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The Furies
America and Russian both explode huge H-bombs simultaneously. The tests go wrong, cracking the seabed, rupturing continents and engulfing cities. The Thames flattens into a flood plain, London is drowned. Now comes cosmic retribution - giant wasps, monstrous and deadly, directed by a supernatural intelligence, invade a reeling world. In England, isolated guerrillas fight on
220 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1966
16 people are currently reading
261 people want to read
About the author
Keith Roberts
194 books56 followersUsed These Alternate Names: Alistair Bevan , John Kingston , David Stringer
Keith John Kingston Roberts was a British science fiction author. He began publishing with two stories in the September 1964 issue of Science Fantasy magazine, "Anita" (the first of a series of stories featuring a teenage modern witch and her eccentric granny) and "Escapism.
Several of his early stories were written using the pseudonym Alistair Bevan. His second novel, Pavane, which is really a collection of linked stories, may be his most famous work: an alternate history novel in which the Roman Catholic Church takes control of England following the assassination of Queen Elizabeth I.
Roberts wrote numerous novels and short stories, and also worked as an illustrator. His artistic contributions include covers and interior artwork for New Worlds and Science Fantasy, later renamed Impulse. He also edited the last few issues of Impulse although the nominal editor was Harry Harrison.
In later life, Roberts lived in Salisbury. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1990, and died of its complications in October 2000. Obituaries recalled him as a talented but personally 'difficult' author, with a history of disputes with publishers, editors and colleagues.
Keith John Kingston Roberts was a British science fiction author. He began publishing with two stories in the September 1964 issue of Science Fantasy magazine, "Anita" (the first of a series of stories featuring a teenage modern witch and her eccentric granny) and "Escapism.
Several of his early stories were written using the pseudonym Alistair Bevan. His second novel, Pavane, which is really a collection of linked stories, may be his most famous work: an alternate history novel in which the Roman Catholic Church takes control of England following the assassination of Queen Elizabeth I.
Roberts wrote numerous novels and short stories, and also worked as an illustrator. His artistic contributions include covers and interior artwork for New Worlds and Science Fantasy, later renamed Impulse. He also edited the last few issues of Impulse although the nominal editor was Harry Harrison.
In later life, Roberts lived in Salisbury. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1990, and died of its complications in October 2000. Obituaries recalled him as a talented but personally 'difficult' author, with a history of disputes with publishers, editors and colleagues.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 2, 2025
Keith Roberts' first novel gets some gruff from reviewers, but I found 'The Furies' to maintain and pay respects to the epic disaster modes of Wells and Wyndham, mixed with the absurd pyrotechnics that would soon become a staple to B-movie disaster mongers, Irwin Allen ('The Swarm') and Bert I. Gordon ('Empire of the Ants'). While it has its faults in characterization, 'The Furies' is an exercise in movement and escape. And of course there are 3-foot long wasps terrorizing England, but also earthquakes thanks to both Russia and England detonating offshore nuclear bombs on the very same day. Ah, how the human race keeps fucking themselves over.
Unlike my recent read of the disappointing and unnecessarily languid 'Greybeard' by Brian Aldiss, Roberts gives dimension to his ruptured English countryside and keeps things on rapid fire as the survivors scrabble through caves, underground caverns, wasp-nest high rises, prison camps, shorelines and moorlands. Toss in the revelation that humans have now been enlisted as drones - to completely terraform the island into a great big wasp nest - and you get every trademark of a cozy catastrophe and then some.
Okay, the main protagonist Bill is the everyday man who has a unhealthy crush on a 13-year-old teen. And toss in the West End prostitute with the heart of gold (actually, this character Pete was oddly one of my favorites), or the corrupted human 'symbos' who seem to info dump the origin of the invaders as if it were some stock villains soliloquy about the 'great plan' with far too much narrative convenience. But still despite its pulpish shortcomings, 'The Furies' is a classic summer read, petrol and flames, aerial attacks, Saracen tanks and flame throwers on full blast.
And when you see that wasp crawl along your picnic blanket, squash it fast and furious. Just imagine what a 4-foot-long one could do to your neck and face.
Unlike my recent read of the disappointing and unnecessarily languid 'Greybeard' by Brian Aldiss, Roberts gives dimension to his ruptured English countryside and keeps things on rapid fire as the survivors scrabble through caves, underground caverns, wasp-nest high rises, prison camps, shorelines and moorlands. Toss in the revelation that humans have now been enlisted as drones - to completely terraform the island into a great big wasp nest - and you get every trademark of a cozy catastrophe and then some.
Okay, the main protagonist Bill is the everyday man who has a unhealthy crush on a 13-year-old teen. And toss in the West End prostitute with the heart of gold (actually, this character Pete was oddly one of my favorites), or the corrupted human 'symbos' who seem to info dump the origin of the invaders as if it were some stock villains soliloquy about the 'great plan' with far too much narrative convenience. But still despite its pulpish shortcomings, 'The Furies' is a classic summer read, petrol and flames, aerial attacks, Saracen tanks and flame throwers on full blast.
And when you see that wasp crawl along your picnic blanket, squash it fast and furious. Just imagine what a 4-foot-long one could do to your neck and face.
August 4, 2017
Firstly I will say that this book originally did not appeal to me and I was very sceptical about how good this would actually be I mean giant, mutant wasps.. not usually my thing, but after reading the first few sentences I knew this was going to be an interesting read and became pretty hooked.
The main character is Bill Sampson and I love the way that Keith Roberts has enabled him to tell the story in a witty, charming, indepth nightmare and emotional rollercoaster of a ride kinda way.
The main story is set in Brockledean, this is a fast paced book which drops you into madness and mayhem within the first few chapters, along the way we get to meet an array of wonderful characters. Sekhmet, Bills pure black Great Dane who he has had since a puppy being one of my favs (yes a dog!) Sek is a massive influence throughout most of the story, is a true hero, who sadly losses her life protecting Bill and Jane in an epic attack from the Furies.
Jane Felicity Beddoes-Smythe is also a firm fav of mine who orginally takes a liking to Sek the dog and then starts to visit both Bill and Sek on a daily basis which then forms a relationship and bond between them all, she is funny, sweet and innocent and I love the special bond they all share. Sadly during an attack from the Furies Bill and Jane end up having to seperate to survive and we dont hear much more about her after this.
I could go on and on Greg Douglas and Dilks who ended up in a camp (more like a prison) for the humans captured by the Furies with Bill Sampson who both become big parts of the book near to the end, both had such amazing and strong personalities.
The Furies with their puppy dog like faces and garish clicking mouths, eyes that capture even the smallest of movements and brains that are far more intelligent than humans ever imagined are the things of nightmares! (okay not mine but certainly any wasp hater)
And to conclude my feelings about the book are mixed, whilst I really did enjoy the storyline far more than I ever antisipated I felt the build up led us to a rather dull end, it just fell slightly short for me on the ending. What ever happened to Jane?!
Still I found it a very enjoyable and fun read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2013
‘We both watched the incredible death working its way towards us…’
America and Russia both explode H-bombs simultaneously. The tests go wrong, cracking the seabed, rupturing continents and engulfing cities, The Thames flattens into a flood plain, London is drowned.
Now comes cosmic retribution – giant wasps, monstrous and deadly, directed by a supernal intelligence, invade a reeling world. In England, isolated guerrillas fight on…’
Blurb from the 1966 Pan paperback edition
Roberts is at the literary end of the SF writers’ spectrum and can be spoken of with the same air of reverence which one reserves for Brian Aldiss, Christopher Priest, M John Harrison and indeed, John Wyndham with whose ‘Day of The Triffids’ this has to be inevitably compared.
Wyndham combined a biological menace with a worldwide human disaster. Triffids, already extant in the world, were controlled by human numbers and technology. Rendering 99.99% of the population blind allowed the triffids an evolutionary advantage.
Here, worldwide earthquakes caused by nuclear tests give the chance for giant wasps to move in and take over.
As in ‘Triffids’ there is a male narrator, Bill Sampson, whose name is very similar to that of Wyndham’s hero. He joins up with a group of people, hiding in caves and engaging in guerrilla raids against the giant wasps’ nests in which some humans have been captured and are working with, and for, The Furies, as the deadly creatures have become known.
Also, as in ‘Triffids’ the hero becomes involved with a woman with a past. Initially he and his Great Dane, Sekhmet, were in hiding with an independent upper-class schoolgirl, although our hero later puts her on a boat bound for The Isle of Wight, since the wasps can’t travel far over water.
Having been later captured by The Furies and escaping, he becomes drawn to another woman, known as Pete, one with a past of abuse and prostitution. Again, there are parallels with Wyndham’s Josella Playton and her rather more prim ‘skeleton in the closet’ of having written a book called ‘Sex is My Adventure’.
These parallels are superficial, however. Although one of Roberts’ early works, there are indications of the powerful writer he was to become.
He paints a portrait of English society very well although one that seems to reflect Wyndham’s Nineteen Fifties, rather than Nineteen Sixty Six. It doesn’t have the depth and complexity of his later work but is nonetheless a solid and enjoyable example of the British catastrophe novel. Is it cosy? One would have to say yes, since one would suspect that human society would revert far more to individual survival strategies with a good streak of vicious selfishness under such circumstances, although maybe that is a Twenty-First Century perspective.
America and Russia both explode H-bombs simultaneously. The tests go wrong, cracking the seabed, rupturing continents and engulfing cities, The Thames flattens into a flood plain, London is drowned.
Now comes cosmic retribution – giant wasps, monstrous and deadly, directed by a supernal intelligence, invade a reeling world. In England, isolated guerrillas fight on…’
Blurb from the 1966 Pan paperback edition
Roberts is at the literary end of the SF writers’ spectrum and can be spoken of with the same air of reverence which one reserves for Brian Aldiss, Christopher Priest, M John Harrison and indeed, John Wyndham with whose ‘Day of The Triffids’ this has to be inevitably compared.
Wyndham combined a biological menace with a worldwide human disaster. Triffids, already extant in the world, were controlled by human numbers and technology. Rendering 99.99% of the population blind allowed the triffids an evolutionary advantage.
Here, worldwide earthquakes caused by nuclear tests give the chance for giant wasps to move in and take over.
As in ‘Triffids’ there is a male narrator, Bill Sampson, whose name is very similar to that of Wyndham’s hero. He joins up with a group of people, hiding in caves and engaging in guerrilla raids against the giant wasps’ nests in which some humans have been captured and are working with, and for, The Furies, as the deadly creatures have become known.
Also, as in ‘Triffids’ the hero becomes involved with a woman with a past. Initially he and his Great Dane, Sekhmet, were in hiding with an independent upper-class schoolgirl, although our hero later puts her on a boat bound for The Isle of Wight, since the wasps can’t travel far over water.
Having been later captured by The Furies and escaping, he becomes drawn to another woman, known as Pete, one with a past of abuse and prostitution. Again, there are parallels with Wyndham’s Josella Playton and her rather more prim ‘skeleton in the closet’ of having written a book called ‘Sex is My Adventure’.
These parallels are superficial, however. Although one of Roberts’ early works, there are indications of the powerful writer he was to become.
He paints a portrait of English society very well although one that seems to reflect Wyndham’s Nineteen Fifties, rather than Nineteen Sixty Six. It doesn’t have the depth and complexity of his later work but is nonetheless a solid and enjoyable example of the British catastrophe novel. Is it cosy? One would have to say yes, since one would suspect that human society would revert far more to individual survival strategies with a good streak of vicious selfishness under such circumstances, although maybe that is a Twenty-First Century perspective.
May 25, 2023
Full review: https://sciencefictionruminations.com...
"Gigantic wasps! Destruction and mayhem! Humanity enslaved!
Due to an increase in thermonuclear weapons nuclear testing by both the US and the USSR, radiation levels rise across the world. After a momentary thaw of relations, the Neptune Test creates the chasm in the ocean releasing gigantic hyper-intelligent wasps. Their emergence–perhaps connected to the tests, or mutations from the growing radiation, or, as our narrator Bill Sampson [...]"
"Gigantic wasps! Destruction and mayhem! Humanity enslaved!
Due to an increase in thermonuclear weapons nuclear testing by both the US and the USSR, radiation levels rise across the world. After a momentary thaw of relations, the Neptune Test creates the chasm in the ocean releasing gigantic hyper-intelligent wasps. Their emergence–perhaps connected to the tests, or mutations from the growing radiation, or, as our narrator Bill Sampson [...]"
April 24, 2024
What a strange little book. Clunky yet so engaging.
November 15, 2022
The Furies is an English disaster novel that was first published in 1965 in 3 parts commencing July 1965 in Science Fantasy by Roberts and Vinter, and in hardback in 1966 by Hart-Davis.
I first read the story in a Pan paperback in 1975.
Not so many years ago I read The Furies three times in the same month; once to myself, a few days later out-loud to my girlfriend, and a week or so after that in-series with three other English disaster novels: The Day Of The Triffids by John Wyndham, War Of The Worlds by Wells, and the Space Machine by Christopher Priest.
Priest scored high in the romance department; I know he is known more for his Speculative Fiction, but he does write a damned good romance. I won’t comment on The Day Of The Triffids or War Of The Worlds; they are stories that both undeniably dwell in that canon of classics defining Science Fiction.
Of the four, the premise of Roberts work is the most modest—an alien presence from outer-space descends to earth in a grab at world-domination by taking up host in a new species of german wasp that are in size a foot in length or more, all told within the setting of an England where the countryside has been broken by nuclear bomb testing gone awry.
The stuff possibly of b-grade movies—but only in lesser hands.
Of the four, I found the telling of The Furies the most vivid and compelling. Robert’s writing style is both engaging and visual and his strength as a writer easily transcends the subject matter; and in this instance, he delivers a narration that is both accessible and immersive.
I first read the story in a Pan paperback in 1975.
Not so many years ago I read The Furies three times in the same month; once to myself, a few days later out-loud to my girlfriend, and a week or so after that in-series with three other English disaster novels: The Day Of The Triffids by John Wyndham, War Of The Worlds by Wells, and the Space Machine by Christopher Priest.
Priest scored high in the romance department; I know he is known more for his Speculative Fiction, but he does write a damned good romance. I won’t comment on The Day Of The Triffids or War Of The Worlds; they are stories that both undeniably dwell in that canon of classics defining Science Fiction.
Of the four, the premise of Roberts work is the most modest—an alien presence from outer-space descends to earth in a grab at world-domination by taking up host in a new species of german wasp that are in size a foot in length or more, all told within the setting of an England where the countryside has been broken by nuclear bomb testing gone awry.
The stuff possibly of b-grade movies—but only in lesser hands.
Of the four, I found the telling of The Furies the most vivid and compelling. Robert’s writing style is both engaging and visual and his strength as a writer easily transcends the subject matter; and in this instance, he delivers a narration that is both accessible and immersive.
September 6, 2011
Run for the hills! Huge wasps are coming!
August 12, 2024
Encontré esta singular obra fisgoneando hace dos semanas en un rastrillo de antigüedades cerca de mi casa. La vi dentro de una de esas cajas negras de plástico que suelen emplearse en los supermercados para vender fruta o verduras. La caja yacía en el suelo, repleta de libros de ciencia ficción, libros maltratados, novelas muertas y ninguneadas dentro de ese caudaloso e inabarcable torrente comercial. La edición no podía ser más salchichera, cutre y perturbadora. Olía a moho y a habitación cerrada. La portada me causó una cierta repugnancia y perplejidad pero a la vez sentí una insólita atracción por su extravagancia. Tuve la necesidad de saber quienes eran Las furias. El título me hechizó. No podía esperar más. Saqué la cartera y me la llevé por una moneda de cincuenta céntimos, por una inconmovible moneda fría, que me transportó a una era apocalíptica dominada por avispas gigantescas que trataban de aguijonear a toda la raza humana hasta la extinción. Nada de lo leído tuvo que ver con la atmósfera de la portada, ni tan siquiera con la lozana dama desabrigada, pero seguí los pasos de Bill Sampson hasta el final. El tipo me cayó simpático e ingenioso, sobre todo un luchador intrépido que ha añadido a mi folklore multicultural el pánico extra-ficticio hacia esos seres puñeteros que arañarán nuestras puertas en las noches de viento y perturbarán de vez en cuando nuestros sueños con el zumbido de sus alas con cuidadosa movilidad. Por si no la encuentran, se la cedo desde aquí con total amabilidad en esta noche de Reyes. ¡Disfrútenla! Se lee del tirón.
“A su alrededor las Furias parecían una nube negra, que lo cubría todo por entero, convulsionándose y apretujándose, procurando mantenerse fuera del alcance del lanzallamas.”
Fuente: https://huracanesenpapel.blogspot.com...
“A su alrededor las Furias parecían una nube negra, que lo cubría todo por entero, convulsionándose y apretujándose, procurando mantenerse fuera del alcance del lanzallamas.”
Fuente: https://huracanesenpapel.blogspot.com...
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August 22, 2023Doesn’t have the ambitious scope or elegiac tone of Pavane, but a well-told SF catastrophe in the vein of John Wyndham or (especially) John Christopher.
March 22, 2024
Good entertaining adventure/apocalypse book for easy reading. However, I often found myself not entirely sure what was going on, or how a certain situation had arisen. All in all, an enjoyable read.
April 24, 2025
Wonderfully entertaining. My first experience with Keith Roberts. I've ordered two more of his books!
December 5, 2025
Keith Roberts' first novel was a serviceable thriller very much in the vein of Wyndham's several disaster epics. He even seems to be channeling Wyndham's style, to a point. Of course, since this is Keith Roberts, there are heavy doses of angst, blood, and hints of illicit sex.
This was my second reading. I was disappointed the first time because I read it immediately after reading Pavane. The Furies is not the equal of
This was my second reading. I was disappointed the first time because I read it immediately after reading Pavane. The Furies is not the equal of
sony-or-android
December 17, 2019Not Found. jo walton mentioned as 'cozy catastrophe' which may resemble 'optimistic post-apocalyptic' (or may not)
February 9, 2017
This extremely mediocre British 'cozy catastrophe' novel is only impressive for somehow beating "Day of the Triffids" for the most implausible setup: here, instead of blindness AND killer plants coincidentally striking Earth at the same time, it's planet-shattering earthquakes AND global swarms of semi-intelligent, killer giant wasps. The narrator, a reader-insert character with no family or background, survives the initial quake and must then deal with the wasps, who can't speak or manipulate objects, but rule England like fascist occupiers, forcing humans to farm food for them and stinging (of course) anyone who resists. There's many characters with thick regional British accents, a handful of attractive women for the hero to flirt with ("her breasts pushed softly against the thin material of her shirt"), many "stiff upper lip" WWII Britain references, and lots of scenes of the resourceful hero repairing damaged automobiles and driving around the countryside in an armored car shooting giant wasps with a flamethrower. Eventually the hero joins a organized resistance movement, who organize guerrilla raids on the giant wasp nests until the book abruptly ends with . Technically it's an alien invasion novel because we're told the wasps are but the alien idea feels completely tacked on; this is a revolt-of-nature, giant-animals book with a thin alien invasion coating probably because that seemed cooler. Totally ridiculous.
April 9, 2022
I wanted to like this a lot more. It begins superbly, with a glimpse of the idyllic life our hero leads which then plunges into disaster, with him becoming part of a guerrilla force fighting the sentient, giant wasps who’ve taken advantage of a global disaster to assert their dominance over the human race. It’s vivid, exciting, fast-moving and genuinely moving in places. But the conclusion feels forced and halfhearted and doesn’t really explain anything about what’s happened or is going to happen. All it did was highlight the similarities in plot to The Day Of The Triffids, even down to our hero seeking refuge on an island (the Isle of Wight is even mentioned as a possible safe-hold because the Furies can’t reach it) and adding his record to the library of their new community. There’s even a chap that he has a disagreement with early on that becomes a major player in the new society. If the pace had been kept up and the nods been less obvious, I think it wouldn’t have bothered me as much, but they weren’t so it did. Great fun until the last ten pages. And probably worth a reread at some point simply because of the way it begins and builds.
March 6, 2014
If I were to choose a book for every year of my life this would be in there for about 1969, when I was 15. This was not long after it was first published. It is a terrific fats-paced story about human endurance in the face of adversity. It is reminiscent of Day of the Triffids via early Dr Who.
At the time I had a friend who didn't share my enjoyment of books. He couldn't see the point as the books he had been offered were boring. I gave him my copy of the Furies and he thought it was great, it got him hooked on reading. The buzz I got from helping someone get in to reading probably contributed to my becoming a librarian.
I read the book again in my 50s. Though I found it slightly dated I still enjoyed it. A great read.
At the time I had a friend who didn't share my enjoyment of books. He couldn't see the point as the books he had been offered were boring. I gave him my copy of the Furies and he thought it was great, it got him hooked on reading. The buzz I got from helping someone get in to reading probably contributed to my becoming a librarian.
I read the book again in my 50s. Though I found it slightly dated I still enjoyed it. A great read.
December 31, 2024
Earth, 1966 (when this novel was first published).
First, there are worldwide attacks by what appear to be giant wasps. Second, a failed nuclear-weapon test results in global earthquakes and tsunamis. Third, society everywhere collapses. Fourth, the human survivors find themselves battling greater and greater hordes of the giant wasps that are now called the Furies…
…and that's just for starters.
The Furies is very much inspired by John Wyndham's classic The Day Of The Triffids - but that is not to criticise Roberts at all. He takes the tropes established by Wyndham and makes them his own - and how.
The Furies is fast, furious, stunning and vivid.
First, there are worldwide attacks by what appear to be giant wasps. Second, a failed nuclear-weapon test results in global earthquakes and tsunamis. Third, society everywhere collapses. Fourth, the human survivors find themselves battling greater and greater hordes of the giant wasps that are now called the Furies…
…and that's just for starters.
The Furies is very much inspired by John Wyndham's classic The Day Of The Triffids - but that is not to criticise Roberts at all. He takes the tropes established by Wyndham and makes them his own - and how.
The Furies is fast, furious, stunning and vivid.
December 17, 2008
I have read this several times. Basic plot makes for a far better story than it first sounds-world taken over by giant wasps... yes that's what I said... its extremely good. Roberts wrote in mid 60's and it is rather dated but its an excellent and refreshingly different take on the 'post apolyptic' twaddle so often churned out since. I've always found it reads like it should be book 1 and 2, as there is a very sudden plot twist in the middle. A dark and riveting book. Love it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2014
This was like reading a ScyFy "creature feature" without all the terrible acting. Very enjoyable...the characters were interesting and the action never let up. My only problem was the ending "explanation"...that was a little weak and unsatisfying. Otherwise a very enjoyable diversion.
March 7, 2015
Surprisingly good! I'd have given it a 5 bit I can't really justify ranking a book about giant killer wasps as high as my other 5s. Yep, a book about giant wasps that take over earth. And it was actually a very good read! Mental!
September 1, 2013
Magnificent yarn about the catastrophic plague of gigantic wasps which turns the earth into a veritable charnel house. Keith Roberts writes with great verve and alacrity.
September 1, 2014
his first novel. very pulp, dated writing. later, he got over that.*g*
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews