Saturday, January 5, 2019

January is Dystopia in England Month


January is Dystopia in England Month !

It's time for another 'themed' month here at the PorPor Books Blog, when I focus on a particular sub-set or sub-genre of sci-fi (or other literature).

For January 2019, I'm going to be focusing on novels and nonfiction that depict England in a state of dystopia during the late 60s and early 70s.

Everyone is of course familiar with the dystopian England of the 1971 Stanley Kubrick film A Clockwork Orange, but in fact, prior to the release of that film, there were a number of novels that were quite prescient in extrapolating the generational strife, and increasing economic malaise, of the late 60s into a hypothetical UK of the early- to mid- 70s.


Some of these novels, particularly the Angels from Hell series from Mick Norman (the pseudonym of writer Laurence James) have since become cult classics. Others, like the novels by David Gurney and Ludovic Peters, remain rather obscure.

So prepare for the vision of an England prostrated by a collapsed economy or an authoritarian government..........a crumbling, ruin-strewn landscape through which hostile tribes of bikers rampage and pillage, while erstwhile pillars of society wrap themselves in threadbare garments and ponder how to stretch their diminishing rations..........truly an England of hopelessness and despair !

6 comments:

Unknown said...

This looks like an awesome proposition. Very much looking forward to an American take on a very-UK and London-centric genre. Angels From Hell is a favourite, so looking forward to your take on this. Justin (The paperback fanatic fanzine).

Oscar Dowson said...

Big fan of British dystopias here. Hope Wilfred Greatorex's '1990' gets a look in, and the British 'Action' comic is a must...

http://lewstringer.blogspot.com/2016/04/action-aggro-issue-1976.html

tarbandu said...

Oscar Dowson:

Unfortunately, copies of Greatorex's '1990' and '1991' paperbacks have steep asking prices (starting at > $20), as well as high fees for shipping from the UK.

And 'Action: The Story of A Violent Comic' is even more costly (on eBay, 235 Pounds - !!!????)

That said, if you want to contribute review(s) of the Greatorex books, let me know via a Comment here, and I'll arrange to have them posted here to this blog..........?

tarbandu

Oscar Dowson said...

I'll dig out my 1990 for a rapid re-read!

Graham said...

Will 'The Quatermass Conclusion' be amongst the books you cover?

tarbandu said...

Graham,

I don't have a copy of 'Conclusion'............

You are welcome to contribute a review if you like, provided you can get a scan of the cover to accompany your review ?

tarbandu