Noah’s castle isn’t as terrifying as the BBC’s The Changes (1975) or as overtly political as the adult dystopias The Guardians (1971) and 1990 (1977-1978) but there’s still a lot to enjoy here. A story about life during an economic disaster that feels very contemporary, even if it was written 30-40 years ago. I don’t think it’s a secret that I couldn’t stand this book so I’m glad you enjoyed it a bit more than I did. The impressive thing about this novel is that one is able to hold this and a completely opposing view at the same time (well, I can, and I’m 44)! The country, like much of the rest of the world, was still reeling from the 1973 oil crisis, there had been two general elections caused by the first hung parliament since 1929, and a huge explosion at the Flixborough chemical plant that broke windows for miles around seemed to cast a pall of chemical corruption over the whole country.

We will publish your review of Noah's Castle on DVD within a few days as long as it meets our guidelines. The whole of the book is a slow decline into the inevitable collapse of both the nation and the family at the center of this book. I’ve not read the book but I might try and find it one day to see how it compares, I’ve certainly never forgotten the programme, imprinted on me even now after all these years. The book is his journey to the conclusion that the only way he can feel right about life is for his family to be in the same circumstances as everyone else. Given the cash-from-chaos lowlifes who have dominated British public discourse for the last decade, it’s a background noise that is worth bearing in mind.Read more about the condition Very Good: A book that has been read and does not look new, but is in excellent condition. Now I'm not sure if the fact that this book was written in 1975 has anything to do with the socioeconomic tone in this book, but I'm sure it does. The most powerful thing about the TV series for me are the end credits, with their images of soldiers in riot gear calmly massing on the horizon while prosaic news headlines (example: “power workers have demanded a further 52% rise in pay. Those people are ill-prepared and none of the Mortimers are allowed to share with them, not matter how hungry, elderly, young, or sick they are.

This book was originally published in 1975, went out of print, then was brought back and republished by October Mist. Richard McKenna grew up in the visionary utopia of 1970s South Yorkshire and now ekes out a living among the crumbling ruins of Rome, from whence he dreams of being rescued by the Terran Trade Authority. The book Noah’s Castle most reminds me of is Christopher Priest’s 1972 speculative fiction Fugue for a Darkening Island. I liked the characters of Cliff and Stuart, who still wanted to do what was right and take care of their fellow man.

The story also feels like a commentary on a perceived shift away from the then-prevailing “Father-Knows-Best” mentality, as Norman’s look-after-your-own-even-if-you-have-to-kill-them-to-do-it approach proves vastly less effective as a survival technique than engaging with your fellow humans. The noble thing to do is take care of your family first, to make sure that the children you brought into this world are provided for. It’s also intriguing to learn that historical precedents for the tale, including true stories of the runaway inflation and deterioration of society experienced during Germany in the 1920’s.

From its opening titles, featuring a rioting mob in the streets, it was clear that this wasn’t going to be your average cosy TV drama for kids. Dad Norman (David Neal), a former soldier and now a shoe salesman, sees the collapse coming and moves the family to a huge house on the edge of town – the castle of the title – and begins hoarding food and other supplies.She would rather sparse out her families supplies to everyone else in the country instead of making sure her family was taken care of. I'm not entirely sure of the reason for the second edition, except that there's a rise in dystopian YA literature, and the publishers saw a chance to market this book to that audience. The father, an ex-military man, sees the 'handwriting on the wall' as to where his country's economy is headed. Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today. In 2011, Priest revised the book’s original text and wrote a new introduction explaining his intentions.