5 best Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi) books
Immerse yourself in the tumultuous worlds of climate fiction, or 'cli-fi', an ever-evolving genre that explores the plight of our planet and our place within it. Expect tales where environmental transformations shape the trajectories of characters and societies, placing humanity under scrutiny. Whether it's dystopian landscapes or speculative narratives, these stories will take you from fear and dread to hope and resilience, underscoring the urgency of our ecological crisis while igniting your imagination.
The Water Will Come
By Jeff Goodell
How it fits the "Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi) books" vibe: Goodell's respected journalistic masterpiece depicts a real and urgent concern about rising sea levels. His exploration of the subject through vivid, on-the-ground reporting is a climate fiction that emphasises urgency and impending realities.
Publisher: Black Inc.
Page Count: 352
Published Date: 2018-02-01
The Drowned World
By J. G. Ballard
How it fits the "Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi) books" vibe: An eerie and surreal novel by Ballard, set in a future where solar radiation has melted the ice caps. The rising seas and extreme heat have created a dreamlike, tropical landscape that embodies the essence of climate fiction.
Published Date: 2013
Parable of the Sower
By Octavia E. Butler
How it fits the "Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi) books" vibe: In this dystopian novel, Butler presents a world ravaged by climate change and socioeconomic collapse. Her chilling prophecy of a barren world is a stark representation of what a climate-changed future might look like.
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Page Count: 326
Published Date: 2023-03-28
Odds Against Tomorrow
By Nathaniel Rich
How it fits the "Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi) books" vibe: Rich's novel paints a picture of a near-future New York City hit by a hurricane. His vivid depiction of the storm and its aftermath illustrates potential real-world effects of climate change, a clear embodiment of Cli-Fi.
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Page Count: 320
Published Date: 2013-04-02
The Overstory: A Novel
By Richard Powers
How it fits the "Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi) books" vibe: An intricately woven tale of several characters whose lives are intertwined with trees. Powers presents an urgent message about the importance of conservation, being an exquisite example of climate fiction in its homage to the natural world.
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Page Count: 512
Published Date: 2018-04-03