“The Day of the Triffids” by John Wyndham

An aggressive species of plant starts killing people blinded by an apparent meteor shower. So goes the deceptively simple premise of “The Day of the Triffids,” the enduring sci-fi horror classic by the English writer John Wyndham that wrestles with themes such as the role of science and technology in the collapse of civilization. Adapted into a movie, two TV miniseries, and three radio dramas, “The Day of the Triffids” also provided inspiration for the zombie film “28 Days Later.”