flory@zaphod.UUCP (Scrapfaggot Green) (09/29/85)
***** The finest in bug cuisine served here. Apply within. ***** Hello All; I am looking for a particular flavour of story --usually to be found in the SF genre-- and would like to receive whatever information or recommendations anyone might care to pass along. In my youth I read a story which I think was called _A_boy_and_his_Dog_. Whatever the title really was the story had your basic post-apocalypse, all-hell-broke-loose type of setting. The story was a little violent, a little gruesome, but made fascinating reading. I have thought of the tale may times over the years and have since found cause to remember it once again: the series of Mad Max movies have a somewhat similar theme (decay, greed, fear, violence). Though I personally feel that the Max flicks are thin in terms of plot that is not really the point; the desolation of the setting, the thematic elements of primitive fear and survival and the overall air of malaise are the elements I am specifically looking for. So ... I seek good post-apocalypse stories that have the same ``gone to hell in a hand basket'' feel as _A_boy_ and the Max flicks. Civilization crippled and dying; Man lost in the rubble; morality worn and discarded like old clothes; survival the only law. What man does in this environment is up to you the recommender. I think it best that recommendations be sent to me at the usenet address below. If there seems to be sufficient interest then I will post a summary of recommended works. Thank you. ***** Trevor K. Flory Develcon Electronics Ltd., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CANADA UUCP: ...!ihnp4!sask!zaphod!flory
Slocum.CSCDA@HI-MULTICS.ARPA (10/11/85)
From: Slocum@HI-MULTICS.ARPA
> Galapagos. Kurt Vonnegut. Still in hardback.
Don't forget Cat's Cradle by same author. A wry, witty end-of-the-world
yarn which introduces my favorite substance, Ice-nine.
Brett SlocumMorton@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU (10/17/85)
From: "Morton Jim"@LLL-MFE.ARPA
I have not seen Warday listed in the discussion of "Man in the rubble"
stories. While this book does not encompass the amount of destruction
that would be caused by either the U.S. or S.U. using half or more of
their available nuclear weapons, the scenarios described in the book
are believable descriptions of the United States after a small to
medium small scale attack.
*********< Slight Spoiler Warning >*********
The book describes the observations and collected interviews made
by two journalsts traveling across America five years after a
limited nuclear war between the Soviet Union and the United States.
The attack mode of the Soviets included effective use of EMP
generated by pre-deployed thermonuclear weapons aboard communication
sattelites which were commanded out of their normal positions and
into positions most usefull for dropping their nuclear cargo. This
single phase of the attack was responsible for the fragmentation of
the United States into several regions of independent political power.
In addition to the EMP attack, a more conventional Nuclear attack
was effected for New York City, Washington D.C., San Antonio Tx, and
the Minuteman missile fields througout the midwest. These attacks
caused significant loss of life, disease and hunger.
Several ideas explored in the book include the Triage of people
with excessive lifetime exposure to radiation, with people turning to
alternative forms of medical treatment ( witches faith-healers etc).
Also, the aid provided by foriegn countries to the U.S. (and S.U.)
and the way these countries were taking advantage of the condition of
the superpowers to further their own national goals. The way that
various states controlled immigration was also explored.
All in all i found the book enjoyable, and was exposed to concepts
i had not considered before.
Jim Morton RAAQC997%CUNYVM.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA (11/05/85)
From: RAAQC997%CUNYVM.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA
In a prior memo I stated that the "Book of Swords" trilogy
spanned 2 millenia, they do not. They span approx. 20 yrs. The
reason for confusion is that some of the characters are from a
book pre-dating this trilogy called "The Empire of the East"
(also by saberhagen). The "Sword" trilogy offers a conclusion to
previous events.
Aaron W.
RAAQC997%CUNYVM.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA