Disaster Thrillers

[Shanna_redwind]

I'm looking for some good disaster thrillers. Any method of destruction is fine with me. Volcanoes, asteroids, earthquakes, tsunamis, alien invasions, or anything else causing mass mayhem is fine. I'm pretty much just looking for fiction. Plagues would be okay too, but I'm not really looking for a medical thriller at the moment.

Things I've read recently in this area are
Supervolcano: Eruption by Harry Turtledove and Dry Ice

Thanks

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

The Ice Limit
State of Fear (I will admit I did not like this one, but many did...helps to be a climate change denier)
Rogue Wave

[Feliks]

[Shanna_redwind]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll be working my way though them.

[Feliks]

You're very welcome. I had another one in mind for you but I can't recall the name. Its about how a species of genetically modified grass takes over the whole planet and nudges out all other vegetation..not scary, but disturbing.

Of the ones I listed above; many are kinda flat, some are nearly 'duds'. The 1970s was the heyday of disaster books and movies; but often was hit/miss in terms of quality writing. The most exemplary work (from the above titles) is Crichton's 'Andromeda Strain'. After that, I would cite 'Lucifer's Hammer'. (Boy, does THAT one stick with you...) 'Body Snatchers' is very creepy, but more of interest for the time/circumstance in which it was written (1954).

'The Hephaestus Plague' is very disturbing; 'The Swarm' is scary but also kind of silly. 'On the Beach' is by the great Nevil Shute; anything he writes is gripping. 'Ice!' I would read last along with 'Deadly Messiah' because they're more than a little goofy and unconvincing.

'Invader' gets my vote for one of the best SF books ever written; totally incredible and amazing storytelling. Short and powerful.

'Make Room, Make Room' eventually became the movie 'Soylent Green'.

'Cat's Cradle' is by Vonnegut. Anything he wrote is worth experiencing. Top caliber.

But 'Andromeda Strain'..whew! Coolness.

[Darcy]

Feliks are you talking about The Day of the Triffids?

[Feliks]

Which of my sentences? I recommended 'Triffids' and 'Kraken' from John Wyndham but didn't give them any further remarks as I did the others.

Oh! Do you mean the title I was searching for but couldn't find? I see. No, 'Triffids' is not that. The book about the 'grass' is a different one. Zang! Its on the tip of my tongue, too. I thought it was a John Wyndham book, as well..but its not in his bibliography.

Its a species of bermuda grass.

[Dylan]

The book about Bermuda grass taking over the world is Greener Than You Think by Ward Moore. I recommend reading it in tandem with The Death of Grass by John Christopher.

[Feliks]

Excellent save! Thanks mister!

[Daffodil]

I second The Death of Grass which was also published under the title No Blade of Grass. I'll have to give Moore's book a try.

Dust by Charles R Pellegrino is one I enjoyed.

[Jaye]

Ashfall Ashen Winter
A Wrinkle in the Skin
The Walk 8.4
The Deluge
The Rift

[Isabel (kittiwake)]

Given this week's news story about mining clathrates: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21...

I'd suggest "The Rapture" by Liz Jensen as being quite topical.

[Kate]

Directive 51

[Shanna_redwind]

These look really interesting. Thanks! My read list continues to grow, as always.