Post apocalyptic fiction.

Ranger07

Ranger07

Ranger07

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Hey all, Been reading a lot of post apocalyptic fiction lately which really captures the imagination.

Heres a quick round up of what I've read-


Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank,
(Nuclear holocaust, survival of a small town in Florida which avoids the blast and fall out, all about how the small community deals with it) Great book, 8/10

The Road by Cormac McCarthy,
(About a boy and his fathers grim survival after a world changing event) Really enjoyed it, very dark, 9/10

Earth Abides by George.R. Stewart,
(Deadly disease wipes out 99.9% of the earths population, story follows one man trying to survive in the aftermath) Again very well written, one of the best of the genre, 9/10

On the Beach by Nevil Shute
(Nuclear war destroys entire northern hemisphere, about a submarine commander who escapes to OZ and his story) Exellent book, defo worth reading, 8/10

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
(Has some post apoc bits as the story jumps about. This book is seriously highly rated but didnt agree with me) I understood what he was trying to do with the story but it wasnt for me, 5/10

The Stand by Stephen King
(Disease wipes out most of the planet, all about the survivors and their journey/adventure) My Favorite Stephen King book, long read though, 9/10


Can anyone recommend similar books of the genre?
 
I remember reading Z for Zacariah years ago at school. Can't remember what sort of age reader it was aimed at, but the story was quite good. A girl survives a nuclear bomb and builds a small one-person community in a crater unexposed to the radiation. A while later a man arrives in a radiation suit... but I can't remember much after that. I think he lies about who he says he is and where he's from so it becomes quite ominous.
 
Ranger07 said:
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
(Has some post apoc bits as the story jumps about. This book is seriously highly rated but didnt agree with me) I understood what he was trying to do with the story but it wasnt for me, 5/10
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(Somewhat O/T Post, but I've never seen Cloud Atlas come up here before) Yeah I agree. I got the feeling the book was being written just to win prizes at the expense of storytelling. It's telling that the only story that was told in an accessible manner (The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish) was far and away the best of the stories. It's a pity because the other stories had some good ideas, just that they were executed so 'cleverly' they lost much of their impact as stories.
 
Lucifer's Hammer (Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle)
A Canticle for Leibowitz (Walter M Miller
Day of the Triffids (John Wyndham)
The Chrysalids (John Wyndham)
The Death of Grass (John Christopher)
The World in Winter (John Christopher)
This is the Way the World Ends (James Morrow)
Earth (David Brin)
Hiero's Journey (Sterling Lanier)
Dreamsnake (Vonda MacIntyre)
The Road to Corlay (and its sequals) (Richard Cowper)
A Dream of Wessex (Christopher Priest)
Riddley Walker (Russell Hoban) (VERY heavy going, but worth it)
On (Adam Roberts)
The Snow (Adam Roberts



M
 
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If you read Stephen Baxter series, 'Children of Destiny' series, it kind of skirts Post Apocalyptic stories, and concentrates on more poignant issues like the upcoming world wars for water, and such.

Seriously, it seems like I am urinating in the wind when I recommend Stephen Baxter to people, I really dont know why.
 
Thanks guys, some great suggestions that will keep me going for a while.


Currently half way through a book called Last Light by by Alex Scarrow, Its pretty good so far, all about peak oil and what would happen if we ran out, its a bit conspiracy theory/tin hat style but based on something that will happen eventually which makes it interesting.
 
Meridian said:
Lucifer's Hammer (Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle)
A Canticle for Leibowitz (Walter M Miller
Day of the Triffids (John Wyndham)
The Chrysalids (John Wyndham)
The Death of Grass (John Christopher)
The World in Winter (John Christopher)
The Chrysalids (John Wyndham)
This is the Way the World Ends (James Morrow)
Earth (David Brin)
Hiero's Journey (Sterling Lanier)
Dreamsnake (Vonda MacIntyre)
The Road to Corlay (and its sequals) (Richard Cowper)
A Dream of Wessex (Christopher Priest)
Riddley Walker (Russell Hoban) (VERY heavy going, but worth it)
On (Adam Roberts)
The Snow (Adam Roberts



M
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So good worth mentioning twice eh?:p
 
James Herbert - Domain

Post nuclear holocaust London and the plight of a group of survivors in the Underground tunnels.

Very good read.
 
randal24 said:
James Herbert - Domain

Post nuclear holocaust London and the plight of a group of survivors in the Underground tunnels.

Very good read.
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Indeed it is.

Just ordered:

The World in Winter (John Christopher)
Riddley Walker (Russell Hoban)
Alas, Babylon (Pat Frank)
Earth Abides (George.R. Stewart)

I would also add:

Plague Year (Jeff Carlson)
Plague War (Jeff Carlson)
Extinction (Ray Hammond)
 
djmc0 said:
Seriously, it seems like I am urinating in the wind when I recommend Stephen Baxter to people, I really dont know why.
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Baxter is an OK writer, but better when he sticks to Big Science - books like Ring. His attempts at characterisation are woeful, so he's better when you're so overwhelmed by the ideas that you don't notice how two-dimensional his cast are.

And he's very short as well.....:D


M
 
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