Starting with "The Day Of the Triffids" in 1951, John Wyndham practically created and perfected what Brian Aldiss called "the Cozy Shocker", where the world (or Britain or a single village) descends into post-apocalyptic chaos, but in a genteel, refined, British manner. In the late 50s, John Christopher made the formula decidedly less cozy by adding overt violence and less admirable behavior by his characters, and in the mid-60s, John Brunner left space opera to destroy not only conventional societies but, as in his classic "Stand on Zanzibar ", conventional narrative as well. Taken together, they form a fascinating triptych of dystopian writers who, through the conventions of SF, articulate the fears and concerns of the post-war nuclear age. Here are 36 fascinating reads.
