Everything Politely Goes to Hell: The Fiction of John Wyndham, John Christopher, and John Brunner
Starting with "The Day Of the Triffids" in 1951, John Wyndham practically created and perfected what Brian Aldiss called "the Cozy Shocker", where the world (or Britain or a single village) descends into post-apocalyptic chaos, but in a genteel, refined, British manner. In the late 50s, John Christopher made the formula decidedly less cozy by adding overt violence and less admirable behavior by his characters, and in the mid-60s, John Brunner left space opera to destroy not only conventional societies but, as in his classic "Stand on Zanzibar ", conventional narrative as well. Taken together, they form a fascinating triptych of dystopian writers who, through the conventions of SF, articulate the fears and concerns of the post-war nuclear age. Here are 36 fascinating reads.
avg. score: 2 of 36 (6%)
required scores: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
