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Hey guys,
I was wondering what your favorite post-apocalyptic books are. I have read some sci-fi and fantasy, but I would like to try and get a little deeper. Here is an easy starter. I heard about this one book that started with 28 days, and I think it was in one of the latest sword and laser podcasts. Seeing as I am too lazy to go back, I was wondering what this book is. Thanks,
Steven

Don't know about the 28 days book, but some of my favorites are Dies the Fire, Eternity Road, and Childhood's End. These are three very different takes on the end of civilization and how it comes about.

I love the Octavia Butler Parable books, and Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. John Joseph Adams has a great short-story anthology out called The Wastelands, that has a great comprehensive list of post-ap stuff (also online, the list at least).
I'm looking forward to Noise by Darin Bradley but it isn't out quite yet!

I read a lot of post-apocalyptic fiction. Here's my shelf:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...

I think my favorites have to be Earth Abides and A Canticle for Leibowitz. I didn't like the latter one quite as much when I read it as I do in retrospect. It's one of those novels that you keep thinking about long after you're done reading.

I second the Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood suggested by Jenny. One of the single greatest books I have ever read.

I was reading on a plane and had 40 pages left when I landed. Instead of heading straight to the bus stop to go home, I sat down in the terminal and finished the book. Then I went home.

Those who like 'Oryx and Crake' should give 'The Year of the Flood' a try. It's kind of a sequel.

Taueret wrote: "Those who like 'Oryx and Crake' should give 'The Year of the Flood' a try. It's kind of a sequel."
It is like a simultaneous story, I really enjoyed the entertwining stories, but have to admit I thought Oryx and Crake went deeper, more philosophical.

It is like a simultaneous story

that is a good way of putting it. I meat to go back and re-read Oryx and Crake before TYOTF but I didn't- apparently they're great read one after the other.

Jenny wrote: It is like a simultaneous story, I really enjoyed the entertwining stories, but have to admit I thought Oryx and Crake went deeper, more philosophical."

I've heard these kind of books referred to as "sidequels". I kind of like it. (Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood are terrific.)

I'm reading The Passage right now. It is being advertised as "I Am Legend meets The Stand". I'm about 450 pages in, and enjoying it, but I'm not quite sure where the story is going to go next...

Todd wrote: "I'm reading The Passage right now. It is being advertised as "I Am Legend meets The Stand". I'm about 450 pages in, and enjoying it, but I'm not quite sure where the story is going..."

I'm at page 311 or so and I have no idea where it's going either. But so far, I'm not sure that's a bad thing.

I just finished The Passage today and it was amazing. However, it doesn't really end. Apparently, it's the first part of a trilogy. I hope he hurries up with the next two books.

Sandi wrote: "I just finished The Passage today and it was amazing. However, it doesn't really end. Apparently, it's the first part of a trilogy. I hope he hurries up with the next two books."

GAH I wish I'd known that. That absolutely drives me freaking bonkers when authors do that.

It's okay. The story arc started in the first novel does end. It's just that he opens up the way for more to come.

I haven't come across many but I'd say that the Idlewild series is my favorite. Other not-quite-end-of-the-world-but-still-pretty-grim books to check out would be Amnesia Moon and Circuit of Heaven.

The Dog Stars is excellent. The Ex Heroes series by Peter Clines is both fun and enjoyable. Combines a Zombie post apocalyptic world with super heroes. The Road is an absolute must.

Y: The Last Man

Graphic novel. A lot of fun.

StoryBundle has a "disaster" bundle currently running. It may be a source of books for people interested in this topic.



Ken C

My fave these days (probably because it's the most recent one I read (other than Canticle for Leibowitz) is Wool. The Stand is my go to. I'm in the mood for one now, but I don't see any at B&N that interest me right now. Don't know what I'm looking for, but I'll know when I see it.

Ronald wrote: "My fave these days (probably because it's the most recent one I read (other than Canticle for Leibowitz) is Wool. The Stand is my go to. I'm in the mood for one now, b..."

Do you just patronize B&N? I have a new post-apoc book that just got released but so far, my publisher has only released it on Amazon and I'm trying to make the case that they should do B&N. And don't ask, it's complicated...SIGH.

Tom wrote: "Do you just patronize B&N? I have a new post-apoc book that just got released but so far, my publisher has only released it on Amazon and I'm trying to make the case that they should do B&N. And don't ask, it's complicated...SIGH."

Is it because you need to be Amazon exclusive to be a part of Kindle Unlimited or KDP Select?

Another post-apocalypse indie author, Hugh Howey (you might have heard of him...) has written some stuff about that trade-off:

Tom wrote: "Ronald wrote: "My fave these days (probably because it's the most recent one I read (other than Canticle for Leibowitz) is Wool. The Stand is my go to. I'm in the mood..."

No, I buy on Amazon a lot. I read Wool when it was only available as an ebook (the first part, anyway). I go to B&N for trad published books, and Amazon for indie books, though, I got really turned off of indie books for a while. Just too many duds. I kinda liked the feeling of being chic and I liked the price, but then I did a cost analysis and it turned out that the indie books were costing me more than trad books, because I was trashing so many of them with out finishing them.

I don't mean to insult indie authors because there are some good ones out there. But they really are few and far between. Wool and Polarized are two of the better science fiction books I've read. I like some of Ryk Brown's stuff. I like some of Annie Bellet's short stories, but for the most part, the stuff I picked up was just lacking something. I can't put my finger on it sometimes. Sometimes it's the writing, and sometimes it's the story. I see you guys did a month on
David Dalglish. I tried his stuff, and I usually like that slasher type of fantasy, but I had to put it down. So, unless it has a LONG sample or it's free, I won't touch indie books anymore

I really wish someone would put together a good review site dedicated exclusively to indies. Someone I could trust.

Tobias wrote: "Is it because you need to be Amazon exclusive to be a part of Kindle Unlimited or KDP Select?"

Tobia, you hit the nail on the head. When I asked the owner about it, she said it was for the Kindle Unlimited, and maybe after the initial 3-month period, she would look at expanding outside of that program.

As a hybrid author, my own stuff (which I *always* pay someone to edit) is also distributed through Smashwords to get to the other channels. My experience with the Kindle Select program is that it only benefited Amazon...which may be fine for some people depending on their market, but it didn't work for me.

Anyway, this is getting way off topic, thanks for the input!

Ronald wrote: "I got really turned off of indie books for a while. Just too many duds."

I totally get that, and while the ease with which one can now get published really opens the door for authors, it also means that all too often they do so before they are ready.

Here in the Pacific Northwest is a group called the Northwest Independent Writers Association and they have developed some good "best practices" to ensure professional quality.



Ronald wrote: "I really wish someone would put together a good review site dedicated exclusively to indies. Someone I could trust. "

Yeah, let me know if you find some! :-)

Check out The Inverted World by Christopher Priest. A city, called Earth, is pulled along on train tracks and must keep moving or else it would be destroyed by a gravitational field known as the "optimum."

If the zombie apocalypse interests you, then you should check out the self-published God Decays. It is about a group of survivors who set out to discover why Howard Rhodes, cryptanalyst working for the NSA, decided to unleash the zombie apocalypse.

The Children's Hospital is worth checking out. God has decided that it is time for another flood and has submerged the world under seven miles of water. The only survivors are those who happened to be at a childrens hospital when the rains began. The hospital's staff, patients and visitors are able to survive the flood because the hospital (which is inhabited by angels) was designed by a prophet. Also one of the doctors, Jemma Clafin (the novels main character), develops healing powers.

One of my favorites, by Frank Herbert was The White Plague which, considering it was written back in 1982, was well ahead of it's time.

Tom wrote: "One of my favorites, by Frank Herbert was The White Plague which, considering it was written back in 1982, was well ahead of it's time."

I'll second that. Great book. Almost didn't buy it because the cover sucked.