Public reader discussion about The Purple Cloud in the WeRead Catalog by M. P. Shiel.
By Mug-Couplet
I’d really recommend it. I know the “popular” version got cut down by Shiel himself, but it still keeps most of the story. Just don’t look at it through modern eyes—try imagining someone picking it up and reading it back in 1901. I’ve got a reprint from the 1930s too, but I think it’s public domain.
By glimmer_ocean49
I’ve liked post-apocalyptic stuff forever, but I’ve always felt like there aren’t many stories that really get into the whole rebuilding/surviving and just trying to live through it. Most things either skip ahead or don’t spend much time on coping. Like, I’ve enjoyed The Postman by David Brin (it’s set way after, but still dealing with the mess) and A Canticle for Leibowitz, which goes back even further. On the other hand, Dies the Fire by S.M. Stirling is more directly about the apocalypse itself and a group trying to build something workable afterward. I also think Alas, Babylon (Pat Frank) is a solid classic—nuclear war, then it’s mostly about people in Florida trying to restart their lives. And the TV show Jericho is great too, since it’s basically a small town figuring out how to handle what’s happening. I guess what I’m trying to find is more of that “after” focus. I’m trying to avoid zombie novels, but besides that I’m open to pretty much anything.
By MidnightEclipse7
Can we talk about how gorgeous his writing is? I haven’t read tons of stuff, but this book’s prose honestly feels way better than a lot of others I’ve come across. Like, the first example alone—about sailing back and forth to Geneva and the whole range of moods in the lake—just made it feel so vivid. And the second one too, with that whole idea of one day feeling like a thousand years and death kind of coming gently at the end… I don’t even know, it’s kind of wild how the sentences flow. I also really liked what he was dealing with in the story: how people get morally messed up, and how loneliness/being cut off can mess with your head. Overall I had a good time reading it, and it still feels like it doesn’t get talked about enough.
By ShadowWatches5
Hey! I’m looking for some really good post-apocalyptic stuff that feels lonely and has that whole exploration vibe—like wandering around a dead hotel in The Last of Us. I’m open to any kind of media. Thanks!