Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
Eddie Russett lives in a society where class is determined by the ability to perceive colour – and he’s about to get eaten by a carnivorous tree called a yateveo. Odd but riotously fun.
The American’s Tale by Arthur Conan Doyle
As a short story, this is a bit of a cheat, but it’s a gem: a gothic horror that sees one Alabama Joe come to a sticky end in Flytrap Gulch. It’s every bit as grisly as it sounds.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Of the many adventures had by Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel while adrift at sea with a 450-pound tiger, the most memorable is when he comes across a floating algal island. It seems like a haven at first – until he discovers a human molar seeded in the black fruit of one of its trees.
Your support changes lives. Find out how you can help us help more people by signing up for a subscription
Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C Clarke
This entertaining collection features a hothouse enthusiast who attempts to feed his bothersome aunt to a tentacular orchid with a taste for raw meat. A delightful comic reworking of an earlier story by HG Wells.
The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
The triffids are 7ft tall, highly mobile and venomous. Seemingly based on the pitcher plant, they’re murderous monstrosities – and one of the best-known predators in science fiction.
