The Scarlet Plague

Post Catastrophe runs shallow

(3 stars)

Arch Stanton

Minor London. In this post-catastrophe novel, a one time professor looks back on the years of world wide plague, which started in 2013 and relates his history to the present day. London's treatment of events is at its best when describing the arrival of the disease and the immediate aftermath. Some prescience here as regards to the emergence of world wide epidemic and the modern spread of deadly viruses. Elsewhere it's less convincing and the relationships between characters are thinly sketched out, indicating a lack of overall conviction or perhaps a commercial imperative for the writing. Interestingly, given his politics, London does not see the collapse into barbarism as necessitating a call to socialism, though there is some cruel levelling. The reader is generally good, although his cadences can be monotonous.

Intensely Provocative

(5 stars)

M. J. Joachim

Fascinating futuristic story detailing the fall of modern civilization. It is a quick read, filled with conflict, survival and thoughtful rejuvenation. I am amazed by the foresight of Jack London to write such an accurately descriptive piece, though he knew not the advances of technology in our age.

[London's] politics as referenced by a fellow reviewer

(5 stars)

RofVT

Jack London was at heart an anarchist, not a socialist as is so mistakenly held today. Perhaps the idea of "London as Anarchist" has been conditioned out of society's mind, being that he, unlike others who are to this day directly thought of as anarchists, is widely read by children and adults alike. Regardless, Emma Goldman wrote of this of London: "As the artist he did not fail to see the beauties of anarchism, even if he did insist that society would have to pass through socialism before reaching the higher stage of anarchism.". Now, perhaps his thoughts on the attainment of anarchism differ from others who label themselves anarchists, whether they be anarchists historically or contemporarily. But I will take the words of Emma Goldman over those of modern-day critics regarding London's beliefs, as they knew one another personally, if only having met twice. And she clearly viewed their end goals as one in the same. Moreover, and most importantly to modern-day anarchism, isn't our goal the dissolution of the State, or more specifically, the dissolution of imposed authority, regardless of the innumerable schisms in anarchist schools of thought? Shouldn't we be working as one and not bickering over words, since anarchism divided is exactly what the State and its many cohorts want?

Relevant

(5 stars)

Dud

This was published in 1912 before the Pandemic of 1918 and it is written about life 60 years after an horrific plague in 2013. I read this during the COVID 19 pandemic. London had some insightful predictions of population and wireless communication. A little off on transportation and fortunately appears to be off on politics and social class. Compelling work. It could have influenced many stories over the passed century. As with all London's works, it is well written and the reader does a very good rendition.

WEAK APOCALYPTIC IRONY

(2 stars)

Avid Listener

Well read. Probably written on a napkin at some bar. JL can never escape his unflagging class bias, nor can he escape his fascination with the word "conflagration." It is a very short work, so I advise you to read it just to help you better appreciate truly accomplished writers of scifi.

Very Dystopic, 5 stars!

(5 stars)

Pyrodin123321

I love dystopic survival stories, 5 stars from me. If you did not get much enjoyment from grandpa's war stories as a kid, I can see where you might feel there is a lack of action, but I loved it.

Scarlet Plague

(5 stars)

shavon

I'd like to answer the previous. Don't let political grandstanding be your purpose here. Jack London constructed characters better than anyone and they have always great depth

(5 stars)

A LibriVox Listener

listen to this book because it was on an old time radio show and just loved The Abridged version. it was well worth it