Speculative fiction is often about society, how people think and work together. Sure, there's something decidedly out there, something not quite possible, sometimes something downright magical. But at the end of the day, the genre speculates about what might happen if... What exactly comes after the "if" depends on the writer.

Author Lily Brooks-Dalton's "what if" often includes a kind of societal collapse, and that collapse sets her latest main character, Ember, on a journey into a surprising past. Ruins is, on its face anyway, about an archaeologist who goes looking for a lost empire. But what is this lost world? What clue does Ember have of its existence? And why is the end of something so often the beginning for this author?

Lily stopped by to talk to host Katie Campbell about the allure of societal collapse in her storytelling.

If you want to stay speculative, check out Lily and Katie's Recommended If You Liked (RIYL):
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
On the Calculation of Volume by Solvej Balle
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (Honestly, Katie recommends anything by Emily St. John Mandel
For All Mankind on Apple TV

Read more about Lily Brooks-Dalton (and all the authors who stop by for a chat with our host Katie Campbell) at kuow.org/books.

Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at kuow.org/meet. 

Speculative fiction is often about society, how people think and work together. Sure, there's something decidedly out there, something not quite possible, sometimes something downright magical. But at the end of the day, the genre speculates about what might happen if... What exactly comes after the "if" depends on the writer.
Author Lily Brooks-Dalton's "what if" often includes a kind of societal collapse, and that collapse sets her latest main character, Ember, on a journey into a surprising past. <a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/lily-brooks-dalton/ruins/9781538770528/">Ruins</a> is, on its face anyway, about an archaeologist who goes looking for a lost empire. But what is this lost world? What clue does Ember have of its existence? And why is the end of something so often the beginning for this author?
Lily stopped by to talk to host Katie Campbell about the allure of societal collapse in her storytelling.
If you want to stay speculative, check out Lily and Katie's Recommended If You Liked (RIYL):
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/piranesi-9781635575637/">Piranesi</a> by Susanna Clarke</li>
<li><a href="https://www.transitbooks.org/books/iwhohaveneverknownmen">I Who Have Never Known Men</a> by Jacqueline Harpman</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ndbooks.com/book/on-the-calculation-of-volume-book-i/">On the Calculation of Volume</a>&nbsp;by Solvej Balle</li>
<li><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743083/the-husbands-a-read-with-jenna-pick-by-holly-gramazio/">The Husbands</a> by Holly Gramazio</li>
<li><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/692735/sea-of-tranquility-by-emily-st-john-mandel/">Sea of Tranquility</a> by Emily St. John Mandel (Honestly, Katie recommends anything by Emily St. John Mandel</li>
<li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7772588/">For All Mankind</a> on Apple TV</li>
</ul>
Read more about Lily Brooks-Dalton (and all the authors who stop by for a chat with our host Katie Campbell) at <a href="https://www.kuow.org/series/books/">kuow.org/books</a>.
Help keep KUOW's local podcasts going strong! Donate now at <a href="https://donate.kuow.org/donate/meet">kuow.org/meet</a>.&nbsp;

Meet Me Here is your podcast guide to the most exciting arts and culture events in Seattle. In each episode, we’re fighting the freeze and meeting you around the region for art shows, concerts, author talks, geeky get-togethers, and more. There’s a lot to do in this region, so let’s make some plans and go experience it together.

Meet Me Here&nbsp;is your podcast guide to the most exciting arts and culture events in Seattle. In each episode, we&rsquo;re fighting the freeze and meeting you around the region for art shows, concerts, author talks, geeky get-togethers, and more. There&rsquo;s a lot to do in this region, so let&rsquo;s make some plans and go experience it together.

Meet Me Here is your podcast guide to the most exciting arts and culture events in Seattle. 

Meet Me Here

Lily Brooks-Dalton’s new novel, "Ruins," follows an archaeologist who goes looking for a lost empire. The collapsed society she's chasing makes for a shocking twist. Lily stopped by KUOW while on tour to talk to host Katie Campbell about her interest in collapse.