Task 7: Read a Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic Novel

[Kate]

Does anyone have an opinion as to whether or not Ready Player One would count for this task?

[Rainey]

Kate wrote: "Does anyone have an opinion as to whether or not Ready Player One would count for this task?"

I have read it and think definitely this one would count as a dystopian novel.

[Kate]

Rainey wrote: "Kate wrote: "Does anyone have an opinion as to whether or not Ready Player One would count for this task?"

I have read it and think definitely this one would count as a dystopian no..."

Thanks Rainey!

[Jenny]

I'm in the middle of The Water Knife and it definitely counts as dystopian (the first of 2016 but probably not the last).

[Heather]

Michelle wrote: "I picked Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey. I seen the trailer for the movie and I figured the book would be good."

Im reading this as well so itll count as dystopian and the one that will be turned into a movie/comparison! check check

[Idris]

I started Fifth Wave last year, but I'll finish it this year as well as (view spoiler)[ Rook by Sharon Cameron (hide spoiler)]. Not sure if everyone knows that one's supposedly post-apoc, so I tagged it.

[Maureen]

Kate wrote: "Rainey wrote: "Kate wrote: "Does anyone have an opinion as to whether or not Ready Player One would count for this task?"

I have read it and think definitely this one would count as..."

I just finished it and I am counting it - I thought it was an awesome book and it would be a great choice for people who are hesitant about this task - since it is so firmly mired in the 80's lots of folks will feel right at home.

I am also finding new books in this thread to add to my TBR list, as I am fond of the genre. Read Atwood!!

[jillannjohn]

I read Legend for this task.

[Andrea]

I realized my current read, Gold Fame Citrus, fits this task. I like it a lot when I'm reading it, but I've been reading it kind of slowly and am not like, I have to get back to this book! So I'd say I'm lukewarm on it so far.

[Sophia]

I read Ex-Heroes by Peter Clines for this. It was a fun take on the zombie apocalypse - superheroes are real and in Los Angeles a group of them are helping to protect survivors holed up in a fortified movie studio. I enjoyed it overall, there were some neat details. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series at some point!

[Sana]

Rainey wrote: "Station Eleven is the one for me for this task."

I just finished it! It was my book too. I highly recommed it

[Janani]

I read The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood and it was FANTASTIC. I highly recommend it, especially if you have never read a Margaret Atwood book before.

[Michelle]

Read book 1 of 3, Uglies

Totally hooked and awaiting book 2, Pretties, from the library.

[Henriette]

Rainey wrote: "Station Eleven is the one for me for this task."

Station Eleven is wonderful! Really wonderful.

[Henriette]

Kate wrote: "Right now I'm leaning towards Never Let Me Go. I wish I hadn't already read We (more than once), it would be perfect."

Oh, do read Ishiguro! It is so great! Moving, thoughtprovoking, just wonderful.

[Henriette]

I love dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels. Especially YA-novels. So choosing one for this challenge will be hard!

[Jayanti]

I read Station Eleven for this task. I would recommend it - really thought-provoking and wonderful.

[Ashley]

I just finished Allegiant yesterday. I was very hesitant to read this given the plethora of negative feedback about the book and the direction the story went. Honestly, I was fairly satisfied with the ending and thought the story went in an interesting, yet relatively believable, direction. If you've read the first two and are sitting on the third, I say ignore the negative comments and go for it!

[Jenni is on storygraph]

I read The Passage by Justin Cronin for this task. Not sure how I missed this series originally, but I loved it. Huge book, but I didn't get bored with it.

[Maureen]

Jenni wrote: "I read The Passage by Justin Cronin for this task. Not sure how I missed this series originally, but I loved it. Huge book, but I didn't get bored with it."

Just got that at the library sale a couple of months. I think this was the easiest task for me, so much to choose from!

[Teresa]

I read 'Red Rising', liked it, will continue with the series.

[Heidi]

I just finished The Dog Stars by Peter Heller, . Although post-apocalyptic stories aren't usually my cup of tea, this tale of loss and love demonstrates that when you lose everything, you still have your humanity. I truly enjoyed this story and the styled writing method.

[Elle]

Teresa wrote: "I read 'Red Rising', liked it, will continue with the series."

I liked Red Rising too and liked Golden Son (2nd in trilogy) even better. Be warned - Pierce Brown holds no punches and no character is safe, but he takes you on a fantastic ride. From what I've heard this is especially true in Morning Star (3rd book released yesterday 2/9). Hope you enjoy the series.

[Mary Sue]

Just finished The Time Machine for this task.

[Meghan]

I devoured The Rest of Us Just Live Here. I really enjoyed it, and probably would have passed it up if it hadn't been suggested by NYPL for this challenge.

[Emily]

I read The Road. Definitely a different type of book for me in many ways, but I couldn't put it down.

[Mary]

I read Cinder by Marissa Meyer.

[Carol]

I read for this task and though it was ok. There are way better books in this genre though.

[Strain]

I read the The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood for this challenge. I had been wanting to read it for a while and this was just the little boost I needed. I thought it was an interesting dystopian, especially with everything based in religion like that. What else of hers is best to read?

[Bonnie G.]

Lindsey wrote: "I read the The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood for this challenge. I had been wanting to read it for a while and this was just the little boost I needed. I thought it was an interes..."

Most Atwood is great. She is brilliant! You might want to go with Oryx and Crake if you like dystopian stories.

[Leigh]

I just started reading The Heart Goes Last. I've only read 10%. I'm liking it so far, but I'm ready to be done with the world building and on to the meat of the novel.

[Leslie (updates on SG)]

Lindsey wrote: "I read the The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood for this challenge. I had been wanting to read it for a while and this was just the little boost I needed. I thought it was an interes..."

I'm listening to The Handmaid's Tale for this task as well, and really enjoying it. It's inspired me to reserve another audiobook by her, The Blind Assassin.

[Denise]

Jenni wrote: "I read The Passage by Justin Cronin for this task. Not sure how I missed this series originally, but I loved it. Huge book, but I didn't get bored with it."

It would also work for a book over 500 pages long, for sure!

[Lisa]

I just finished Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Not the best, but I can see why it's a classic.

[Teresa]

Lisa, those were my thoughts when I read Do Androids Dream... Two years later, though, certain parts of the story still pop into my head. That raises my opinion of the book.

[Leigh]

Leigh wrote: "I just started reading The Heart Goes Last. I've only read 10%. I'm liking it so far, but I'm ready to be done with the world building and on to the meat of the novel."

I never felt like I got to the meat of the novel. It was a disappointing first taste of Margaret Atwood.

[Angela]

I'm 100 pages into Never Let Me Go and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

[Henriette]

I ended up choosing Fahrenheit 451. I've wanted to read it for ages and thursday I stumbled upon it at a bookstore sale, so it was meant to be.

[Anna]

I just finished (and loved) Station Eleven. I picked it up randomly at an airport last year, needing reinforcements for a long flight, then tossed it on my TBR shelf. I'm kicking myself for waiting this long (though glad I had it to mark off this challenge).

[Viv]

I went all old-school feminist dystopia and read Suzy McKee Charnas's 1970s classic Walk to the End of the World. It was certainly not an easy read, but has given me a head full of things to think about!

[Monica]

I read The Windup Girl for this task. Pretty grim and not for the squeamish, but an excellent read.

[Rachael]

I just finished The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood and it was excellent. Highly recommend!

[Jeanne]

Just finished Public Enemy Zero by Andrew Mayne, very good. Interesting reversal of the zombie theme makes it scary but a fun read. Reccommend!

[Ashley]

Henriette wrote: "I ended up choosing Fahrenheit 451. I've wanted to read it for ages and thursday I stumbled upon it at a bookstore sale, so it was meant to be."

Ohhh, I'm so jealous! I read it for the first time just a couple years ago and LOVED it. I would love the opportunity to go back and read it for the first time again - I hope you enjoy it as well!

[Henriette]

Ashley - Thank you! I really, really enjoyed it! So beautiful and scary - especially to a booklover.

I feel like you when it comes to Station11 (and a few other books). I wish I could experience them for the first time all over again.

[Corey]

Read Richard Kadrey's Metrophage, a drug-fueled thriller, like Philip K. Dick on acid. Or, even more acid.

[Sarah]

Ok, in the end I went with High-Rise which I thought was terrific, but potentially not an easy read for some. (I had the audio book, which is read by Tom Hiddlestone). This was going to be a tricksy category for me, and I do still have Station Eleven to read as I accidentally bought it on my Kindle when I was looking in to it!!

[[deleted user]]

Just finished Z for Zachariah, which I really enjoyed! It's an older book (70s), marketed as YA but written with an adult audience in mind, and a pretty quick read. Recently saw the movie too, which was excellent but totally different from the book (so you could also count this for Task 18, if you're so inclined).

[Rima]

It's a perfect place to ask - could someone recommend not a dystopian but utopian novel?

[Robin P]

Myra wrote: "It's a perfect place to ask - could someone recommend not a dystopian but utopian novel?"

Good question, because many societies that seem to be utopian, have a dark side, like in The Giver. What I think of is a society run by women, which comes up inHe, She and It, where most of the world is in dystopia but there is at least one society that works. Another is A Door Into Ocean, which is about harmony with the environment (though the utopia gets threatened from outside). And there's the classic Herland.

He, She and It would definitely work for dystopian book. It's rather amazing how Marge Piercy predicted virtual reality and some other technologies that didn't exist yet.