that sends the poor crow off to discover what's going on. They don't seem very intent on eating or drinking, they've lost their language, and they become incredibly violent towards living creatures if disturbed - in fact, it's Big Jim's attempt to take a bite out of S.T. Buxton is extremely talented at writing the more horrifying descriptions of the MoFos' physical condition). The MoFos wander around aimlessly, their heads bobbing, their fingers swiping at objects without screens, their flesh rotting off them indiscriminately (honestly, don't read this book while you're eating if you're squeamish. Soon enough, it becomes clear that humanity has been seized by something awful. See, instead of us humans being the focal point in the story of our own extinction, it's the plethora of life that we leave behind that takes center stage. See, instead of us humans being the focal point in the story of our own extinction, it's the plethora of life that we leave behind that takes center stage.īuxton takes a joyfully original approach to apocalyptic fiction.

This metaphor is definitely present in Kira Jane Buxton's debut novel, Hollow Kingdom, but luckily for anyone drawn to its gorgeous cover (it's an eye-catcher, a bright, near-neon green with a black and purple crow staring intensely from behind the white font), Buxton takes a joyfully original approach to apocalyptic fiction. The central metaphor in these narratives tends to be that humanity is really quite an awful, violent species that wars with itself constantly, and that our boundless curiosity and hubris - whether that involves scientific research gone awry or meddling with forces beyond our ken - ultimately lead to our own near-complete destruction.

Plague, virus, and zombie apocalypse narratives tend to share a few common threads: Often, humanity brings such terrors upon itself usually, survivors or those with immunity come together in ragtag groups and attempt to find a cure and/or fight their way through to where the other healthy people are and, almost always, humanity survives - perhaps in drastically reduced numbers, sans modern technology - and must learn to rebuild itself anew. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Close overlay Buy Featured Book Title Hollow Kingdom Author Kira Jane Buxton

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