Imaginary Universes

  Tim Lebbon is one of the best horror writers who remains unknown to the general public. His best novel, The Silence , is a true classic of apocalyptic fiction, tracing the collapse of civilization in Great Britain after a species of small but voracious bat-like predators is released from a cave. The novel evoked how quickly society can collapse in the face of a new threat while also giving a realistic look at how people react to calamities. (Reading the early sections of the novel reminds one of the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, with people brushing the disaster off because it's taking place far away.) Lebbon's most recent novel, Eden , has a somewhat similar setting, a society on the verge of collapse due to climate change and environmental degradation. However, rather than focus on this slow-motion apocalypse, he focuses on a place that is comparatively sheltered from it - a "Virgin Zone" or environmental sanctuary called Eden that humans are forbidden fr...

 This blog is dedicated to exploring and reviewing genre literature and film, with a particular emphasis on science fiction and horror. I believe that genre works are just as worthy of legitimate critical consideration as more "serious" literature and film. As this blog develops, I will set a schedule of various themed days, with considerations of both old and new works.