Rating: 
Summary: You'll read it over and over again!
Review: I had read many of Christophers books before and found Empty World after looking through the library under Christphers name. It is the best book that I have ever read. In amost ten years of further reading I have not found a book so deep, moving and realistic that has captured my imagination and sent my mind reeling. I have read Empty World about 15 times now and it is still as gripping as the first time.
Rating:
Summary: If you can find this book READ IT!!!
Review: It is sad that John Chrisopher isn't more well known.
Unlike his other books that deal with sci-fi themes like space ships and aliens, Empty World deals strictly with reality and in many ways is all the more chilling because of it.
I have only ever found it in Children's libraries, which is a shame because even though this book is short (easily read in an evening) it is a very thought provoking examination of the nature of being human.
I first read it in 7th grade and now that I am 27, I am happy to report that the book is still as powerful as ever and has the same effect as a really good Twilight Zone episode.
Rating:
Summary: masterpiece of young adult fiction
Review: It's too bad that fiction written for young adults is also written off by literary critics - if not, I couldn't imagine a work deserving higher praise than Christopher's "Empty World," which accomplishes the near-impossible task of rejuvenating the stale genres of coming-of-age novel, apocalyptic novel, and survival novel, all wrapped up into a touching, insightful, and compelling story.The power of Christopher's fiction relies largely on a simple device: his heroes are never the biggest, strongest, or even smartest in their environments. They are usually quiet, unassuming, and have the great misfortune to be witnesses and unwilling participants in Events (often catastrophic). In the most heartbreaking scene in "Empty World," the hero finds another boy his age who has just committed suicide, only to realize that that boy was otherwise more intelligent and more capable of survival than he. With these kinds of realizations generating the plot, you can see that this is no ordinary teen fiction. In "Empty World", the hero is emotionally dead long before a devastating virus sweeps the planet clean - and he begins to come alive (metaphorically) only after the rest of the world dies off (literally). His quest to find survivors turns into a near-parody of Sartre's "Huis Clos," as they struggle with their ability - or inability - to live together at all. It's an amazing work from start to finish, full of beautifully painted atmosphere, well-drawn characters, leisurely pacing, and a helluva emotional wallop. Such a pity that the book is so difficult to find anymore. :-/
Rating:
Summary: masterpiece of young adult fiction
Review: It's too bad that fiction written for young adults is also written off by literary critics - if not, I couldn't imagine a work deserving higher praise than Christopher's "Empty World," which accomplishes the near-impossible task of rejuvenating the stale genres of coming-of-age novel, apocalyptic novel, and survival novel, all wrapped up into a touching, insightful, and compelling story. The power of Christopher's fiction relies largely on a simple device: his heroes are never the biggest, strongest, or even smartest in their environments. They are usually quiet, unassuming, and have the great misfortune to be witnesses and unwilling participants in Events (often catastrophic). In the most heartbreaking scene in "Empty World," the hero finds another boy his age who has just committed suicide, only to realize that that boy was otherwise more intelligent and more capable of survival than he. With these kinds of realizations generating the plot, you can see that this is no ordinary teen fiction. In "Empty World", the hero is emotionally dead long before a devastating virus sweeps the planet clean - and he begins to come alive (metaphorically) only after the rest of the world dies off (literally). His quest to find survivors turns into a near-parody of Sartre's "Huis Clos," as they struggle with their ability - or inability - to live together at all. It's an amazing work from start to finish, full of beautifully painted atmosphere, well-drawn characters, leisurely pacing, and a helluva emotional wallop. Such a pity that the book is so difficult to find anymore. :-/
Rating:
Summary: After the plague...
Review: Neil Miller was living a normal life until a car accident killed the rest of his family. He went to live in a quiet village with his grandparents. On the news one night was a story about a plague sweeping through India. Very soon the plague rapidly spread around the world, killing almost everyone. Neil was one of the few who survived. He goes in search of other people. I read this book ten years before I read Earth Abides. The plague in this book is described in more detail. It resembles an ageing disease, but starts off as a fever. An important difference in this book to Earth Abides is that there aren't any adult survivors. The few people who survived were young, possibly because the book was written for a juvenile reader. It's not known if civilization will ever recover. Even if people survived the plague, many skills would have been lost. The story is good but I wasn't happy with the ending.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: Read this first as a 14 year old and at that age it made a real impression on me, more so than the classics you get fed at that age. I was reminded of this great book a while ago when I moved to Dulwich (the setting of the family home for the lead character)
Just having turned 30 and with a stressful job in the city I felt the need to be 14 again for an evening. I went in search of a copy yet was disappointed to find the book out of print and not in any library close-by. The copies available from booksellers came at a price but I parted with my hard earned cash and once again enjoyed Empty World. I would highlight the parallels between adolescence / turning 30 /standing looking out on the threshold of responsibility, feeling lonely and vulnerable but there are people who could do a much better job then me. To sum-up, well, its a great book.
I will be lending my copy to mates if I see them getting wound too tight, but only if they can promise not to bend the page edges...
Rating:
Summary: This is the best book ever written(that I've read)
Review: This book is so realistic I was actually scared the first time I read it
Rating:
Summary: The best book ever!
Review: This book should be on everybody's shelves. The first time I read this book I was actually scared. Everybody should read this book! It gave me nightmares for a week it was so realistic. Imagine a movie based on this book! It would've gotten about 10 stars But it can't.
Rating:
Summary: This book changed my life!
Review: When I first read this book back in 6th grade (boy, that's a long time ago...) I was so affected by it that it's premise and themes began to find their way into my everyday life. A boy who survives a devastating plague, alone, searching for something... someone... in the wasteland known as England... Unbelievable! I forgot the name of this book for a long time, but I rediscovered it a few years back and found a copy in a local library. I read it two more times! John Christopher is a true master of books that appeal to children, teens and adults! Find a copy and read it! You won't be disappointed!
Rating:
Summary: This book changed my life!
Review: When I first read this book back in 6th grade (boy, that's a long time ago...) I was so affected by it that it's premise and themes began to find their way into my everyday life. A boy who survives a devastating plague, alone, searching for something... someone... in the wasteland known as England... Unbelievable! I forgot the name of this book for a long time, but I rediscovered it a few years back and found a copy in a local library. I read it two more times! John Christopher is a true master of books that appeal to children, teens and adults! Find a copy and read it! You won't be disappointed!
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