As a Latinist, I was all gung-ho to find a book called Romanitas with the cover line: This is the Roman Empire NOW. It's the year 2757 (dated from the founding of Rome) or 2004 to us, and the plot centres on the murder of the Emperor's relatives. It's pretty much the 2004 we know except you would be watching Roman Idol on the 'longvision', but crucifixion still runs rampant, as does slavery and other Roman conventions. As much as I wanted to love this book, I kept picturing Caecilius-types instead of our contemporaries, and I just wasn't buying the setting which was inconsistent and confusing. I forced myself to read just over half before deciding I had better books on my shelf. This book by Sophia McDougall, published by Orion in Britain, is the first of a trilogy, but I am going to save myself another 1200 pages and give the whole thing a miss. 
However, I would recommend The Road by Cormac McCarthy unreservedly; it is probably the best book I have read in a couple of years. This post-apocalyptic novel has only two characters' dialogue, and only peripheral contact with others; it takes place in nuclear-devestated America in the near future. The atmosphere is, simply, grey: in physicality, in tone, in existence. This nihilistic portrayal of human perseverance is gut-wrenching and yet hopeful. Now, maybe there is something wrong with me because I love apocalyptic literature, but if you want to read a story about love and goodness in the face of despair and evil, pay the $21 for the paperback. It's beauty took me aback. And it would make a great book club/Bible study discussion. Love it, love it, love it. 
Published by Vintage Books (Random House), it is widely available.
Published by Vintage Books (Random House), it is widely available. 
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