Saturday, August 31, 2019

Seven speculative thrillers from more recent times

John Marrs's new novel is The Passengers.

At CrimeReads he tagged seven techno-thrillers to read as our world crumbles, including:
The Power, by Naomi Alderman

Often compared to The Hunger Games and The Handmaid’s Tale, The Power is speculative fiction at its best. It poses a simple question – what if men were no longer the dominant force in society and women were? What would happen if women could make men afraid instead of the other way around? In Alderman’s story, once girls reach their mid teens, they develop a strip of muscle in their collarbone which creates jolts of electricity which they can shoot from their fingertips. Whether it’s science or nature that has created this kink, we are unsure. Regardless, it gives them the power to maim or murder at will. And almost overnight, the world changes beyond recognition. It’s a fascinating, brilliantly executed story.
Read about another entry on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue