Rating: 
Summary: Grim and Unsparing
Review: Bleak is the first word that comes to mind-which is not a bad thing. Disch's debut novel was part of a movement in sci-fi at the time that rejected the prevailing paradigm of human ingenuity and/or nobility being able to save the Earth from alien attack (no matter how technological advanced those aliens were). In this slim novel he tells the story of a small band of Minnesotan farmers near Duluth who are struggling to survive the blanketing of Earth by a mysterious and apparently indestructible species of trees. In the seven years since the spores first appeared, the trees have spread across the globe, sucking all nutrition from earth, drying up rivers and lakes, and generally destroying the planet's ecological balance. At the same time, some kind of automated drones have been leveling cities with fire and gradually seeking out remaining mammals to toast. The implication is clear: Earth has been designated as a planetary cropfield, and all pests need to be eliminated so the crop can thrive. That premise is neat, but the main theme is how the surviving humans interact with one another and newcomers. It's clear that Disch was determined to show how the uglier side of human nature would prevail in such a high-stress situation. Throughout the story, jealousies, rivalries, and petty disputes between characters threaten the safety of the group. Indeed, at times, the various conflicts concerning the women get a little too melodramatic for the situation, but on the whole, the atmosphere is great, especially when the survivors are forced underground into the trees' root system. A great take on the alien invasion story, it could benefit from a little trimming in the second half. Still, if you like your sci-fi grim and unsparing, this is the book for you!
Rating:
Summary: Total Annihilation
Review: Environmental degradation, global famine and mass extinction are some of the concerns held by those who think about the long-term future of our planet - a slow, lingering death for Mother Nature. In Thomas Disch's novel "The Genocides", a race of unseen, uncaring aliens have done the work for us. In the space of seven years Earth has been overwhelmed by towering alien Plants, whose dominance has all but destroyed the ecological balance upon which all species survival depends. Billions have died, cities have been razed to the ground, and the Incinerators efficiently mop up any survivors. "The Genocides" concentrates on one isolated group that is still holding out. With grim determination, they skulk and scavenge among the Plants, trying to stave off the inevitable. Unlike the big-budget science fiction blockbuster films of recent years, this is not a story of heroism and valour. In fact, there are those who enjoy what is happening to them. Jeremiah Orville takes a perverse delight in the whole situation, while he plots revenge on the leader of the group who captured him. This is certainly a grim story, and possibly one of the best interpretations of the alien invader theme. Comfortless, hard-hitting and bleak. Goodbye Earth.
Rating:
Summary: I Love this book!
Review: I've read Camp Concentration and 334 (both of which were great) but I have to say this is my favorite out of those.
The story just sucks you in and then when it's over it leaves an imprint on your soul that makes you think about what it says.
I still haven't stopped thinking about the implications of the thoughts behind this book.
A must read for fans of intelligent, sci-fi literature.
Rating: 
Summary: A Taste of Things to Come...
Review: In 'The Genocides', the remains of humanity struggle against the onward growth of an alien monoculture known simply as 'the Plants', which has destroyed civilisation and left only pockets of survivors. The novel starts well, in an almost Faulknerian community of farmers, lead by the dominating and deluded fundamentalist patriarch, Anderson, who are trying to maintain their cornfields and animals against this relentless growth, along with alien attempts at 'pest control' (essentially the slaughter of all living beings remaining on Earth). The plot concentrates on what happens to the dynamics of this community when it is decimated by one of these genocidal attacks, and then forced to welcome a charismatic and educated urban survivor, Jeremiah Orville. His revenge on Anderson for killing his partner, is slow and cunning and pits the old patriarch's children against each other and against him, as the devastated group is forced to seek shelter underground in the roots of the Plants themselves. 'The Gencocides' was Disch's first novel and suffers from a common fault of first novels, and of 1960s sf, in having a great concept but being really rather aimless for long stretches (see also Brian Aldiss' 'Hothouse' as another example of this). The characters switch between being a more realistic band of survivors than, for example, those in Stewart's 'Earth Abides' - with some intriguing and challenging interpersonal conflict - to melodramatic and over-cooked. The long passages underground are claustrophobic and tense to begin with, full of dark and squelchy atmosphere, but soon become dull as Disch, rather like the characters themselves, loses the plot. The novel is redeemed somewhat by a fine, cinematic and depressingly gloomy ending, but, like 'Hothouse', you can't help but think it would have been better as a novella. Sf in general improved as early 1960s superficiality gave way to anger and disappointment with Disch's own extremely grim and disturbing 'Camp Concentration', and the work of Spinrad ('Bug Jack Barron'), Moorcock ('The Cornelius Quartlet'), Ballard ('The Atrocity Exhibition', 'Hi-rise' etc.) and Brunner ('Stand on Zanzibar', 'The Sheep Look Up' etc.). 'The Genocides' is still worth reading as a book that stands on the cusp of this revolution, as the older more complacent sf was faced with this tide of energetic bitterness and loathing.
Rating:
Summary: I was transported to another realm!
Review: The author created a realm that gave me a great sense of adventure and discovery. I became caught up in the struggle of the characters and could really visualize the story.
Rating: 
Summary: The Endangered Species
Review: The Genocides must have caused quite a shock when it was first published in the mid-Sixties. This novel is not for the faint of heart, as a drastically reduced population of humans try to hold their own against alien plants and mechanical invaders. I found the second half of the story to move too fast toward its inevitable ending, but Disch will always remain one of the most underrated (by some) science-fiction writers of the twentieth century. A potent story which shows us how animalistic we all can be if the situation is right.
Rating:
Summary: The Endangered Species
Review: The Genocides must have caused quite a shock when it was first published in the mid-Sixties. This novel is not for the faint of heart, as a drastically reduced population of humans try to hold their own against alien plants and mechanical invaders. I found the second half of the story to move too fast toward its inevitable ending, but Disch will always remain one of the most underrated (by some) science-fiction writers of the twentieth century. A potent story which shows us how animalistic we all can be if the situation is right.
Rating:
Summary: Not too different.
Review: The Genocides, one of Thomas Disch's earlier ignored works, is actually the first Disch book I read. It tells the story of a small group of human survivors, led by Anderson, wandering the earth in search of a home after an alien civilization decides to cultivate the entire planet. The story begins seven years after spores are dropped; the earth is nearly consumed with plants 600 feet tall that are stripping the earth of its resources: soil and water. Anderson and his small group struggle to survive even in the face of the aliens who originally brought the plants. Highly suggested for any fan of science fiction without the threat of popularity. This book deserves more credit.
Rating:
Summary: Not too different.
Review: The Genocides, one Thomas Disch's earlier ignored works, is actually the first Disch book I read. It tells the story of a small group of human survivors, led by Anderson, wandering the earth in search of a home after an alien civilization decides to cultivate the entire planet. The story begins seven years after the spores were dropped; the earth is nearly consumed with plants 600 feet tall that are stripping the earth of its resources: soil and water. Anderson and his small group struggle to survive even in the face of the aliens who originally brought the plants. Highly suggested for any fan of science fiction without the threat of popularity. This book deserves more credit.
Rating:
Summary: The Genocides - an underrated book by Disch
Review: This first novel by Disch is really impressive, almost gothic in its grim, extreme vision of the extinction of mankind. The plot is very fast paced but there are still many layers of psychological and thematic interest. Disch's characters are not conventionally "identifiable" but are completely human. There's a purposeful, Bibical subtext to much of the story but it's subverted to Disch's own purpose.
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