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It's the End of the World and I Feel Like Reading a Book
JustPlainPavek
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Hello H/A,
I'm in a rather apocalyptic mood these days, thanks to the ongoing economic meltdown and a job that involves me watching Pakistan implode at a distance, and am feeling like a bit of escapist fiction in an attempt to reassure myself that things will work out ok*, at least for a scrappy few. Do you enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction or other tales of resourceful survival**? Share your recommendations for me, please.
For the record, books along these lines that I've read and enjoyed:
- Alas, Babylon
- Tunnel in the Sky (not exactly post-apocalyptic, but a ripping yarn of survival on an alien planet)
- The Postman (yes, the movie was awful; the book, ok)
- On the Beach (depressing as hell so not quite what I'm looking for right now; I'd like some small amount of hope, if possible)
- Riddley Walker
- Swiss Family Robinson (maybe a little too light-hearted)
And of course, the novelizations of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and Waterworld (oh yes, I've read both).
Got any suggestions, H/A? Thanks!
* note: they probably won't
** note the second: not interested in the crazy white supremacist kind of survivalism stories.
I'm in a rather apocalyptic mood these days, thanks to the ongoing economic meltdown and a job that involves me watching Pakistan implode at a distance, and am feeling like a bit of escapist fiction in an attempt to reassure myself that things will work out ok*, at least for a scrappy few. Do you enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction or other tales of resourceful survival**? Share your recommendations for me, please.
For the record, books along these lines that I've read and enjoyed:
- Alas, Babylon
- Tunnel in the Sky (not exactly post-apocalyptic, but a ripping yarn of survival on an alien planet)
- The Postman (yes, the movie was awful; the book, ok)
- On the Beach (depressing as hell so not quite what I'm looking for right now; I'd like some small amount of hope, if possible)
- Riddley Walker
- Swiss Family Robinson (maybe a little too light-hearted)
And of course, the novelizations of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and Waterworld (oh yes, I've read both).
Got any suggestions, H/A? Thanks!
* note: they probably won't
** note the second: not interested in the crazy white supremacist kind of survivalism stories.
JustPlainPavek on
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Also the Dark Tower series.
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Also, Cormac McCarthy's The Road.
Can't remember the author.
Max Brooks creates an oral history of the "Zombie War." Dead start to reanimate and claim lives, and the world is left to figure out what the hell is going on and how to stop it.
It is both apocalyptic and about survival, and my favorite part is how it is told and how real the author makes it seem. The story is told through a series of transcribed interviews with people who were involved with the zombies, from the outbreaks early starts to the front lines of the battles and beyond. The details that are put into place make the even seem very plausible and realistic. A bunch of times while reading i thought that if something like this did happen, this is probably what would go down.
A Canticle for Leibowitz is one of the classic post-apocalyptic novels. Its cyclical depiction of human history is moderately downbeat, but there's a ray of hope at the end, and it's just beautifully written and realized.
Earth Abides was just depressing as shit. Realistic, for the most part, but painfully so.
John Wyndham wrote a couple in the genre... Day of the Triffids is the classic, Web is shorter, much less well-known, and absolutely chilling. The Chrysalids could be classified as post-apoc too, I suppose.
There's a fairly exhaustive list on Wikipedia of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, including novels, movies, and television shows/series. I keep meaning to go through it and just read everything, because I am an absolute sucker for this stuff...
You could also check out John Wyndham. Day of the Triffids and The Kraken Wakes are apocalyptic, The Chrysalids is post-apocalyptic, The Midwich Cuckoos is nearly apocalyptic, and Web (which was never completed, but published posthumously by his estate, and I thought his weakest work) is pre-apocalyptic.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Secrets_of_F%C3%A1tima
My apologies if this break some rules in the forum.
Armageddon Rag by George RR Martin
You honestly can't go wrong with anything by him, in my opinion, but this matches up to your end of the world desires. I strongly recommend any of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, starting with A Game of Thrones if you get the moment.
Also, I second World War Z (and the audio book, which is fucking awesome.)
War Day and World War Z are very similar and very good.
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That's post-apocalyptic?
I thought it was just a horror story?
Holy crap, I have a copy of it on the bookshelf behind me.
http://www.amazon.com/Lucifers-Hammer-Larry-Niven/dp/0449208133/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223386587&sr=8-1
Also, it's a graphic novel/comic series, but highly recommended if you're into zombies: The Walking Dead by Kirkman.
Lots of good suggestions in here. I'll probably have to look into a few myself. I quite liked War Day and World War Z.
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I'll also second World War: Z.
On the Beach (Nevil Shute): the entire northern hemisphere is a nuclear wasteland, and this novel tells the story of a group of Australians awaiting the inevitable spread of radiation to their homeland. Good read, but less focused on survival following disaster than all of the other books.
Last Light (Alex Scarrow): set in present day England and Iraq, it tells the story of a family trying to survive the first week after the world oil supply is abruptly cut off. I enjoyed it for the most part, though it does go a bit conspiracy crazy at times.
The Day of the Triffids: all but a small handful of people are permanently blinded by a strange cosmic light show. This one is more focused on those that can still see, and how they survive the aftermath. Oh, and there are carnivorous plants. In a word, awesome.
Lucifer's Hammer (Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle): the lead up to a giant comet impact, and how the surivivors struggle to establish a society in the aftermath.
Earth Abides (George Stewart): establishing a community after disease wipes out most of the population, this book is unique amongst the rest in the list in that the story spans several decades.
Alas, Babylon (Pat Frank): somehow a small town in Flordia avoids the fallout of a large scale nuclear attack on the United States. This one was written in 1959 and feels fairly dated. It isn't one of my favourites.
The Road (Cormac McCarthy): tells the story of a father and son travelling on foot across the US following some major event that left most of the landscape infertile. I don't remember exactly whether it goes into detail as to what that event was.
Some others: A Canticle for Leibowitz, World War Z, Night of the Triffids, The Postman
The Stand by Stephen King
The Gunslinger/Dark Tower Series by Stephen King (my all time favorite)
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
World War Z
The Walking Dead (comics)
Also, Marvel is publishing comic books of The Stand (currently on issue 2) and The Dark Tower (currently issue 12 maybe?).
If you dig that, he's halfway through a follow-up four-part series called "The Sunrise Lands". Which, I suppose, would be post-post-apocalyptic.
you can do a LOT better then stephan king btw.
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I just read "Dies the Fire" and I have to say that I thought it was trash. I'm not saying your opinion is wrong, just that I disagree. I found the writing and characters to be "OK". The premise of the story went from "bad, but I'll give it a try" to "Jesus, this is just a LARPer/D&D player nerdgasm". It was like reading really bad fanfic (to me). I did finish the book but I think I'm going to pass on the rest of the series.
Thinking back on it - until most of the way through the second book, the MacKenzies did see rather goofy to me - but I could write that off for the most part. The BearKillers, for some reason, not so much. It took a little while before I accepted all the Wiccan stuff with the MacKenzies (was that really over the top, or do Wiccan's really see the world like he wrote?), while the BearKillers seemed much more pragmatic.
In 2012 London is flooded. Then it happens again. And again. And the water level keeps rising.
One third of humanity lives within 100 meters of the current ocean level, on 20% of the land. 100 meters, and that vanishes. That's where the water level is in 2020 in the book...