The Genocides

The Genocides is a classic science fiction novel by Thomas M Disch.

In this post apocalyptic tale of vegetable domination, the earth has been overtaken by a strain of alpha plants... massive and imposing, they suck up all the resources and wreak major havoc on the ecosystem. In just 7 years these green bullies have successfully choked off all other plant life.... most animals are extinct as well.

Human beings are pretty scarce, the ones left live in mortal fear of one another. marauders wander around stealing precious supplies, so that the only known, organized society has developed a savage custom of execution. Strangers are ground into sausages and the fleshy links are reserved for thanksgiving dinner. occasionally a person with a useful occupation is spared and assimilated into the group, but then they find themselves chomping on their pal come november. It makes for poor politics. The congregation is ruled by a heavy handed holy roller who's really a drag, your typical anti-science, god-fearing, hard-ass christian coalition leader. if all that isn't bad enough, the excess of carbon monoxide causes the winters to be almost unbearably cold. Everyone is forced to live in a common house together where the lack of sex has all parties on edge. The entire pyramid of human needs has toppled. Nothing is left except the desperate, blind desire to live.

These people were conservative, farming hicks before the plants took over, now they're all ignorant sheep with superstitious, primitive customs. Even tho population drops at a rate of about 1/20th per day, adulterers are stoned to death. It doesn't help when mysterious floating disks begin incinerating everything left alive...they're cleaning up the blood spores, ridding their garden of pests.

The terrified duke gang flees to a cave, where they discover, that not only do these plants have hollow roots, but all roots connect into one overwhelming root system. the earth is like a flower pot overstuffed with rooty intestines and is just about to bust. they scuttle underground. there are gauzy walls of chloroplast that lead into fleshy pockets with giant potatoe-like bottoms, which they discern are edible and quite delicious. Oxygen is abundant and they are so deep underground that the temperature has risen to a comfy degree. The fruit of the alien plant has an intoxicating effect, its totally dark and soon they're all copulating with wild abandon. The underground garden of eden sours soon enough. Folks start turning into lotus eaters. nothing matters except the fruit high. Other people get cabin fever, still others turn into pediphiles and necropheliacs. One woman's 10yr old son dies, and she wanders aimlessly carrying his rotting corpse for months. The beauty of the bunch becomes so addicted to the fruit that she blobs out to 400lbs and does nothing but gorge herself and scream about the plots of kim novac movies.

The leader abruptly croaks from a rat bite to the toe and all hell is finally unleashed. The end is a ***** hilarious image of the evil mankind inflicts upon itself.