The Sheep Look Up
Eco-Dystopia Science Fiction Environmental Thriller Dystopian Speculative Fiction Social Commentary Climate Fiction
John Brunner’s 1973 eco-dystopia The Sheep Look Up is widely hailed as the most prophetic science-fiction novel of the twentieth century, and this 2003 hard-cover re-issue gives collectors a chance to own the uncut text in a sturdy, jacketed edition. Set in a near-future Earth where pesticides, petro-chemicals and corporate greed have poisoned the air, water and food chain, the story follows a kaleidoscope of characters—from Denver street gangs to the President’s science advisor—as they struggle to survive the slow-motion collapse of the biosphere. Brunner’s mosaic style, multiple viewpoints and documentary inserts (fake ads, news-clips, memos) pre-date today’s “cli-fi” and “found-footage” storytelling by decades, making the book feel startlingly contemporary.
What makes this copy especially desirable is the dust-jacket artwork: a dramatic wrap-around painting by Hugo- and Chesley-Award winner Bob Eggleton, personally signed by the artist. The signature is neatly placed on the rear flap and is guaranteed authentic, turning an already collectible title into a small piece of modern SF art history. The book itself is in good reader/collector shape—tight, square, and un-ex-library—showing only faint foxing on the top page edge and a tiny spot to one leaf; pages are otherwise clean, un-dog-eared, and the binding is solid. A prior owner has added a brief handwritten note on the front free endpaper, adding a touch of provenance without distracting from the text.
Perfect for fans of The Stand, Parable of the Sower, or the Netflix film Don’t Look Up, Brunner’s prescient vision of masks, water riots, antibiotic failure and corporate spin remains a master-class in how to weave urgent environmental warning into a page-turning thriller. Whether you’re building a climate-fiction library, hunting signed SFF art, or simply want the most enduring novel of the early-’70s eco-wave, this hardcover delivers both literary weight and collectible flair.
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