An author using a specific date for a fictional world event.

Discuss the January 2017 Book of the Month, We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson.
User avatar
Insightsintobooks
Posts: 299
Joined: 29 Oct 2016, 10:44
Bookshelf Size: 21
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-insightsintobooks.html
Latest Review: "Gates to Tangier" by Mois Benarroch
Reading Device: B00IKPYKWG

Re: An author using a specific date for a fictional world ev

Post by Insightsintobooks »

I think that it's odd when I read dates that have passed and we're supposed to signify a major event. This didn't ruin the enjoyment for me though.
Latest Review: "Gates to Tangier" by Mois Benarroch
User avatar
David Nash
Posts: 84
Joined: 05 Dec 2016, 07:27
Currently Reading: Slay the Dragon
Bookshelf Size: 24
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-david-nash.html
Latest Review: The Engine Woman's Light by Laurel Anne Hill
Reading Device: B009XE0K7W

Post by David Nash »

In a world ending scenario having the date being specified as one that has already passed takes away much of the impact of the story. I think the author should have left it as month and day and implied it was within a year. That way, no matter what year you read the book it will be coming soon.
User avatar
Jennifer Allsbrook
Posts: 921
Joined: 23 Jul 2016, 20:35
Favorite Book: Nightlord: Sunset
Currently Reading: An American Hedge Fund
Bookshelf Size: 133
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-jennifer-allsbrook.html
Latest Review: Audible Book of your Choice by Amazon

Post by Jennifer Allsbrook »

Julie Ditton wrote:In this book, we are told that if Henry does not push the button by a specific date, the world will end. But the book was published just a few days before that date, so people are reading the book after the deadline has passed. I find that distracting from my enjoyment of the book. If the event only effects a few people, it doesn't bother me. But, in my oppinion, if it's world news or world changing, the year should not be mentioned. How do you feel?
It bothered me a little at first but then I just put it in the - this is fiction - category and I was OK with it. I would agree that leaving the specific date out might have appealed more to me. Since the book was written with time sequences being important having a date to build toward seems logical though.
CrescentMoon
Posts: 1319
Joined: 08 May 2014, 22:50
Currently Reading: Superhighway
Bookshelf Size: 87
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-crescentmoon.html
Latest Review: "Letorian Descendants- Casey Blane Series (Book 1)" by Jodi Ann Fahey

Post by CrescentMoon »

That's an interesting thought. I usually don't pay attention to specific dates as the author usually just puts a date down for the sake of the plot, but it does change things when you have a specific date written. Like the movie, 2012 when the world was going to end in that year. I remember a lot of people making fun of the fact that the movie predicted the end of the world in 2012.
Latest Review: "Letorian Descendants- Casey Blane Series (Book 1)" by Jodi Ann Fahey
Corybarclay
Posts: 20
Joined: 27 Dec 2016, 01:34
Currently Reading: Warbreaker
Bookshelf Size: 18
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-corybarclay.html
Latest Review: "The Banned Book about Love" by Scott Hughes

Post by Corybarclay »

I agree, it can be distracting or unnerving to read a book with a specific date that's important to the plot, only to have that date already pass in real life... You look at books like 1984, or movies like 2001 A Space Odyssey, and it's pretty interesting to think how people looked at the future :). That's why, if I were to write a futuristic or dystopian story that needed to have a specific date, it would probably be like 2155, so I know no one would be around complaining about this haha!
Latest Review: "The Banned Book about Love" by Scott Hughes
User avatar
Camogirl217
Posts: 80
Joined: 08 Sep 2016, 17:24
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 29
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-camogirl217.html
Latest Review: The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci by Belle Ami

Post by Camogirl217 »

Dates don't really affect me personally, but some people take them very seriously (take the doomsday people as an example). I can totally understand why that would bother you, though. I think the books being in the past is what made Harry Potter even more popular, come to think of it.
mewsmash
Posts: 118
Joined: 14 Jan 2017, 12:18
Currently Reading: Animal Farm
Bookshelf Size: 12
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-mewsmash.html
Latest Review: "The Expelled" by Mois Benarroch

Post by mewsmash »

Specific dates in books really don't hold up if you're rereading the book a considerable amount later. I like a bit of mystery, not just a specific day.
Latest Review: "The Expelled" by Mois Benarroch
User avatar
Kdsfae84
Posts: 12
Joined: 23 Aug 2014, 01:24
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 193
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kdsfae84.html

Post by Kdsfae84 »

Julie Ditton wrote:In this book, we are told that if Henry does not push the button by a specific date, the world will end. But the book was published just a few days before that date, so people are reading the book after the deadline has passed. I find that distracting from my enjoyment of the book. If the event only effects a few people, it doesn't bother me. But, in my oppinion, if it's world news or world changing, the year should not be mentioned. How do you feel?
I guess if a date is mandatory then a year should not be included. However, if the book is set relatively far in the future (like a minimum of 100 years from now then it would be ok). I think a date that is too close to the current date would have me looking at the calendar and especially if I am reading the story after the date has already passed I won't be nearly as invested in the story. I hate to sound that superficial, but I guess it is partly out of the idea that it could happen or it could be based on truth in some regard. I guess it comes from having a number of authors point out that the only way you can believe the fiction is if it is as accurate as possible for the believable things (for example in paranormal books, if it is a shapeshifter and one does the research on the animal the character becomes it makes it more believable).
papaya12
Posts: 124
Joined: 19 Jan 2017, 11:49
Currently Reading: Insurgent
Bookshelf Size: 72
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-papaya12.html
Latest Review: Protostar by Braxton A. Cosby
Reading Device: B00IKPYKWG

Post by papaya12 »

I think that the book would age better if the year was not mentioned. I think that saying the month and the day is fine but if a book says the year than there should be a good reason that we don't remember whatever happened on that day.
papaya12
Posts: 124
Joined: 19 Jan 2017, 11:49
Currently Reading: Insurgent
Bookshelf Size: 72
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-papaya12.html
Latest Review: Protostar by Braxton A. Cosby
Reading Device: B00IKPYKWG

Post by papaya12 »

I think that the book would age better if the year was not mentioned. I think that saying the month and the day is fine but if a book says the year than there should be a good reason that we don't remember whatever happened on that day.
User avatar
Lest92
Posts: 298
Joined: 21 Jan 2017, 18:30
Currently Reading: Oil and Marble
Bookshelf Size: 199
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-lest92.html
Latest Review: The Everywhere Spirit by Nicholas Applin

Post by Lest92 »

Interesting question. Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree here, but I liked that a specific year and time was given. I don't normally read fiction set this recently, and I found it refreshing. To me at least it balances out the weirdness of the alien abductions - we see absurdity and "normality" dovetailed.
User avatar
Megwe85
Posts: 112
Joined: 16 Aug 2016, 01:48
Bookshelf Size: 91
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-megwe85.html
Latest Review: "Cryptic" by Conrad Luznar

Post by Megwe85 »

It didn't bother me that the end-of-the-world date had already passed. If someone is reading this book 20+ years from now, it might be helpful for them to see that date for cultural context.
Latest Review: "Cryptic" by Conrad Luznar
KAV
Posts: 63
Joined: 01 Feb 2016, 21:49
Bookshelf Size: 69
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kav.html
Latest Review: "Angelica" by Clabe Polk

Post by KAV »

The dates always bother me in books. I thought the author should have left off the year or made the date far in the future. I can see why most people don't seem fazed by it because the date isn't that far off but think about reading this novel 5 to 10 years from now. It dates the book unnecessarily.
Latest Review: "Angelica" by Clabe Polk
Genaaa
Posts: 221
Joined: 09 Sep 2016, 21:51
Bookshelf Size: 18
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-genaaa.html
Latest Review: "A Messiahs Battle For The Human Realm" by Roberto Torres Rivera

Post by Genaaa »

Didn't really pay attention to that prior to reading this forum, but after reading this I can definitely understand how that could be frustrating or distracting while reading.
Latest Review: "A Messiahs Battle For The Human Realm" by Roberto Torres Rivera
User avatar
dosenron877
Posts: 109
Joined: 27 Dec 2016, 06:15
Currently Reading: Route 66
Bookshelf Size: 439
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-dosenron877.html
Latest Review: "Yesterday" by Samyann
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU

Post by dosenron877 »

There are several indefinite time periods mentioned in the book. In chapters Bees, Midnight Sun, and Superbugs, the stories end on 29 January 2016 because they are the alternate realities that might have happened if Henry didn't push the button. Having accepted the possibility of alternate realities, we can add one more. Henry didn't push the button, the planet was destroyed, and we are now living in one of the alternate realities. The problem of the elasticity of a definite date is solved.
Latest Review: "Yesterday" by Samyann
Post Reply

Return to “Discuss "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson”