Climate Change In Sci-Fi Literature

[Chris Knight]

A Sci-Fi novel I recently became acquainted with was Fallen Angels, by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle and Michael Flynn. It is available online here

Here's a short quote:

Thor noticed and smiled. He blew a few plaintive notes on his whistle; then declaimed:

"Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire."

Everyone chuckled. "That's from 'Fire and Ice,' " Thor said. "By Robert Frost."

"Frost," said "Mike. "That's appropriate."

Will Waxman grunted. "Finish the stanza," he said.

Thor stopped smiling and looked out the side window at the shimmering horizon. After a while, he continued in a voice so soft she had to strain to hear him.

"But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice."

Are there any other good books people have come across? - I seem to remember JG Ballard wrote about various disastrous futures in the 1960s.

[AtlanticFlamethrower]

Here's a short story by Isaac Asimov.

[Admiral_Bobski]

A great book from 1979, The Sixth Winter by Douglas Orgill and John Gribbin. "The Day After Tomorrow" seemed like a complete rip-off of it.

:lol:

CB

[Methuselah]

The Black Cloud by Sir Fred Hoyle...

I must have been only 18 years' old when I read it. But, it sure made an impression on me!

And, what about E.E. 'Doc' Smith's Lensman Series???

I do love S-F! :lol:

PS: How can anyone forget The Day The Earth Caught Fire?

[pottyprof]

The book of Revelations...

Fantastic novel and proving to be more accurate as days go by in some quarters...

[noggin]

The book of Revelations...

Fantastic novel and proving to be more accurate as days go by in some quarters...

Now that is one scary read!

Anyway, I also have one to recommend. I had thought it might be too old, but if we can have the book of Revelations, then we can certainly have.......

Sixty Days To Live by Dennis Wheatley (published in 1939)

I read it when I was in my teens (which was not 1939, thank you!). It was my darling Dad's book but as I loved it so much he gave it to me and I cherish it, partly because it was a gift from him, but also for the fast-paced and gripping storyline.

Briefly, a comet is due to hit the Earth in 60 days' time. There follows a plot to overthrow the government, panic, riots, martial law, many people suffering madness from the approaching comet's rays, terrific volcanic eruptions and a flood of Biblical proportions (there's a coincidence!). If that isn't enough superbly written excitement in one book, then I don't know what is!

I'm exhausted just thinking about it! I know it's not about climate change per se, but I hope that the volcanic eruptions and flood entitle ( :lol: )it to a mention here!

I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Really, I can't.

It is one of the best books I have ever read.

Honestly.

Read it.

Please.

You won't regret it.

Edited August 23, 2009 by noggin

[Admiral_Bobski]

A couple of Philip K Dick novels talk about a scorched Earth as well, though I don't think he goes into any detailed explanation of how it got to be that way. I think one of them is The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, but I'd have to double check that.

CB