Your best post-apocalyptic recs please? - Page 2

Raventongue · 07-10-2012, 03:26 PM

I've read WWZ, yes

Ergodic Mage · 07-11-2012, 02:51 AM

I am recommending Hugh Howey's Wool Omnibus to everyone. One of the best stories I've read in the last 2 years.

cathyfreeze · 07-11-2012, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ergodic Mage

I am recommending Hugh Howey's Wool Omnibus to everyone. One of the best stories I've read in the last 2 years.

Just actually went and bought that. Read the first section and a half free and got sucked in hard. Very nice writing, deep and sympathetic characters, intriguing glimpses of larger issues.

Raventongue · 07-11-2012, 04:04 PM

*drools*

You make waiting for it to come in the mail a biznatch.

AshAragon · 07-12-2012, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarthPanda

People seem to either love it or hate it, but I really, really loved The Road. If you haven't read it yet, check out a sample on Amazon. You'll probably know by the first few pages whether you'll be into it or not. It never tells exactly what caused the apocalypse.

I second this with all my heart and soul. I could read The Road again and again, and I do. Then I start to question my mental health and try to step away for awhile. Then I return for more.

Note for Raventongue, this one does involve quite a bit of wasteland and some fiery badness, so it may not be your post-apoc cup of tea.

Also can't resist mentioning The Old Man and the Wasteland by Nick Cole. As you can probably deduce, it too involves...a wasteland. And it's a pretty dry wasteland. But the author is self-pubbed and the book was GOOD. Really, really good. I randomly found it on Amazon and downloaded it based on the reviews. Thought it worth mentioning just in case you hit a phase where dry and barren sounds as delightful to you as it does to me.

Great topic, by the way!

AshAragon · 07-12-2012, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ergodic Mage

I am recommending Hugh Howey's Wool Omnibus to everyone. One of the best stories I've read in the last 2 years.

Just downloaded this a few weeks ago but hadn't really started it yet. I have chronic book download syndrome now that I caved and got a Kindle, which means I have lots of books getting lost in the shuffle.

Thanks for the prompt about Wool Omnibus. That'll be next after I get through Gulliver's Travels (don't ask).

AshAragon · 07-12-2012, 05:59 AM

Oh dang. Got overly excited about The Road before reading through all the posts. Raventongue, having just learned of your propensity toward weepiness when it comes to losing dads, I have to retract my recommendation. Or at least don't read it until your ovaries are feeling really, really powerful.

thothguard51 · 07-12-2012, 06:01 AM

A favorite of mine is an oldie but a goodie...

Daybreak 2250 A. D. by Andre Norton

Camilla Delvalle · 07-20-2012, 10:59 PM

Maybe you can try the postapocalyptical comedy Jinrui wa Suitai shimashita. I haven't read it, but the anime is hilarious. It's something like South Park but with girls and fairies.

Alessandra Kelley · 07-20-2012, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raventongue

I'm craving a binge on post-apoc fiction. I have a one major hangup, though- a crippling fear of drought, wildfires, nuclear holocausts and barren landscapes. So I need stories that rely on alternative methods of world-endiness. What's out there that's any good?

For the record, pestilence is fine. As is mass psychosis/murder/planetary genocide/etc. Anything that isn't hot, dry and fiery.

ETA: Nukes are actually okay under certain circumstances. Just no huge patches of scorched land or anything.

"Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang"by Kate Wilhelm is pretty good, iirc. There is a nuclear holocaust, but it's offscreen, and the remnants of humanity try to keep going by cloning themselves again and again. It's creepy and thought-provoking.

If you are in the mood for very weird, and comics are okay, Hayao Miayazaki's "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" is absolutely mind-blowing. The world has collapsed in eco-catastrophe and nearly everything is covered by forests of giant toxic mold, except for a few kingdoms which are the last of humanity. The scope is enormous, and it's really well-written and drawn.

crunchyblanket · 08-02-2012, 01:28 AM

Paul Auster's "In The Country of Last Things" - I don't recall the nature of the apocalypse (it may have been a disease) but it's bleak and beautifully atmospheric.

Gravity · 08-02-2012, 02:17 AM

Davy, by Edgar Pangborn. Hilarious and heartbreaking.

also

The Land Of Empty Houses, by John L. Moore. An amazingly dark Christian novel, reminiscent of The Road (but published years earlier), showing America after the "whatever" has happened.

waylander · 08-02-2012, 03:02 AM

'The Kraken Wakes' oldy but goodie.
By the same author but a YA read 'Chocky'

JoyceH · 08-02-2012, 02:35 PM

I also vote for The Stand. And the Islands In The Sea of Time trilogy and the Dies The Fire multiology (how long IS it going to be?).

I recently read The Passage, the first of a Vampire Apocalypse trilogy - it's the only one out so far, but very good. The vampires are medical-military experimentation gone very wrong.

Oh, and Lucifer's Hammer, too.

Was wondering the other day - is Post-Apoc a 20th century thing? Previous centuries had Castaway stories, but I can't think of any pre-20th stories where the writer felt the need to destroy the entire civilization. Maybe because there WAS once wilderness, and now it has to be created by some sort of catastrophe?

BigWords · 08-02-2012, 02:47 PM

Far from a 20th century phenomenon - there are ancients texts which can be interpreted as apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic literature, and it hasn't really gone away (as a genre) since people started writing it. I'm not certain what would count as the single oldest, but parts of the Old Testament probably count as being of the genre.

Anninyn · 08-02-2012, 03:41 PM

Finally, something I can contribute to!

Myself and a couple of other women blog about the apocalypse, you see, and we get book reviews as well.

So.

Kings The Stand, again.

Shades of Grey (No, not 50) by Jasper Fforde is dystopia but is implied to be set post-apocalypse

The Strain and The Fall, by Guillemo del Toro

Roil is a grim fantasy apocalypse

I also quite liked Echo City. It's fantasy again, but a lot of the stuff in it hints at it being a post-apocalyptic world.

Graz · 08-02-2012, 11:18 PM

Biased and not the genre I read, but a recently deceased cyberfriend of mine spun a good tale.
http://www.amazon.com/American-Apoca...ref=pd_sim_b_2

childeroland · 08-07-2012, 06:53 AM

Riddley Walker

Tezzirax · 08-21-2012, 05:34 AM

Earth Abides - George R. Stewart
The Stand -Stephen King
Wool - Hugh Howey
Dust - Charles Pellegrino

blacbird · 08-21-2012, 08:49 AM

A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter Miller
Level-7, by Mordecai Richler
After London, by Richard Jefferies (one of the first, and a vastly unknown classic)
Darkness and Dawn, by George Allan England

and, as Tezzirax has already posted, Earth Abides, by George R. Stewart.

caw

Dawnstorm · 08-21-2012, 11:09 AM

You might try Brian Aldiss' Barefoot in the Head. Reading it is more an experiment in how far you get. It's set in a Britain devastated by a psychodelic war. It's the acid-head apocalypse. The longer it goes on, the less sense it makes. It's better to have read it, than to read it, but on the other hand, you've probably never read anything like it, and - who knows - you might be one of the people who love it. (They exist.) Do I sound negative? I'm not. I actually like this book. But it's a trying read.

LeighM · 08-21-2012, 05:09 PM

Great suggestions so far. Post-apocalypse fiction is my favorite. You should definitely read Earth Abides by George R. Stewart, it's a classic. Canticle for Leibowitz might be a bit too hot and barren for you, but it's another classic. I love all the modern stories too, but I think it's important to start at the beginning.

crunchyblanket · 08-26-2012, 04:05 PM

Just finished reading Into the Forest by Jean Heglund and I can't recommend it enough. It's extremely dark in some places, but never without reason. It's also one of the few post-apocalyptic books I've read that is entirely focused on the characters and their present struggle rather than the downfall itself.

Andelana · 08-28-2012, 08:36 PM

I don't know how well it would fit your parameters about dry wastelands and nuclear explosions (that's the end of the world as we know it in this book), but Robert McCammon's Swan Song is pretty good. It has a few oogey bits (as does The Stand), but I really liked it! I soon forgot about the explosions...

Gravity · 08-29-2012, 03:26 AM

Oh man, I nearly forgot: Vic and Blood: The Chronicles of a Boy and His Dog, by Harlan Ellison and Richard Corben

07-10-2012, 03:26 PM	#26
Raventongue half in space, half in fairyland Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 4,271	I've read WWZ, yes __________________ Current WIP set (futuristic SF): Farewell Etcetera, Space Witches, Complicity, Star Soldier. Ideas waiting to be worked on: 7.

07-11-2012, 02:51 AM	#27
Ergodic Mage Neophyte Writer Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: In my house Posts: 212	I am recommending Hugh Howey's Wool Omnibus to everyone. One of the best stories I've read in the last 2 years. __________________ Story idea count: 764351.65 Total word count: 2200 I need more ideas.

07-11-2012, 04:04 PM	#29
Raventongue half in space, half in fairyland Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 4,271	drools You make waiting for it to come in the mail a biznatch. __________________ Current WIP set (futuristic SF): Farewell Etcetera, Space Witches, Complicity, Star Soldier. Ideas waiting to be worked on: 7.

07-12-2012, 06:01 AM	#33
thothguard51 A Gentleman of a refined age... Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Out side the beltway... Posts: 8,118	A favorite of mine is an oldie but a goodie... Daybreak 2250 A. D. by Andre Norton __________________ Knowledge is learned while wisdom is earned. Currently working on... From, The Tales of Netherron, Book 1, A Game of Pawns Book 2, Pawn takes Queen, Book 3, Pawn's Gambit, In the pipeline, Children of Netherron, follow up trilogy Guardians of Netherron, prequel trilogy http://nickanthony51.wordpress.com (on hiatus) Nick Anthony

08-02-2012, 01:28 AM	#36
crunchyblanket the Juggernaut of Imperfection Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: London's grey and pleasant land Posts: 4,541	Paul Auster's "In The Country of Last Things" - I don't recall the nature of the apocalypse (it may have been a disease) but it's bleak and beautifully atmospheric. __________________ I blog/I tweet/I write [insert witty signature here]

07-12-2012, 05:59 AM	#32
AshAragon AshAragon Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: My couch Posts: 27	Oh dang. Got overly excited about The Road before reading through all the posts. Raventongue, having just learned of your propensity toward weepiness when it comes to losing dads, I have to retract my recommendation. Or at least don't read it until your ovaries are feeling really, really powerful.

07-20-2012, 10:59 PM	#34
Camilla Delvalle Dreaming of other times Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: In her house at R'lyeh Posts: 986	Maybe you can try the postapocalyptical comedy Jinrui wa Suitai shimashita. I haven't read it, but the anime is hilarious. It's something like South Park but with girls and fairies.

08-02-2012, 02:17 AM	#37
Gravity Seen 'em come, seen 'em go Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Land o' Goshen, and packed with nougaty goodness Posts: 3,385	Davy, by Edgar Pangborn. Hilarious and heartbreaking. also The Land Of Empty Houses, by John L. Moore. An amazingly dark Christian novel, reminiscent of The Road (but published years earlier), showing America after the "whatever" has happened. __________________ John Robinson commercially published: Until the Last Dog Dies, When Skylarks Fall, To Skin a Cat, Last Call, and The Radiance agent Chip MacGregor presently querying: Pitfall http://www.johnrobinsonbooks.com http://www.johnrobinsonbooks.com/blog.htm check out my blog; c'mon, you know you want to. Last edited by Gravity; 08-02-2012 at 02:25 AM.

08-02-2012, 03:02 AM	#38
waylander Who's going for a beer? Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: London, UK Posts: 5,241	'The Kraken Wakes' oldy but goodie. By the same author but a YA read 'Chocky' __________________ Behind the smile, there's danger and a promise to be told.

08-02-2012, 02:35 PM	#39
JoyceH practical experience, FTW Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Virginia Posts: 353	I also vote for The Stand. And the Islands In The Sea of Time trilogy and the Dies The Fire multiology (how long IS it going to be?). I recently read The Passage, the first of a Vampire Apocalypse trilogy - it's the only one out so far, but very good. The vampires are medical-military experimentation gone very wrong. Oh, and Lucifer's Hammer, too. Was wondering the other day - is Post-Apoc a 20th century thing? Previous centuries had Castaway stories, but I can't think of any pre-20th stories where the writer felt the need to destroy the entire civilization. Maybe because there WAS once wilderness, and now it has to be created by some sort of catastrophe? __________________ ````````````````````````````````````````` A blog, a blog! http://joyceharmon.wordpress.com/

08-02-2012, 11:18 PM	#42
Graz practical experience, FTW Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: 1 Posts: 471	Biased and not the genre I read, but a recently deceased cyberfriend of mine spun a good tale. http://www.amazon.com/American-Apoca...ref=pd_sim_b_2

08-07-2012, 06:53 AM	#43
childeroland What happened to my LIFE?! Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 2,731	Riddley Walker __________________ Someday we'll fall down and weep...and we'll understand it all. All things.-- Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life F&^%ing magnets. How to they work?--Insane Clown Posse

08-21-2012, 05:34 AM	#44
Tezzirax practical experience, FTW Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Southern California Posts: 363	Earth Abides - George R. Stewart The Stand -Stephen King Wool - Hugh Howey Dust - Charles Pellegrino

08-21-2012, 08:49 AM	#45
blacbird That hairy-handed gent Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Who ran amok in Kent Posts: 26,372	A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter Miller Level-7, by Mordecai Richler After London, by Richard Jefferies (one of the first, and a vastly unknown classic) Darkness and Dawn, by George Allan England and, as Tezzirax has already posted, Earth Abides, by George R. Stewart. caw __________________ Without a reader, the story doesn't exist -- James D. MacDonald

08-21-2012, 11:09 AM	#46
Dawnstorm punny user title, here Join Date: May 2007 Location: Austria Posts: 2,091	You might try Brian Aldiss' Barefoot in the Head. Reading it is more an experiment in how far you get. It's set in a Britain devastated by a psychodelic war. It's the acid-head apocalypse. The longer it goes on, the less sense it makes. It's better to have read it, than to read it, but on the other hand, you've probably never read anything like it, and - who knows - you might be one of the people who love it. (They exist.) Do I sound negative? I'm not. I actually like this book. But it's a trying read.

08-21-2012, 05:09 PM	#47
LeighM I use a lot of ketchup. Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 16	Great suggestions so far. Post-apocalypse fiction is my favorite. You should definitely read Earth Abides by George R. Stewart, it's a classic. Canticle for Leibowitz might be a bit too hot and barren for you, but it's another classic. I love all the modern stories too, but I think it's important to start at the beginning. __________________ My blog @amandamakepeace

08-26-2012, 04:05 PM	#48
crunchyblanket the Juggernaut of Imperfection Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: London's grey and pleasant land Posts: 4,541	Just finished reading Into the Forest by Jean Heglund and I can't recommend it enough. It's extremely dark in some places, but never without reason. It's also one of the few post-apocalyptic books I've read that is entirely focused on the characters and their present struggle rather than the downfall itself. __________________ I blog/I tweet/I write [insert witty signature here]

08-28-2012, 08:36 PM	#49
Andelana Secret Stick-Figure Superhero Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Posts: 960	I don't know how well it would fit your parameters about dry wastelands and nuclear explosions (that's the end of the world as we know it in this book), but Robert McCammon's Swan Song is pretty good. It has a few oogey bits (as does The Stand), but I really liked it! I soon forgot about the explosions...

08-29-2012, 03:26 AM	#50
Gravity Seen 'em come, seen 'em go Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Land o' Goshen, and packed with nougaty goodness Posts: 3,385	Oh man, I nearly forgot: Vic and Blood: The Chronicles of a Boy and His Dog, by Harlan Ellison and Richard Corben __________________ John Robinson commercially published: Until the Last Dog Dies, When Skylarks Fall, To Skin a Cat, Last Call, and The Radiance agent Chip MacGregor presently querying: Pitfall http://www.johnrobinsonbooks.com http://www.johnrobinsonbooks.com/blog.htm check out my blog; c'mon, you know you want to.

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