Post-apocalyptic book recommendations

TheNibbler

Going through a stage of reading these types of books. Started with 'The Stand' which I really enjoyed although thought the ending was a bit drawn out and slightly disappointing (find that with most of King's books though). Have read a good few of them since then including 'The Year of the Flood', 'The Passage', 'World War Z', 'Swan Song' (might be a few others, don't have my Kindle to hand).

Haven't been able to find any others to pique my interest-anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

TheNibbler

TheNibbler wrote: »

Going through a stage of reading these types of books. Started with 'The Stand' which I really enjoyed although thought the ending was a bit drawn out and slightly disappointing (find that with most of King's books though). Have read a good few of them since then including 'The Year of the Flood', 'The Passage', 'World War Z', 'Swan Song' (might be a few others, don't have my Kindle to hand).

Haven't been able to find any others to pique my interest-anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood and The Road by Cormac McCarthy, both great reads.

The sequel to The Passage 'The Twelve' is available. I haven't read it by its got good reviews.

I am Legend by Richard Matheson is short and easy but enjoyable.

There's more but I can't think of them right now!

Manach

I've enjoyed the Postman by David Brin, much better than the film.

Aenaes

A couple of Philip K. Dick's stories are set in post-apocalypse worlds. I wouldn't recommend him personally as I didn't really like them but he's a pretty well regarded author.

Diane Selwyn

recently read and enjoyed Oryx and Crake by Margaret Attwood

minnow

+1 for The Road by Cormac McCarthy

CatFromHue

I read The Fog by James Herbert a few years back and found it pretty good.

It's not quite post apocalyptic but is borderline.

joe40

If you enjoyed world war Z, then a book called robopocalypse is written in much the same way, and is quite an enjoyable read.

TheNibbler

Great, thanks for all the recommendations. Read The road a few years ago, really enjoyed it. Didn't realise there was a sequel to The passage, will have to get it.

ChrisM

Earth Abides is a very easy read.

Kilgore__Trout

Think my fave 2 novels in a post apocalyptic setting are the Postman and I am Legend. Mattheson was only 26 when he wrote it!

Kilgore__Trout

Manach wrote: »

I've enjoyed the Postman by David Brin, much better than the film.

Yeah, watched the film out of curiousity after reading the book. It's pretty mediocre: poorly paced and edited, and the plot is quite different from the book. There's no way they could have followed the book to the letter and got a 15 rating though, so I guess I understand why it's so different.

Gordon Krantz was way more interesting and intelligent in the book. He's one of my favourite characters of all time: an idealistic man carrying the embers of human civilisation in barbaric times. Felt very real and likable. I don't think they placed much emphasis on the ideals that drove him in the movie, and let's face it, he was a bit of a bumbler in the film.

DazMarz

Last Light by Alex Scarrow

Concerning the catastrophic cessation of the world's oil supply. Frighteningly realistic depictions of the breakdown of modern society. How quickly the wheels come off the wagon once supplies dwindle and the world grinds to a halt as oil runs out.

Forget the half-whimsical nature of stuff like Mad Max or similar; this is pure Darwinism, with packs of now-feral people killing and maiming for food and shelter in a bleak, dark and desolate world lacking oil.

The real frightening part of it is that it is one of those unlikely scenarios... but you'd be thinking "It could actually happen". The scenes as people rush and panic buy in supermarkets is surreal; the reality is that supermarkets and so on only have enough foodstuffs to deal with the next day or so. They are constantly being topped up and so on each day by delivery trucks. When those trucks don't arrive... panic.

Well worth a read.

p to the e

I am Legend is a great read. The film "adaption" with Will Smith was very different to the source material.

The Hunger Games series are a good read. They tend to be lumped in with the Twilight series books which is a bit unfair in my opinion. Far more violent than the movies.

Earthhorse

Aenaes wrote: »

A couple of Philip K. Dick's stories are set in post-apocalypse worlds. I wouldn't recommend him personally as I didn't really like them but he's a pretty well regarded author.

Probably more than a couple!

I would recommend him and specifically I would recommend Dr. Bloodmoney (or How We Learned to Get Along After the Bomb). But it is very different fair from the stuff in the OP.

Crucifix

Canticle for Leibowitz is a great one. It's about an order of Monks who are trying to preserve mankind's scientific knowledge from before the nuclear apocalypse.

Censorsh!t

Definitely recommend The Handmaid's Tale and the Maddaddam Trilogy by Margaret Atwood. My favourite books. I love dystopian fiction.

TheNibbler

DazMarz wrote: »

Last Light by Alex Scarrow

this is pure Darwinism, with packs of now-feral people killing and maiming for food and shelter in a bleak, dark and desolate world

Think this is exactly what appeals to me in these sorts of books-the scary insight into what might happen if structure in society broke down and the truth of human nature was revealed. Something very addictive about this genre!