(Found... finally!) Anyone remember an sf novel about a man ripped to pieces by a starving mob?

[PaulMurphy]

Can anyone identify this book?

Definitely published no later than 1974, set in the future on earth. I think one theme was overpopulation. I only remember the final scene. A man visits his ex-wife, an official state-registered prostitute whom anyone can legally use. I remember a sentence, "you would never have guessed she was thirty". After seeing her he's trapped in a room or cell and a starving mob is outside and he's literally ripped to pieces as he tries to escape.


Thanks so much!

 

[hitmouse]

I have read this. Good grief what is it?

 

[hitmouse]

The Stochastic Man by Robert Silverberg. I think.

 

[PaulMurphy]

The Stochastic Man by Robert Silverberg

No it's definitely not The Stochastic Man. The book I remember was written in the third person, Stochastic Man was written in the first person. Thanks but it's not the answer.

 

[BigBadBob141]

Whatever it is it sounds like a really fun read lol!
A bit like that laugh your socks off classic 1984!!!

 

[PaulMurphy]

Whatever it is it sounds like a really fun read lol!
A bit like that laugh your socks off classic 1984!!!

Can people please not reply unless they know what the book is. I don't want people to say things like, "I want to read it, sounds good." That just dissuades other readers who may know from replying.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Can people please not reply unless they know what the book is. I don't want people to say things like, "I want to read it, sounds good." That just dissuades other readers who may know from replying.

It doesn’t actually - it keeps the thread alive and at the top of the new posts search which many of us use to navigate with

Hope someone finds it for you!

 

[dask]

I want to read it, sounds good.

 

[Danny McG]

I also want to read it, it sounds good

 

[tobl]

it sounds like soylent green

 

[tobl]

1966 science fiction novel Make Room! Make Room! by Harry Harrison

 

[Dave]

That sounds like it. The line is actually, "She was only thirty-seven yet her hair was almost gray," The entire book is here: Make Room Make Room - PDF Free Download I have the paperback but it has been a while, and it is quite different to the film Soylent Green even though it was the source.

Published in 1966. It was originally serialised in Impulse magazine.

@PaulMurphy I'm going to hide your email address with a spoiler as you don't want that on an open public forum unless you want to get even more spam emails from bots.

Let us know if Make Room Make Room is correct. It doesn't match exactly what you said.

 

[Danny McG]

I've only ever seen the film, gotta get to reading the book now, I didn't realise there was so much difference

 

[dask]

Yeah, don't remember that scene in the movie. Romero should have remade it.

 

[Alex The G and T]

Hooray! A free download! Make Room Make Room.

One of those classic books I read a thousand years ago, and think I know all about it; but I don't actually remember anything about it... except the catchphrase at the end of the movie; which I don't think I ever actually saw much of the movie... and really need to read the book again.

****
Thanks, Jo: "It doesn’t actually - it keeps the thread alive and at the top of the new posts search which many of us use to navigate with"

I was thinking the same thing; but decided that I didn't need to stick a pin in that particular balloon. Today, anyway.

 

[Danny McG]

I've downloaded 'Make Room Make Room' now and done a (very) quick skim through it, I can't find no starving mob ripping a man to pieces, are we sure it's the right book?

I'll read through it properly after coffee and toast and bacon

 

[Dave]

There is a riot scene where someone is cut up with broken glass, but no, I'm not sure it is the right book either as it doesn't match the OPs description exactly.

 

[Ursa major]

It sounds more like Historical Romance than SFF.


You know, a bodies ripper....


*gets coat*

 

[Hugh]

I appreciate @PaulMurphy has not yet confirmed yea or nay re this book. It seems very possible that we haven't got it right yet.

Re Make Room! Make Room! ...
I have definitely read this, but a long time ago, so cannot comment re @PaulMurphy 's description. What he has posted does not ring bells for me, but I only remember a few details.
However, the reading of it is vividly etched in my mind as a most depressing experience. It's one of those reads where I remember when and where: a bleak train ride on a bleak winter's day, December 26th or 27th 1974 . The future described in the book seemed a real possibility at the time.

 

[PaulMurphy]

It definitely isn't Make Room Make Room or Stand on Zanzibar or The Schotastic Man...please keep looking and posting everyone, and thanks.