Is this your idea of futuristic romance?
If you haven’t picked up a Futuristic Romance lately, you might have no idea that the world is about to end. But according to a growing number of romance writers, that’s exactly what’s in store for us – and it’s coming up fast! Taking a page from classic SciFi, these inventive writers have zeroed in on one of the most persistently popular themes in speculative fiction – the apocalypse and its aftermath – and have made it their own in an intriguing variety of ways. Whether the world as we know it ends by natural cataclysm (e.g., asteroid collision, mega-earthquake, disease epidemic), alien invasion, or deliberate or accidental human causes – and there are any number of exceptionally creative ways to accomplish this – the focus of these stories is almost always on the survivors and how they deal with their new realities.
Of course love and passion flourish in these tense, high stakes environments and the sensuality levels can vary but typically sizzle at the steamy end of the grid. Often, but not always, set in the not-too-distant -future, these stories are generally high-energy, futuristic tales that quickly draw readers in with creative plotting, fast-paced action, and strong, take-charge heroines and heroes who sometimes possess enhanced mental and/or physical capabilities. Magic, time travel, and other fantasy and paranormal elements may also play a part. Although the individual stories are usually complete in themselves (e.g., the romantic relationship between the two main characters is resolved), many are part of trilogies or longer series set in the same “world.” The variations on the post-apocalyptic theme are endless and the titles listed below are merely the tip of the iceberg.
Greyle, Katherine. Oracle. 1998.
Thrown forward two centuries after a devastating nuclear explosion nearly destroys the Earth, a computer geek finds herself in a world of wizards, magic, and war and is torn between her pacifistic ideals and her love for a king intent on protecting his people, whatever the means. An award-winner that deals with serious issues in addition to providing a good love story and fascinating world. Katherine Greyle is a pseudonym for Jade Lee.
Driven
Eve Kenin
Set in the brutal, ice-bound Northern Waste on a futuristic Earth whose population was decimated after the Second Noble War, these two gritty, sexy, action packed stories are linked by character and feature smart, intrepid, KA heroines, heroes to match, and villains who definitely deserve their fates. Eve Kenin is a pseudonym for Eve Silver.
Driven. Love Spell, 2007.
Trucker Raina Bowen, on a mission to win a dangerous race and keep her sister safe from the powerful man who cruelly abused her in the past, rescues the enigmatic Wizard from a near-deadly truckers’ brawl and ends up with a companion who is far more than he seems. Vicious truckers, Siberian ice-pirates, and good setting detail add to the mix.
Hidden, Love Spell, 2008.
Tatiana, the equally genetically modified sister of Driven’s hero, Wizard, is on a quest to bring down the mad scientist who tortured her in her youth. In her search for his hidden lab, she eventually joins forces with the mysterious Tristan, not realizing how closely their goals are linked. Deadly viruses, deformed mutants, a truly evil villain, and a marvelous underground pool are memorable.
Maddox, Michelle. Countdown. Love Spell, 2008.
Set after a plague has wiped out nearly half of the world’s population, this taut thriller forces a psychically gifted heroine and a convicted serial killer into a partnership in the deadly survival game, Countdown, that could result in their deaths if they don’t work – and physically stay – together. This first person narrative by Kira adds an intriguing twist.
Strong, Jory. Ghostland. Berkley, 2009.
Destroyed by a religious war, the Earth is now ruled by the Church and is home to humans, as well as numerous supernatural creatures who have claimed the night. Sent to the mysterious ghostlands (where the dead go until their fate is decided) on a quest, Aisling, a powerful shaman, summons the Djinn Zurael for help and ends up with him bound to serve her until she releases him. The characters, setting, and mystery elements may engage readers, but the graphic erotic fantasy elements may not be to everyone’s taste.
Beyond the Night
Joss Ware: “Awakening Heroes” Series (sometimes called the Envy Chronicles)
While exploring caves near Sedona, Arizona, Elliot, Quent, and Wyatt are knocked unconscious and trapped by a devastating earthquake. Fifty years later, they awake, un-aged and possessing a variety of supernatural powers, to a radically changed, barely civilized world, inhabited by lethal zombies and controlled by the mysterious immortal Strangers. Much of the series takes place near the former city of Las Vegas (now N.V. or Envy), which has become beachfront property after the sinking of the West Coast. Although each romance is complete in each book, the ongoing mission to solve the mystery and locate the person who caused the destruction, and rectify things continues. Joss Ware is a pseudonym for Colleen Gleason. Note: These were released back-to-back, January-March 2010.
Beyond the Night. Avon, 2010; Embrace the Night Eternal. Avon, 2010; Abandon the Night. Avon, 2010.
But the adult market doesn’t have a monopoly on post-apocalyptic fiction, as any fan of YA or children’s fiction knows. The titles listed below are only a small sampling of those available and are a good starting place for those new to the “younger” side of the subgenre. However, these are not romances, in general.
Jeanne DuPrau: “Ember Series”
Although technically a children’s series and not romances, these may appeal to adults, as well.
The City of Ember. Random House, 2003.
Realizing that their underground city of Ember is crumbling, twelve-year-olds Lina and Doon discover how to lead their people to safety – and the light.
The People of Sparks. Random House, 2004.
The people from Ember meet, and eventually come to terms with, the inhabitants of Sparks, a city on the Earth’s surface.
The Prophet of Yonwood. Random House, 2006.
The prequel to City of Ember. How it all began.
The Diamond of Darkhold. Random House, 2008.
Lina and Doon return to Ember to find a mysterious device that will help Sparks survive the coming winter.
The Giver
Lowry, Lois. The Giver. Houghton, 1993.
This Newbery Award winner tells of a young boy who questions the “perfect” world he lives in and must decide if he can remain. Note: This is not a romance, but it is an example of classic post-apocalyptic children’s literature.
Susan Beth Pfeffer: “The Last Survivors Series”
Life as We Knew It. Harcourt, 2005.
When an asteroid sends the moon into orbit closer to Earth, Miranda’s teenage Pennsylvania world is rocked to the core by extreme weather changes, illness, and shortages of all kinds. There is just a hint of romance in what is essentially a coming-of-age novel in a beautifully rendered, somewhat terrifying setting.
The Dead and Gone. Harcourt, 2008.
Teenage Alex Morales and his family deal with the fall out from the moon’s change in New York City.
This World We Live In. Harcourt, 2010.
The angst and difficulties of young love are part of this story that brings Alex and Miranda together.
– Kristin Ramsdell is a librarian at California State University, Hayward and is a nationally known speaker and consultant on the subject of romance fiction. Besides writing articles about the romance genre, she writes a romance review column for Library Journal and is the author of Romance Fiction: A Guide to the Genre (Libraries Unlimited, 1999) and its predecessor, Happily Ever After: A Guide to Reading Interests in Romance Fiction (Libraries Unlimited, 1987). She was named Librarian of the Year by Romance Writers of America in 1996.
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