Tag: dystopian

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Something has gone wrong…

Something has gone wrong…

As so often I’ve been thinking about robots, artificial intelligence and what will become of us humans in the future while creating this piece. Will we just endlessly keep consuming? Will robots take over human reproduction because all that is left is some greedy, organic matter? And why would they do it? Because we created them in our best image – the one that is caring, thoughtful and supportive? I will give it some more thought…  


“Artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is the use of algorithms and software to approximate human cognition in the analysis of complex medical data. Specifically, AI is the ability for computer algorithms to approximate conclusions without direct human input.”
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Scorched Earth

Scorched Earth

Scorched-earth tactics are a military strategy that destroys all resources that might be useful to the advancing enemy. Why we are destroying our planet with global warming without an enemy in sight is beyond me… Perhaps it is the enemy inside us that drives us? The enemy that is called: greed or fear or simply dumb-ass!

I am an artist, not a writer, but thought about the first line of a dystopian novel:  People embraced the first heatwave in the summer of 2018.

As I said, I am not a writer, but I would start a piece of apocalyptic fiction in the here and now  – the nightmare is already in full swing.

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Cold Earth

Cold Earth by Sarah Moss

Cold Earth by Sarah Moss

Sarah Moss is one of my favourite authors and her début novel Cold Earth is right down my apocalyptic alleyway. It is tense, ice-cold, and like everything else by Sarah Moss, a real pleasure to read!

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Reapers Are the Angels

The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell

Reapers Are the Angels by Alden Bell

Review
For some, The Reapers Are The Angels is the best zombie novel ever written, and I wholeheartedly agree.  Not only is it the best zombie book, but one of the best pieces of fiction I’ve ever read, full stop.  The story follows Temple, a sixteen-year-old girl who has never known a world without zombies, or meatskins  as she calls them. But do not worry – this is not young adult or a coming of age book (not that there is anything wrong with YA) – this is dystopia in its full gory!

Thankfully without gratuitous violence, rape and questionable politics of which I have found more than enough in some other zombie reads. Temple having survived on her own by mainly seeking solitude and keeping on the move when necessary, saves the life of a simple man who becomes her charge. In an effort to find a safe place for her helpless companion we meet a host of characters – some good, some bad, most already dead… I don’t want to give away too much, so best just read it yourself. It is fantastically well written, nicely paced and will blow you away…

Available from Amazon

 

 

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Outpost

Outpost by Adam Baker

Outpost by Adam Baker

Review:
I especially liked the setting. The end of the world happens while folks are stuck on an arctic outpost – at the end of the world.

This had everything you want in an apocalyptic read… …nothing more, nothing less.

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The Dog Stars

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

Review:
I loved this book. It is zombie-like dystopian-  the struggle for survival, fighting over scarce resources and the thread of mindless violence.

There’s also a dog (good!) and a Cessna – what is it with Cessnas and apocalyptic fiction? They’ve been featuring in at least 4 books I’ve read so far – maybe I should get one? Never mind, it is an outstanding good read! It had me in tears…

 

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Bleeding Kansas The SAGA of the DEAD SILENCER

Bleeding Kansas The SAGA of the DEAD SILENCER by L Roy Aiken

Bleeding Kansas The SAGA of the DEAD SILENCER by L Roy Aiken

Review:
This one is utterly bleak. The humour so dark you need a torch to find the funny bits. OK, a decent zombie novel is by its very nature not exactly fluffy lighthearted fun, but I don’t remember having ever read anything this cynical. Different, shocking and I think I like it..!?  If you despair of humankind, Bleeding Kansas won’t change your mind. And I’ve never been and I never will go to Kansas.

By the way, I still have the original cover 🙂 I am glad the author put his hands in his pockets and invested in a professionally designed cover, or honed up on his skills.

Bleeding Kansas original cover
Bleeding Kansas original cover

ps I read this some time ago before book 2 and 3 came along. Let’s see what happen next in book 2…

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The Remaining

The Remaining by D J Molles review

The Remaining 
by D. J. Molles.

The Remaining is the first book in the bestselling series and it is not bad at all! It helps if you are interested in weapons though. Guns are described with so much obsessive detail, one starts to wonder a little… Nevertheless, the loneliness of the main man Lee, a soldier under orders to wait underground in a bunker, is truly palpable and adds to the excitement before mayhem starts. And he has a dog – for me always a plus in any book!

It has 131 (and rising) 5-star reviews on Amazon – nobody has that many friends who fake reviews (recently I started to wonder about that last statement…?). So a popular book with an interesting beginning.

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Zombie Fallout

Zombie Fallout Series by Mark Tufo review

Zombie Fallout series by Mark Tufo – Books 1 to 10

Review:
I’ve read the first couple of books of this series – until the zombies became too clever for my liking. Mike, a family man, and survivalist who has been eagerly awaiting the undead (no shortage of guns at the outbreak) takes them on with plenty of humour and strong language. The spelling and grammar police were up in arms over this one. The would nail me to the cross as well, so I cannot comment. Meanwhile, America’s gun lobby would probably award Mark Tufo the Nobel prize for literature.

Anyhow, for me the trouble started when the author must have thought zombies are just too boring, let’s make them a bit more interesting by making them smarter. No, no, no you don’t! Develop the living and let the zombies be zombies. Here we have a zombie lady who develops some kind of mind relationship with Mike. Sorry, don’t know what happened after book 2 – I got out of there…

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Day By Day Armageddon

Day by Day Armagedon by J L Bourne

Day By Day Armageddon by J L Bourne

Review:

Even though the cover looks like a coal mine disaster, this is a solid zombie read. It originally started as an online fiction journal written in diary form from the perspective of a lone Naval Officer in a post-apocalyptic world with a lot more zombies than living folks. The few people he does meet soon form a small band of survivors having to keep on the move trying to stay alive in a world getting more hostile by the minute.

There is no deep characterisation of anyone in this book, but one still cares about those essentially decent people, wanting them to make it. Oh, and there is a dog! What can I say? I like dog!, I’ve got a dog, how could I not?