What is the title of this book?

August 9, 2009 9:58 PM

Identify a book for my girlfriend please. Read in the mid 90's maybe had 'children' in the title. Sci-fi novel about children held captive with woman in a castle after being placed with her through a government forced foster system (children are lent out to childless people for one month). They survive nuclear meltdown and years after by being put into suspended animation.

When they wake up thousands of years have passed and they are kept subdued with drugged wine. David(?), the main character, escapes and finds a village of survivors who have become mutated from the radiation and inbreeding. They live off beetles and giant rabbits that have grown to the size of cattle. David has a close relationship with a girl in the castle and returns to save her?

posted by Uncle to media & arts (5 comments total)

A bit of a longshot, and the years are off, but the last couple of lines make me think of Oryx and Crake.
posted by cloudbuster at 3:22 AM on August 10

Sounds vaguely like Children of the Dust, although it's been a terribly long time since I've read it. There's definitely mutated kids (with fine, down-like hair to resist increased UV) and a post-apocalyptic world. There's also a castle and the remnants of government working from it with century old Land Rovers. I read this in the mid-nineties mind, so I'm a bit fuzzy on the details.
posted by Happy Dave at 5:48 AM on August 10

Sounds like Children of Time: Despite the predicted Final War, David Bennet and his parents have remained on Earth while most families have departed for more stable planets. As one of the few children left, David is regularly sent to foster families so adults can experience the joys of parenting. One wealthy and powerful foster parent, Lady Anastasia Grey, has a maniacal plot: to adopt hundreds of foster children so she can create a master race of the future. When David is assigned to Lady Grey, he realizes something is dreadfully wrong: Lady Grey is capable of manipulating time so that her adopted children don't grow any older. While David knows there is little chance of escape, he realizes he must be alert and watchful if he hopes to understand Lady Grey's plan. And when the Final War does come, the boy is prepared.
posted by iconomy at 7:54 AM on August 10

That seems to be the one. My girlfriend thanks you.
posted by Uncle at 10:05 AM on August 10

You're welcome, girlfriend!
posted by iconomy at 10:45 AM on August 10