Casual Readers discussion

It was suggested that we add this genre and I believe it was a great idea, so here you go.

I loved the Hunger Games. l liked Divergent and Insurgent and already pre-ordered the third book. 1984 was great. I hope people add more so I can find some new ones.

Diane wrote: "I loved the Hunger Games. l liked Divergent and Insurgent and already pre-ordered the third book. 1984 was great. I hope people add more so I can find some new ones."

Hunger Games surprised me that I enjoyed it so much - I had kind of mentally put it in the same bucket as Twilight which bored me!
The very first dystopian novel I read and it got me hooked on reading more was The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - I read it when I was in my early teens and reread it again last year. Unlike a lot of other stories I have reread as an adult, it was still a great read

Diane wrote: "I hope people add more so I can find some new ones."

Recently I have read -
The Children of Men
Wool Omnibus
Snake Ropes
Never Let Me Go
After the Snow

Diane wrote: "I loved the Hunger Games. l liked Divergent and Insurgent and already pre-ordered the third book. 1984 was great. I hope people add more so I can find some new ones."

They will. Give them a few days. We are doing really good as a brand new group. Sharon gave us a few. Thanks Sharon!

Can someone explain what dystopian is?

Brittany, it's the opposite of Utopian. Basically they are novels usually set in the future where society is dysfunctional, often there are authoritarian governments with unreasonable laws and rules. Many of them are set in Post-Apocalyptic worlds and the novels will feature a hero or heroes who rebel in some way...anyway that's my interpretation :-)

Just read my first story by James Herbert, MAURICE & MOG, in the Dark Masques collection. Very nice little apocalyptic tale that would be right at home on the twilight zone. James Herbert is definitely an author I'll be reading more of, still new to me. This short story was from 1987.

Evans wrote: "Just read my first story by James Herbert, MAURICE & MOG, in the Dark Masques collection. Very nice little apocalyptic tale that would be right at home on the twilight zone. James Herbert is defin..."

If you like James Herbert try 48 I read it ages ago and it fits into this category nicely.

Sam wrote: "Evans wrote: "Just read my first story by James Herbert, MAURICE & MOG, in the Dark Masques collection. Very nice little apocalyptic tale that would be right at home on the twilight zone. James He..."

Thanks for the suggestion! Is that a novel or short story?

Brittany wrote: "Can someone explain what dystopian is?"

Dystopian fiction is often synonymous with post-Apocalyptic stories.

I like both Sharon's and Dustin's explanation. I had never heard of this genre until I got serious about reading just this year. A librarian explained it to me.

Thanks everyone. I guess if I were to have a favorite genre, other than YA, this would be it. Not that i have read much in the genre, but I do like all that post apocalyptic stuffies. Just read the first of the Newflesh trilogy.

Evans, how closely to Twilight is it? lol. I admit to reading the books and seeing the movies but they're far from great.

Evans wrote: "Sam wrote: "Evans wrote: "Just read my first story by James Herbert, MAURICE & MOG, in the Dark Masques collection. Very nice little apocalyptic tale that would be right at home on the twilight zo..."

A novel but not too long about 400 pages from what I can remember

Cindy wrote: "I like both Sharon's and Dustin's explanation. I had never heard of this genre until I got serious about reading just this year. A librarian explained it to me."

Aw, thank you for saying so, Cindy! You're too kind!

Sharon wrote: "Diane wrote: "I hope people add more so I can find some new ones."

Recently I have read -
The Children of Men
Wool Omnibus
Snake Ropes
Never Let Me Go
After the Snow"

Sharon- what are your thoughts on The Children of Men? I'd love to hear them!

I'd like to throw in Brave New World by Aldous Huxley as a suggestion. I bought it the other day. Sounds like serious dystopian. As for James Herbert, I am reading my first of his titled Moon. Not really all that great so far. 48 does look interesting though.

Dustin wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Diane wrote: "I ...

Sharon- what..."

It was an interesting novel, once I got my head around the fact that Adam Dalgeish was not going to suddenly appear...a bit like reading A Casual Vacancy and realising that Harry Potter is definitely not in the book!
I enjoyed it, the premise was very believable and she really conveyed the extreme disfunctionality of a society that has no hope for the future. I also love an ambiguous ending. I rented the dvd after I had read it and while I enjoyed most of the movie despite the fact that it was changed a lot, was disappointed by the neatly wrapped up ending...I love being able to stay in a world and ponder "what if"

Adam wrote: "I'd like to throw in Brave New World by Aldous Huxley as a suggestion. I bought it the other day. Sounds like serious dystopian. As for James Herbert, I am reading my first of his titled Moon. Not ..."

I've tried to read Brave New World on a number of occasions and just can't get into it.... maybe it's time to try again :-)

Sharon wrote: "Dustin wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Diane wrote: "I ...

Sharon- what..."

It was an interesting novel, once I got my head around the fact that Adam Dalgeish was not going to suddenly appear...a bit like..."

Yes, I love ambiguity, as well, Sharon. Besides which, neatly wrapped endings irritate me greatly. Leave a little something for the reader to ponder and speculate about, I say! Thank you so much for your input, it is much appreciated!

I love Dystopian/apocalyptic. One of my faves, Swan Song, by McCammon.

Dustin wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Dustin wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Diane wrote: "I ...

Sharon- what..."

It was an interesting novel, once I got my head around the fact that Adam Dalgeish was not going to suddenly appe..."


I can see why you liked Weaveworld Dustin if they're the kind of endings you like :)

Janie wrote: "I love Dystopian/apocalyptic. One of my faves, Swan Song, by McCammon."

Swan Song, indeed, Janie!

Michelle wrote: "Dustin wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Dustin wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Diane wrote: "I ...

Sharon- what..."

It was an interesting novel, once I got my head around the fact that Adam Dalgeish was not going t..."

As you know, I love Weaveworld. As for endings, they don't always have to be too idealistic to be enjoyable, it just really irks me that a lot of books out there seem to end happily-ever-after, and I can't stand that stuff..

Hehe Dustin, I can never stop raving about that book, indeed one of my all time faves in the genre! And soon, I will be revisiting The Stand as well.

I read Swan Song in the summer of 2006, and it still brings back very fond memories.:)

Diane wrote: "I loved the Hunger Games. l liked Divergent and Insurgent and already pre-ordered the third book. 1984 was great. I hope people add more so I can find some new ones."

Diane have you tried Catherine Fischer? She has
Incarceron and Sapphique. Both very good. They are more along the lines of Steampunky dystopian.

I want to reread Swan Song. Read it probably 1990. Just got the ebook the other day.

Janie wrote: "Hehe Dustin, I can never stop raving about that book, indeed one of my all time faves in the genre! And soon, I will be revisiting The Stand as well."

Loved both of them but had forgotten about Swan Song! I'll have to reread it too:-) I revisit The Stand probably once every 2 or 3 years...it's my desert island book.

Sharon wrote: "Janie wrote: "Hehe Dustin, I can never stop raving about that book, indeed one of my all time faves in the genre! And soon, I will be revisiting The Stand as well."

Loved both of them but had forg..."

Let me know when and if you decide to read Swan Song again. I will join you.

Adam wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Janie wrote: "Hehe Dustin, I can never stop raving about that book, indeed one of my all time faves in the genre! And soon, I will be revisiting The Stand as well."

Loved both of th..."

Sure will Adam!

I missed all this conversation about SWAN SONG, what are the odds that I bought it this evening?

Evans wrote: "I missed all this conversation about SWAN SONG, what are the odds that I bought it this evening?"

I think it was 2:1 in your favor, Evans.

I have just recently started to enjoy this genre. I really enjoyed Glenn Beck's Agenda 21.

Sandy wrote: "I have just recently started to enjoy this genre. I really enjoyed Glenn Beck's Agenda 21."

I love the genre!

I've been hearing lot about . I plan on getting the audiobook next month and giving it a go.

One I actually have but haven't listened to it yet is
. I just hope it's not too YA for me.

I read last year and it actually turned out to be really good I thought.


deserves honorable mention (of course I'm conflating post-apocalyptic with dystopian in this post).

Chuck - I really loved The Giver series by Lois Lowry. If memory serves me right it is four books and I was a bit lost after reading the first and moving on to the second. It didn't appear they would be a part of the same series, but after you finish all four, it makes sense.

Cindy wrote: "Chuck - I really loved The Giver series by Lois Lowry. If memory serves me right it is four books and I was a bit lost after reading the first and moving on to the second. It didn't appear they wou..."

That sounds fun.

Cindy,
I agree with you. Each book in The Giver series could be a stand alone book but the last book in the series The Son ties them all together.

How about adding The Host by Stephanie Meyer to this category. Although technically sci-fi, I think it also falls under Dystopian, and I found it an irresistible read.

Chuck wrote: "I've been hearing lot about . I plan on getting the audiobook next month and giving it a go.

One I actually have but haven't listened to it yet is
..."
I really enjoyed The Passage Chuck, so much so that I was actively waiting for The Twelve to be published. I enjoyed The Twelve too, but because it had been so long between reading both books, it took me a while to get all the characters all lined up in my head again. When the next one comes out, I may need to reread both I am thinking :-)

Sharon wrote: "Chuck wrote: "I've been hearing lot about . I plan on getting the audiobook next month and giving it a go.

One I actually have but haven't listened to it yet is
....."

I was a bit bummed by THE TWELVE because it went a different direction. And you know how long it took to set all that up in THE PASSAGE. Still though, very good reads.

Chuck wrote: " I was a bit bummed by THE TWELVE because it went a different direction. And you know how long it took to set all that up in THE PASSAGE. Still though, very good reads..."

I felt a bit the same way. I thought that Amy was a bit sidelined as a character with Alicia almost taking that central character role, so I am wondering if the third will take a different direction again with another character or knit it all up.

Jen wrote: "How about adding The Host by Stephanie Meyer to this category. Although technically sci-fi, I think it also falls under Dystopian, and I found it an irresistible read."

Jen I agree, it was a wonderful book and really I think it is more along the lines of dystopian rather than sci fi.I was very enjoyable.

A lot dystopian is going to be sci-fi because it's mainly in the future.

How about this one? I haven't read it yet but it gets rave reviews and it's often listed as dystopian:

Chuck wrote: "How about this one? I haven't read it yet but it gets rave reviews and it's often listed as dystopian:

"

Chuck, I am going to put this one on my notes page to include on the August poll. There seems to be a LOT of discussion around GR's on this one.

Thanks everyone for reminding me how great The Stand is have now started reading it again

Cindy wrote: "Chuck wrote: "How about this one? I haven't read it yet but it gets rave reviews and it's often listed as dystopian:

"

Chuck, I am going to put this one on my notes..."

Sounds good. It's been recommended to me many times.