If you enjoy reading science fiction, perhaps it’s time to try its cousin, climate fiction (also known as “cli-fi”).
Does the news of forest fires, extreme flooding, and hurricane-displaced people grip you with urgency? Extreme weather conditions like these are bringing the issue of climate change to the forefront, giving birth to this unique subgenre.
Climate fiction focuses on the issue of global warming and climate change. It may nor may not be speculative fiction, and can take place in the current world or in an imagined future.
13 Climate Fiction Novels That Tackle Climate Change
If you’ve never tried reading a cli-fi novel, here are 13 great examples of this sci-fi subgenre:
1. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
The queen of speculative fiction does it again in this cli-fi trilogy. The series takes place in a world where almost everyone dies from a great plague and the weather system has gotten way out of control, with tornadoes and intensely fierce storms, coastal surges, and all the seasons disappearing into one endlessly miserable, wet, and confusing summer.
2. The High House by Jessie Greengrass
The High House seems to be a haven of safety and supply, keeping its four inhabitants safe from the rising floodwaters, thanks to its location on top of a hill.
They have almost everything they need, and with the guidance of Grandy, the former village caretaker, they can learn all that they need before his life gives out.
3. American War by Omar El Akkad
Set in the year 2074, the book opens into a Second American Civil War, in the midst of outlawed oil and a state that’s half underwater.
We see all these challenges through the eyes of 6-year-old Sarah Chestnut, who is forced to grow up in Camp Patience, a camp for those who have been displaced by the war.
4. Line by Niall Bourke
In this dystopian novel, we meet Willard, who has always obeyed the rules in order to stay in Line. But what happens when Willard’s mother dies and leaves a strange book among her belongings?
5. Orange World and Other Stories by Karen Russell
This collection of short stories paints pictures of an undesirable world when climate change spirals out of control, but the author contrasts it with the tenderness and beauty of ordinary life.
6. Orleans by Sherri Smith
Hurricanes and a deadly outbreak shut off one locality, and everyone thinks all life there has disappeared. But unbeknownst to their neighbors, the quarantined community rises from the ashes: Fen de la Guerre has their tribe leader’s baby with her, whom she intends to get over the wall to a better life.
7. Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift
What if a deadly virus destroys the world as we know it—and leaves only a single woman and a golden retriever alive? She and the dog set out to discover if anyone else survived the plague, not knowing whether she’ll live or die.
8. The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi
Assassin and law enforcer Angel Velasquez is in charge of her rich client’s land developments—and his monopoly of the scarce water supply of the region.
What happens when her loyalty is tested by an encounter with an investigative journalist and a refugee hailing from Texas?
9. Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins
California suffers from a never-ending drought, causing most of its inhabitants to relocate elsewhere. But some hard-headed residents insist on staying.
Among them are war veteran Ray and the Bureau of Conservation’s former poster child, Luz. What happens when they hear of someone who knows how to find water on this scorched earth?
10. Something New Under the Sun by Alexandra Kleeman
Set in a California that has been scorched by drought and wildfire, Patrick Hamlin encounters not just these environmental challenges, but also comes to face to face with widespread corruption in the glamorous world of Hollywood.
11. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
Anna is a 13-year-old orphan living in the impenetrable walls of Constantinople, among women whose main job is to embroider the priests’ robes.
But the girl is curious beyond measure, and, finding a mythology book, she relates to Aethon’s desire to be made into a bird in order to soar towards a utopian paradise in the sky.
12. Weather by Jenny Offil
Famous podcast host Sylvia Liller hires Lizzie Benson to answer all her mail, throwing Lizzie right into the midst of the polarized world.
She has to deal with left-wingers fighting for the environment and right-wingers holding tightly to western civilization as they know it.
13. War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi
In the year 2172, the earth has become unlivable due to nuclear disasters and climate change. A lucky remnant lives in space colonies in the sky while war wages in Nigeria, with deadly flying machines and bionic-limbed soldiers fighting the battles. The story follows the lives of two sisters, Ify and Onyii, who dream of hope, peace, and a better future.
What Is the Purpose of Climate Fiction?
Climate fiction exists to stir up the readers’ consciousness of all the consequences of man’s action on this planet, with hopes of inciting action.
Speculative cli-fi can help us imagine what might happen if we don’t take action, and disturb people so much that they want to avoid the worst-case scenarios as much as possible. Although it’s idealistic to say that a novel can change the world, it can make a world of difference in its individual readers.
Clearly, climate fiction focuses on calling people’s attention to the climate crisis. Studies show that reading even a short story about climate change can increase the reader’s concern about the environment. Although the effect can be temporary, combining it with other efforts to increase awareness can make a significant change in how the public views climate change.
Climate Fiction Can Stir Up Action
It’s easy to underestimate the power of story, but fictional narratives, including those that discuss climate change, have the capacity to push people into action.
If you know someone whom you believe has the power to make a difference when it comes to climate change, consider gifting them a book or two from this list. It will not only give you something interesting to talk about, but it might just spur them into taking actions this generation urgently needs.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- Exploring Speculative Fiction: Your Guide to this Super-Genre
- Supernatural Fiction: A Guide to Otherworldly Stories
- 11 Books Like 1984: Dystopian Tales of Totalitarianism
- 23 Best Dystopian Novels for a Thought-Provoking Read
Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
