Readers searching for books about conflict expect at least two opposing sides. That’s the starting point. The battle could be physical - the fight in the pub or the playground or the horrors of full-scale war. The clash of individuals, gangs, countries and cultures, is central to the development of the story. In other tales of strife, the conflict is emotional, maybe a family setting between parents and children, siblings, married couples and lovers. Then there is the person divided with themself, experiencing inner turmoil; in a workplace, a school, a community. And some books track conflict on a huge scale – the conflict between people and nature or between human and divine. Wherever the setting and whatever the subject matter, the essence of these stories is the conflict – you want to know how it pans out, who gets to win, or lose, will there be reconciliation or resolution? In this selection you will find amongst the personal tragedies, there is hint of something lighter, a bit stranger, of a world beyond our own. Plenty to choose from – so pick the struggle that works best for you.
