Fictional disaster recommendations? - Page 2

montsnmags · 10-06-2009, 12:54 AM

I enjoyed Frank Herbert's The White Plague when I read it, though that was many years ago. I'd very much second mgrunk's recommendation of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, though not in any real sense is the nature of the disaster explained. I'd also second Margaret Atwood's Oryx & Crake...similarly without too much enthusiasm, but with the same thought about its relative popularity (I'm wondering if it's recent followup The Year Of The Flood might help complete appreciation).

Another I've got there on the shelves, kept because I enjoyed it so much when I first read it a long time ago, is Robert Silverberg's Tom O'Bedlam. That was an interesting one I recall.

Blue Tyson · 10-06-2009, 01:08 AM

The Sea and Summer by George Turner

Sparrow · 10-06-2009, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenG

No Blade of Grass by John Christopher

Yes, that's a good read, as is his 'World in Winter' and 'Pendulum'.

But I think the best of John Christopher is his young adult writing; the 'Prince in Waiting' trilogy is about society's reversion to medieval levels following an unspecified catastrophe - it's well worth reading (almost as good as the Tripods trilogy for which he is best known).

bjergtrold · 10-06-2009, 03:45 AM

I second the recommendation for Malevil by Robert Merle. It is one of the few books that I find worth-re-reading.

igorsk · 10-06-2009, 10:09 AM

Already recommended, but here's the link where you can buy it ($4, no DRM): Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. Also check Footfall from the same duo.
Other books not mentioned so far:
The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham.
Japan Sinks (Nihon Chinbotsu) by Sakyo Komatsu.
There Will be Dragons by John Ringo.

prudence · 10-06-2009, 10:46 AM

Thank you all for your recommendations - fantastic!

Has anybody read The Drowned World by J.G. Ballard - any views on this one as it was on my (long) list of books to read?

Sue

Penforhire · 10-06-2009, 01:18 PM

Michael Crichton comes to mind as an author with several tales on the edge of ending us all.

leandroide · 10-06-2009, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prudence

Thank you all for your recommendations - fantastic!

Has anybody read The Drowned World by J.G. Ballard - any views on this one as it was on my (long) list of books to read?

Sue

I had... and I don't remember it specially recommendable. Maybe this is not a correct expression in English, but I think that you will understand if I say that it left me a little cold (cold opposed to warm... not related with bacteria or viruses).

L.

MelC · 10-06-2009, 04:14 PM

Pretty much anything by John Wyndham - eg. The Chrysalids, The Day of the Triffids...

Mel

Heather Parker · 10-07-2009, 03:42 PM

As above - anything by John Wyndham! Until I joined this forum, I thought I was his last fan so nice to know I'm not alone. I wonder why there haven't been any recent film versions of these (faithful to the books unlike the original Triffids).

Sparrow · 10-08-2009, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heather Parker

As above - anything by John Wyndham! Until I joined this forum, I thought I was his last fan so nice to know I'm not alone. I wonder why there haven't been any recent film versions of these (faithful to the books unlike the original Triffids).

According to IMDB, a film version of "Chocky" is in development.

Krystian Galaj · 10-08-2009, 03:24 PM

The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wan...eiber_novel%29

What happens when a planet pops out of hyperspace very close to Earth and Moon? Quite detailed on the gravity subject.

Also Hugo award winner.

Loose_Appeal · 10-10-2009, 06:38 AM

I have 30 pages left to go on "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. I'm actually delaying the read because I don't know if I can take the ending, whatever it may be. Oh well, I have some tissues ready

.

MickeyC · 10-10-2009, 08:04 AM

'The Stand' is my favorite. But, I'm about half way through 'The Palmyra Impact' and, apart from a few geographical errors, it is, so far, a great read.

WillAdams · 10-12-2009, 07:53 AM

My wife enjoyed _The Last Ship_ by William Brinkley --- haven't gotten 'round to reading it myself yet though.

William

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10-06-2009, 12:54 AM	#16
montsnmags Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,155 Karma: 4632658 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: none	I enjoyed Frank Herbert's The White Plague when I read it, though that was many years ago. I'd very much second mgrunk's recommendation of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, though not in any real sense is the nature of the disaster explained. I'd also second Margaret Atwood's Oryx & Crake...similarly without too much enthusiasm, but with the same thought about its relative popularity (I'm wondering if it's recent followup The Year Of The Flood might help complete appreciation). Another I've got there on the shelves, kept because I enjoyed it so much when I first read it a long time ago, is Robert Silverberg's Tom O'Bedlam. That was an interesting one I recall.

10-06-2009, 01:08 AM	#17
Blue Tyson Blue Captain Posts: 1,595 Karma: 5000236 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G,Huawei Ideos X3,Kobo Mini	The Sea and Summer by George Turner

10-06-2009, 03:45 AM	#19
bjergtrold Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	I second the recommendation for Malevil by Robert Merle. It is one of the few books that I find worth-re-reading.

10-06-2009, 10:09 AM	#20
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Already recommended, but here's the link where you can buy it ($4, no DRM): Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. Also check Footfall from the same duo. Other books not mentioned so far: The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham. Japan Sinks (Nihon Chinbotsu) by Sakyo Komatsu. There Will be Dragons by John Ringo.

10-06-2009, 10:46 AM	#21
prudence Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Ireland Device: Sony 505	Thank you all for your recommendations - fantastic! Has anybody read The Drowned World by J.G. Ballard - any views on this one as it was on my (long) list of books to read? Sue

10-06-2009, 01:18 PM	#22
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Michael Crichton comes to mind as an author with several tales on the edge of ending us all.

10-06-2009, 04:14 PM	#24
MelC Evangelist Posts: 410 Karma: 2081 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: Cybook Gen3, PRS600	Pretty much anything by John Wyndham - eg. The Chrysalids, The Day of the Triffids... Mel

10-07-2009, 03:42 PM	#25
Heather Parker Nameless Being	As above - anything by John Wyndham! Until I joined this forum, I thought I was his last fan so nice to know I'm not alone. I wonder why there haven't been any recent film versions of these (faithful to the books unlike the original Triffids).

10-08-2009, 03:24 PM	#27
Krystian Galaj Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 11012 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Warsaw, Poland Device: Bookeen Cybook	The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wan...eiber_novel%29 What happens when a planet pops out of hyperspace very close to Earth and Moon? Quite detailed on the gravity subject. Also Hugo award winner.

10-10-2009, 06:38 AM	#28
Loose_Appeal Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish? Posts: 85 Karma: 162 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: Current: PRS-650, Previous: Books	I have 30 pages left to go on "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. I'm actually delaying the read because I don't know if I can take the ending, whatever it may be. Oh well, I have some tissues ready .

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10-10-2009, 08:04 AM	#29
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,731 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	'The Stand' is my favorite. But, I'm about half way through 'The Palmyra Impact' and, apart from a few geographical errors, it is, so far, a great read.

10-12-2009, 07:53 AM	#30
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,258 Karma: 3439432 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	My wife enjoyed _The Last Ship_ by William Brinkley --- haven't gotten 'round to reading it myself yet though. William