot looks interesting

Andrew Blakk · November 14, 2012, 03:12:51 AM

I've just read Dmitrij Gluchovskij's Metro 2033 and Metro 2034.

Just really awsome stuff. The story line: Uhm, eh... ah... Nuclear war, "it's the end of the world as you know it". The survivers moves down into Moscows subway system (The Metro) and starts over. Really good writing and really dark.

Recommended... Especially if you like me is not a fan of this genre in the beginning.

diasdegalvan · November 15, 2012, 02:33:35 AM

Quote from: Andrew Blakk on November 14, 2012, 03:12:51 AM
I've just read Dmitrij Gluchovskij's Metro 2033 and Metro 2034.

Just really awsome stuff. The story line: Uhm, eh... ah... Nuclear war, "it's the end of the world as you know it". The survivers moves down into Moscows subway system (The Metro) and starts over. Really good writing and really dark. Recommended... Especially if you like me is not a fan of this genre in the beginning.

I've played the game but not read the book I'll put this here in case you've read the book but not played the game.

frobbert · November 15, 2012, 08:41:04 PM

Not a book but I just saw the movie Testament (1983). Boy, do I feel depressed now

agent of change · December 29, 2012, 08:35:10 PM

Been reading Margaret Atwood's "Oryx and Crake" and now "The Year of the Flood." Really well-written, intelligent social commentary without getting preachy or dogmatic, interesting characters. Recommended if you likes the literary.

GeeZa · June 07, 2014, 01:50:37 AM

I agree that Ballard's "A Drowned World" is a fabulous starting point. Ahead of his time as usual. "Childhood's End" by Arthur C. Clarke is very memorable, particularly towards the end. Also my favourite Pink Floyd tune!

And whilst not a book, if you haven't seen the British TV series "Threads" (1980s), do. It's fucking harrowing and one of the most important pieces of TV ever made.

GeeZa · June 07, 2014, 06:25:49 PM

Quote from: vonzombie on June 07, 2014, 12:37:48 PM
Threads is horrifying. I wonder if you can stream that anywhere.

GeeZa · June 07, 2014, 08:00:52 PM

You might need a stiff drink afterwards. Last time I watched it I did.

GeeZa · June 07, 2014, 11:35:47 PM

Quote from: vonzombie on June 07, 2014, 09:51:28 PM
Yup. Watching that was a really dumb idea :/

Hmm, perhaps I should have been more up-front about how horrible it is, sorry about that. Lesson learned.

If it's any consolation, I watched it several years ago, having also seen it as a kid, and was devastated by it. As a kid you're clearly not comprehending it, as an adult you are, and it's unrelentingly bleak and difficult. It does probably need to be as full-on as it is because the subject matter is so important and the realities of it are rarely confronted, but yeah, it's a fairly major bummer all round.

Maybe do something jolly tomorrow like jump around a bouncy castle with Darkthrone on your headphones?

chille01 · June 28, 2014, 07:50:22 PM

The Drowned World by JG Ballard is pretty interesting, and eerily foreshadows current real life concerns about global warming, even though it was written before that was even a real concept.

agent of change · July 12, 2015, 11:24:31 AM

Just finished this, got it from the library. Damn good. It's written in a first person narrative that's a sort of pidgin or patois - I found it intriguing and poetic, but a number of other readers online got frustrated with it. I'd make a loose equivocation with Clockwork Orange, but not as difficult to discern the meaning of words.

Highly recommend it, though it's equally personal and plot-driven. Not so much sci fi as what's going to happen next?

Dylan Thomas · August 12, 2015, 10:56:35 AM

I've been reading The End Of The Dream by Philip Wylie. It's good, though really bleak, and really dry. It's written as the excerpts from fictitious books, texts, manuals etc.

It's a bit of a challenge for me to get through it. It's worth it because it's very poignant.

agent of change · February 28, 2016, 09:23:30 AM

About a third of the way into this, pretty good read. Great use of language and present tense narrative to build tension. A post-apocalyptic Lewis and Clark expedition. Even weaves in a bit of magic/mysticism.