Thursday, December 05, 2013

The Future of Fiction is Bleak…

How’s that for a sensationalist library blog title?!  Don’t worry though, I’m not going depressing today and talking about the demise of the printed word, dwindling attention spans, or anything like that; I am in fact talking about one of my favorite literary trends right now: dystopian fiction, or fiction that is set in an imaginary place (often the future), that is extremely unpleasant or bleak and the quality of life is very bad.
My failed attempt to make it into a sold out showing of Catching Fire (the second Hunger Games Movie) this past weekend reminded me that dystopian fiction, which has been huge the last few years, is still going strong, especially for young adult readers.  The renewed popularity of all of the books in the Hunger Games series here at the library is great evidence of this trend (you can put a copy of any of the three on hold here); but beyond just that, there is a whole world of other similar, awesome (but perhaps less popular) dystopian fiction out there.  So, without further ado, here are some great dystopian titles (both young adult and adult) to check out.

If you want to get a head start on some other young adult dystopian novels that are slated to become movies in the near future try:
·         The Maze Runner by James Dashner
·         Divergent by Veronica Roth
·         Blood Red Road by Moira Young
·         The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking) by Patrick Ness

For those that like a touch of romance in their dystopia, take a look at:
·         Matched by Allie Conde
·         Birthmarked by Caragh O’Brien
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If you’re into a very dark, intense, post-apocalyptic sort of dystopia, something that perhaps crosses over into zombie country (perfect for the holiday season!) you might like:
·         The Road by Cormac McCarthy
·         The Forrest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
·         The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman
·         I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

If you’re someone who likes to stick with the classics, you might try:
·         I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
·         The Giver by Lois Lowry
·         Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
·         The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
·         Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguru


May the odds (of finding a great book) be ever in your favor!

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