by John Wyndham
First published 2003
A mysterious meteor shower plunges humanity into darkness, leaving most of the global population suddenly blind. In London, biologist Bill Masen—one of the few who can still see—discovers he's trapped in a nightmare landscape where carnivorous Triffids, mobile plants with lethal stingers, are hunting survivors. As civilization collapses around him, Bill forms an alliance with Josella Playton, another sighted survivor, and they begin a desperate search for safety. The Triffids aren't just predators—they're organized, intelligent, and rapidly multiplying across a defenseless world. With communication networks destroyed and most humans incapacitated, Bill and Josella must find a way to survive against an enemy that sees them as prey. Their only hope lies in understanding the Triffids' strange biology and finding a sanctuary before the plants can overrun what remains of human society.
Genres: fiction, science-fiction, 20th-century, apocalyptic
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, man-vs-nature
Setting: London
Period: 20th-century
228 pages · Paperback · Modern Library
Content warnings: body-horror, death, graphic-violence