Despite living through a global pandemic, experiencing a year of lockdown and watching the kind of news content that I only ever thought I’d see in a Hollywood movie, I’m still strangely drawn to apocalyptic fiction.
Since March 2020, I’ve read about nuclear wars, ecological disasters, fascist dictatorships and now, in what I’m positive isn’t close to being a finale, speculative fiction about World War Three.
I’m only a few chapters in, but ‘2034: A Novel of the Next World War‘ is exhausting, mostly because it’s eminently believable and realistic. A toxic mix of nationalism and greed sends the world’s powers reaching for their aircraft carriers and tactical nuclear weapons, with predictable results.
I think my attraction to all things apocalyptic is because it’s a break from the real-life horrors beamed out of the TV on the daily basis right now. Also, (so far) there’s no mention of any kind of pandemic. It’s just tons of cack-handed diplomacy and naval battles.
And I find it all terribly relaxing.
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