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> post-apocalyptic, desperate humanity at war with itself and the singular savagery If you were to show me that phrase and ask which book matches it most close
by SideburnsOfDoom 4y ago
> post-apocalyptic, desperate humanity at war with itself and the singular savagery
If you were to show me that phrase and ask which book matches it most closely, I would have to say "Blood Meridian". It's a singular work. Texas-Mexico border area, 1850s. It's definitely post-apocalyptic, the aftermath of an invasion of technologically sophisticated but genocidally savage aliens ... for the native Americans.
- defen 4y agoIt's also worth noting that for Blood Meridian, McCarthy learned Spanish and did five years of historical research with his MacArthur award money. The broad strokes of the story are true - there really was a group of scalp hunters who went rogue, raping and murdering the people they had been hired to protect.
- AlotOfReading 4y agoAny historical "invasion of technologically sophisticated aliens" in the time period blood meridian is set in happened centuries before. It's actually near a zenith of native political and military power. Spain is gone, Mexico is struggling to build a government, and the US hasn't yet become a dominant power in the region. Blood meridian is a book I often recommend as an approachable introduction to what people experiencing the period might have thought, but framing the context is somewhat important.