Anne’s Comments (group member since Nov 21, 2012)

Anne’s comments from the Utopian and Dystopian Reading Group group.

I'd recommend in YA, Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. Little Brother

I thought you might be interested to know that I've signed a book deal for A CALCULATED LIFE with David Pomerico at 47North, Amazon Publishing's science fiction, fantasy and horror imprint. A new edition of my novel will be published by 47North in September 2013. Feeling dazed and happy.

Here's some further info on my blog:
http://calculatedlife.com/a-calculate...

If you like Social Science Fiction… I received my first Editorial Review today for "A Calculated Life", which reads:
"Stunningly relevant re-imagining of 21st century Britain as a bioengineered corporate dystopia."
I'm looking at how technological changes will affect human social and economic relationships. I don't know if this is what you're interested in… but here's a link:
http://www.amazon.com/A-Calculated-Li...
More reader reviews on Amazon.co.uk.

Miranda - add your votes to the listopia and add Society of Others - there's a link at the top of this thread. :-)

Oh yes! Thanks Miranda. I've read The Society of Others and loved it though I have to admit I bought the novel initially because I liked the typography on that particular edition. It's an odd sort of book - I'm not sure if it fits one specific genre, which is interesting in itself.

I've started a new lystopia because I'd like to find some recommendations for new (or newish) dystopias. I've primed the list with a few of my favourites.
I'd love you all to add some reading suggestions.

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/31...

As a child I was mesmerized and frightened by the Animal Farm animated movie. I was too young to realize this was dystopian but it stuck with me. I'm pretty sure the Bladerunner movie switched me on to reading dystopian fiction: initially JG Ballard, and Brian Aldis' short stories. Other early reads included Brave New World, 1984 and Fahrenheit 451.

I do prefer earth-bound dystopias. Within that large group I generally have a liking for those in which the setting is similar to present day eg Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go, Maggie Gee's The Flood.

This year I've really enjoyed City of Bohane by Kevin Barry.These are all within the camp of Speculative Fiction.

I have 25 dystopias on my Dystopian Fiction bookshelf and you'll see my interests are pretty broad in this area. I'll be adding more reviews over the Christmas break.

If you'd like to delve into the history of utopian writing, this book is the perfect place to start. (The Faber Book of Utopias by John Carey). There are extracts dating from 1940BC to 1998AD.

Here's my review:
Look no further than John Carey’s compilation of utopias/dystopias to gain a real appreciation of how this form of literature has obsessed writers over millennia. Yes, millennia! From The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor (anonymous, circa 1940 BC), Homer, Plato, Tacitus, Plutarch, Tao Qian through to Sir Thomas More’s Utopia, Michel de Montaigne’s On Cannibals, Margaret Cavendish, Jonathan Swift, Marquis de Sade, Samuel Butler’s Erewhon (a personal favourite), Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Kurt Vonnegut, Italo Calvino, Marge Piercy . . . .

I have lost count of how many people have borrowed my copy and gone on to buy their own. Many small excerpts – excellent bedtime reading.