It’s set in a floating city in the Arctic Circle, which was created in the wake of the climate wars. Part dystopian fiction, part magical realism, part political thriller, and part sci-fi, this novel has it all. El Akkad is a journalist, who has reported from conflict zones the world over, which makes this novel feel less like imaginative fiction and more like its story has been ripped from global headlines. Sarat finds herself in a camp for displaced persons and discovers just how dangerous this new American can be. Sarat Chestnut, only six at the time the war begins, learns the hard way that powerful forces will seek to take advantage of the crisis.

American War by Omar El AkkadĪ master of dystopian fiction that feels both real and surreal, Omar El Akkad creates a version of the United States in 2074 where states splinter in the wake of a terrible plague, and a Second Civil War breaks out. Desperate to give the baby a chance at a better life outside the Delta, she teams up with a scientist named Daniel, and together they fight their way toward survival.

Amidst this chaos and cruelty, young Fen finds herself left with her tribe leader’s newborn.

Smith imagines what the Gulf coast would look like after being battered by devastating storms and suffering from a subsequent disease called “The Fever.” The Gulf coast is quarantined by a wall that separates it from the Outer States. This book is frighteningly relevant: Sherri L. Things go from bad to worse when Alyssa finds that she has to care for not only herself but her younger brother as well… and their lives hang in the balance. The Tap-Out has forced people to limit their water use for years, but when the taps actually run dry, Alyssa’s suburban neighborhood becomes its own kind of dystopia, where friends and neighbors turn on one another in a desperate attempt to survive. Dry by Jarrod Shusterman and Neal ShustermanĪs droughts pummel the American West in real life, Dry feels even more timely. Here are six great texts for readers to dip their toes into this important genre: 1. In that way, they’re much like traditional literature in that they’re asking questions about how people adapt to and meet potentially devastating challenges. Dubbed “cli-fi,” these books are as much about the human condition as they are about the state of the planet. Shutterstock You’ve heard of sci-fi, but what do you know about cli-fi?Īs global leaders struggle to make firm commitments to reduce emissions and scientists discover ever more dangerous feedback loops and repercussions from climate change, writers are using the power of the pen to show us what the world might look like if we don’t act soon to combat climate change.

Neal & jarrod shusterman