The Scarlet Plague Jack London
This novella was written in 1912. The plot is essentially the same as "Survivors". Sixty years after a plague wiped out most of the world's population in 2013, the world of science and technology is now a legend. Set in the overgrown ruins of San Francisco (population: forty), an old man tries describing the lost world to his three grandsons.
In 2072 people live like primitive savages. They wear animal skins and hunt with stone age weapons. None of the post-plague generation can read or write, money is of no value, and mankind is no longer the dominant species. The old man is the last one alive who remembers the world as it was. At the time of the plague he was an English professor. The plague was so destructive and rapid in spread that it killed its victims within an hour of the first symptoms (a red rash all over the body). With the plague came chaos and carnage (looting, murder, fire). The narrator of the story was on his own for three years before he found another survivor.
The old man finds it hard to describe the ancient world to his grandchildren because of their lack of education. They have never heard words like "billion" (none of them can count past ten), "germ", or "microbiology". In fact the whole English language is reverting to something prehistoric. At one point the boys find the skeletons of some plague victims and use their teeth to make necklaces. The old man estimates that there are probably less than a thousand people left in the world, but is optimistic that civilization will one day return, even if it takes thousands of years.
I've got a feeling this book influenced Earth Abides. You can find a copy
at Amazon.co.uk.
Greg Hughes
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There are a number of books that discuss the Survivors "concept" and have been recommended by fans. If you think of any that should be added to this list, let us know! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Survivors Terry Nation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is out of print, but if you're feeling rich, places like amazon.com
have been known to be able to track it down. If on the other hand you're feeling lucky, you may find it at a car-boot sale, or your local neighborhood second hand bookstore. All seem to agree that this book is pretty near priceless to a Survivors fan. It contains much more charactarization and includes a story for an episode that was never filmed, in which the group move to a warmer climate. It's interesting too, because it is written by The Creator, who was very upset with the
direction the show took after the first series. If he had remained in control, the Scotland part of the story would never have happened! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Survivors - Genesis Of A Hero
by John Eyers The Making of Terry Nation's Survivors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Stand Stephen King | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
It may suprise you to learn that this book is often put on the reading lists of undergraduate Infectious Disease classes! It contains a very well researched and accurate representation of pandemics. The plot is essentially the same as Survivors -a deadly virus escapes from a germ warfare lab and destroys 99% of the population. It should be stressed that contrary to the commonly held opinion that he is a schlock horror writer, Stephen King is excellent at examining both the Cultural and Physical anthropological aspects of the story. The Hot Zone Richard Preston Despite it being written by a journalist, it sticks to the facts, and doesn't exaggerate the threat of new virii to modern civilisation (it doesn't need to!), unlike some of the other 'popular science' books on this subject. Amazon.com review: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Earth Abides George R. Stewart | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Day of the Triffids John Wyndham | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Although not a virus story, it is a similar post-apocalyptic scenario. The story is about 99% of the population being killed by walking plants after a meteor shower blinds everyone. It examines many of the same issues, such as most people's lack of knowledge of how to work machinery, or produce the everyday items that they take for granted. The Chrysalids John Wyndham Another story by John Wyndham, this time set several decades after a nuclear war. Genetic mutations are seen as deviations are rooted out as abominations, and when it is discovered that the main character is deviant, he has to try to escape to a land of Greg Preston types. Chasm
Stephen Laws A Stephen-King-esque survivors story: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Alas, Babylon Pat Frank | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Empty World John Christopher | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"A plague that resembles a rare
ageing disease kills nearly everyone in the world. The main character is a teenage boy called Neil Miller. It deals with the immediate aftermath of the plague (rats, flies, the smell of death) and the months that follow (silence, neglect, the unchecked growth of nature). It doesn't follow the same time scale as Earth Abides, and it takes Neil a lot longer to find another person, thus making the pressures of lonliness even more unbearable." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
