The Ancients by John Larison
The Ancients by John Larison is a thought-provoking and richly imagined dystopian novel that explores themes of survival, resilience, and the human spirit in a world ravaged by climate change. Larison's storytelling is both poetic and gripping, drawing readers into a future where humanity must navigate the remnants of a once-thriving civilization.
In The Ancients, the story unfolds in a climate-changed world where humanity's descendants struggle to survive. A young boy and his older sisters find themselves alone in an abandoned fishing village. With their food supplies dwindling, they set out across a treacherous wilderness in search of their people. Down the coast, raiders have taken the children's mother and other captives to the last port city of a waning empire. Determined to reunite with her family, she plots her escape while her fellow captives plan a revolt. At the centre of power in the crumbling city, a young scholar inherits his father's business and position of privilege. As the empire's elite prepare to flee to a new utopia across the sea, he must decide where his allegiance lies…
