June Random Kit: Invasion

There can be many different versions of an invasion. I think of an invasion by war, an invasion by aliens or an invasion by disease are three examples of the variety this word brings to mind. Whether it is the terror of past wars or the futuristic landing of aliens, the world changing event of a pandemic or even the overwhelming takeover of zombies, invasions are dangerous, terrifying and can generate great stories of bravery and adventure. My Random-Kit challenge for this month is to read a book, fiction or non-fiction, about an invasion of some type. Your book doesn't have to fall into one of these categories, as long as it deals with some type of invasion it will count.

To help you get started, please find below a small sampling of books that touch on a variety of invasions.

The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells
Footfall by Larry Niven
Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden
The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan
The Eagle has Landed by Jack Higgins
Infected by Scott Sigler
The Norman Conquest by Marc Morris
World War Z by Max Brooks

Enjoy your reads and don’t forget to let us know what you chose to read. For those that use it, here is the link to the Wiki: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2025_RandomKIT#June:_INVASION

I have a three books that I am hoping to read for June's Randon Kit:

: A Choice of Evils (Japan invading China in WW2) – Miera Chand
: This is Not a Test (Zombie invasion) – Courtney Summers
: Fear the Sky by Stephen Moss (alien invasion)

I might read Pox Romana by Colin Elliott about the Antonine Plague

Fortunately, I try to tag my books that are set during a war, so I found A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute. The first part is about the Japanese invasion of Malaysia in World War II.

>4 NinieB: A Town Called Alice is a fantastic read!

>5 DeltaQueen50: Yay! I can't wait to read it!

I'm excited to see what a variety of works end up being read here, >1 DeltaQueen50:!

I searched my TBR for 'invasion' out of curiosity, and came up with a nonfiction book that's been on my TBR so long, I practically forgot about it! So, my plan will be to read Out of Eden: An Odyssey of Ecological Invasion by Alan Burdick for June.

What an interesting topic, and it is so much more versatile than I thought at first!

I have a few options on my shelves and will likely chose from them:

Books about the Trojan War, such as Kassandra by Christa Wolf or A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
D-Day Revisited by John McManus
The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell (2nd in The Saxon Chronicles, Viking invasion)

I will search my shelves and my Kindle for appropriate books. I am thinking about Pearl Harbor.

My June book club selection is Take What You Can Carry which is about the Iraq reconquest of Kurdistan. I believe this will qualify.

This has been tagged "invasion" 3 times, so hopefully it actually fits:
The Shepherd's Crown / Terry Pratchett

I've been searching my shelves for an appropriate book.

So far I've found:
An Excellent Mystery by Ellis Peters - Empress Maud's invasion of Winchester
Atonement by Ian McEwan - Dunkirk
HMS Surprise by Patrick O'Brian - fighting off Napoleon in the Indian Ocean

I've got 2 that would fit in this category, both been on my shelf for 20+ years!:
The Swoop! or, How Clarence Saved England byPG Wodehouse, a humorous look at a fictional invasion of the UK and how a boyscout leader foils said invasion

The Battle of Dorking considered one of the first sci-fi novels. I haven't read it, but it's a German invasion of the UK, so I understand

Great topic, Judy!

>12 VivienneR: I have An Excellent Mystery in my pile! I like your idea.

I will be reading Edge of Tomorrow, originally published as All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka

I'm going to be reading Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green in June, and I think it will qualify here too.

I bet The Last English King, about the Battle of Hastings, would work here. As would The Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay with its various tales of invasions and incursions.

An Excellent Mystery by Ellis Peters was indeed excellent.
This story takes place during the English Civil War when the indomitable Empress Matilda (aka Maud) and her cousin Stephen battle for the throne. In 1141 after Matilda’s siege of Winchester, two Benedictine monks arrive at Shrewsbury seeking sanctuary. The older monk has been badly injured in the Crusades and the younger attendant is mute. Not a mystery in the usual sense but Peters’ story provides an image of life in a monastery and conditions at the time.

COMPLETED The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See. It may be a bit of a stretch, but I think this story which takes place against a background of the Japanese occupation, the incoming Americans and mainland Koreans, and modernity vs traditional way of life can count.

Finished Hula for the Home Front, which is a story set in Hawaii after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

I read The Seep by Chana Porter. There is a non-violent alien invasion leading to an almost Utopian-like world. This was quite an interesting book.

>21 staci426:, 'Interesting' can mean so many things lol! What did you think of it? My book club has this on its voting list for next month, and I'm torn between it and something else (Ghost Eaters since both have been on my TBR for ages!

>22 whitewavedarling: I really enjoyed it. There was something about her writing that really drew me into the story. I don't think it will work for everyone, but I do think it would be a good choice for a book club read. I'm not familiar with Ghost Eaters, so not sure how it would compare to that one.

I reread Rabbit-Proof Fence by Nugi Garimara (Doris Pilkington) and decided to count it for this KIT, since the first half of the book shows the arrival of European colonists, what they do to the land and the people, and how the First Nations Australians have to adapt.

I have completed A Choice of Evils by Meira Chand which is about the Japanese invasion of China and the rape of Nanking in 1937.

Edge of Tomorrow by Hiroshi Sakurazaka ★★★★½

When the alien Mimics invade, Keiji Kiriya is just one of many recruits shoved into a suit of battle armor called a Jacket and sent out to kill. Keiji dies on the battlefield, only to be reborn each morning to fight and die again and again. On his 158th iteration, he gets a message from a mysterious ally - the female soldier known as the Full Metal Bitch. Is she the key to Keiji's escape or his final death?

This movie is one of my favorites, and I have watched it again and again. However, like most books that movies are based on, there is very little in common between the two. The book itself is well written, and I found myself drawn immediately into the tale and had trouble putting it down.

Ash and Quill

This is a continuation of a series I started a while back. It was very good at sparking my memory for the things that happened in previous books, without breaking the flow of the narrative.

The main conceit of this YA series is that the Library of Alexandria never burned, and instead rose to a power above that of any government, suppressing ideas such as Gutenberg's press to remain in total control of all knowledge.

Caine builds a colourful, complex fantasy world with rich, quick-thinking characters and hardly a breath to be taken between the suspense and action.

Full review on my thread.

July Thread is up! https://www.librarything.com/topic/371551#n8879520

It might be stretching the topic a little, but I'm going to count The Feast Makers by H.A. Clarke, because the Scapegracer coven has to lead the fight against witchfinders who invade a witches' safe haven.

I have completed This is Not A Test by Courtney Summers. I would have preferred more zombies and less teenaged angst.

I read another alien invasion book, The Lesson by Cadwell Turnbull. This was good, especially liked the Virgin Islands setting.

I've finished Take What You Can Carry which takes place in 1979 Kurdistan. Although Kurdistan was part of Iraq, the Iraqi governments launched regular and devastating campaigns (invasions) into the Kurdish community.

I have finished Weil der Mensch erbärmlich ist which is set during the German Occupation of Belgium.

Finished The Butcher’s Masquerade, book 5 in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman.
Aliens have invaded Earth, and are forcing the survivors to compete in a game to the death, to the amusement of the rest of the Galaxy. This is another very good entry in the series. I tried to take it slow, but I think will have to reread it befor it goes back to the library in order to get the full experience.

I read Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green.

I read another book for this prompt: The Pale Horseman, the second book in Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Chronicles. It deals with the Viking invasion and how King Alfred tries to save Wessex from the Danes.