![The Death of Grass | [John Christopher]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/619TMALp9eL._SL175_.jpg "The Death of Grass | [John Christopher]")
The Death of Grass
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- Regular Price :£12.99Special Offer: Learn how to get this for £3.99 !
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Average Customer Rating
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LENGTH7 hrs and 4 mins
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RELEASE DATE25/03/2011
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AUDIO FORMATS
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Program TypeAudiobook
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PUBLISHER
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Publisher's Summary
A viral strain has attacked rice crops in East Asia, causing massive famine; soon a mutation appears that infects the staple crops of West Asia and Europe, such as wheat and barley, threatening a famine engulfing the whole of the Old World, while Australasia and the Americas attempt to impose rigorous quarantine to exclude the virus.
Christopher's classic post-apocalyptic novel follows the struggles of architect John Custance and his family as they make their way across an England that is rapidly descending into anarchy, hoping to reach the safety of John's brother's farm in an isolated Westmorland valley. Along the way, they find they must sacrifice many of their morals in order to stay alive.
Here is an unusual and absorbing piece of science-fiction about the relentless transformation of civilisation when the balance of nature is upset.
©1956 Samuel Youd (P)2011 Audible Ltd
What the Critics Say
"I admire The Death of Grass. It was published at roughly the same time as The Day Of The Triffids. In my judgement, it is by far the better book. It is a thrilling and sensible work." (Brian Aldiss)
"Gripping! Of all science fiction's apocalypses, this is one of the most haunting." (Financial Times)
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What Members Say
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"The end of the world as seen from the 1950's"
I fondly remembered reading John Christopher's Tripod Trilogy as a child so when I came across this I leapt at the chance to listen to one of his books for adults. I was not disappointed.
The publisher's summary offers a useful guide to the plot and the comparisons with Day of the Triffids are obvious. What was more striking (as the book progressed) were the echoes of Lord of the Flies (published two years earlier); the difference being that Golding chose to examine the impact upon children of their removal from civilization whereas Christopher describes the possible impact upon adults of a breakdown in civil society.
The result is fascinating and sometimes illuminating even if it ultimately remains a book of its time and William Gaminara does an inspired job of animating the relatively large cast of characters.
If you do choose to download then one last piece of advice. The recording includes an introduction by Robert Macfarlane. This is interesting but includes a number of significant spoilers. I therefore rather think that it would have been better included as an afterword. The novel proper begins with a "prodrome" at 19mins 40 secs and I would therefore recommend that you speed forward to that and listen to the introduction at the end.24 of 24 people found this review helpful -
"How humans change!"
A simple premise - the death of grass leads to world-wide famine and the ensuring chaos. Often chosen as a secondary school text for study due to the character dimensions that change rapidly as a result of the situation. When faced with survival - how would you change? What would you do? What wouldn't you do? A fantastic story, quite grim too.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful