Post-apocalyptic books

Let's make this thread the place to recommend post-apocalyptic fiction books. Feel free to recommend any Zombie, nuclear war, virus etc post-apocalyptic works of literature.

I personally definitely recommend Metro 2033. I'm not into literature and I've never really read any literature books, other than history ones which are my favorite. Many of you may be familiar with Metro 2033 the game, which personally I consider a bad game. The game was not what caused me buy the book. I liked the whole idea of a post-apocalyptic world but what really caused me to read the book was when I visited a site that quoted a few pages of the book. It thrilled me. I bought it the next day and finished the book just yesterday. It was 522 pages and it really had me entertained for half the summer.

So, the story is that after a World War III, about the events of which we don't get much information, the world has turned into a wasteland, thanks to a few hundred nuclear weapons that were dropped. Fortunately, in Moscow, the whole Metro was built as shelter in case a nuclear war occurred. Hence, the people that were near the entrances of the Metro managed to get there during the drops and were saved. Each station has since turned into a small city, where people live. Like in the real world, the various stations create alliances between themselves, wage wars and expand. There are Nazis, Communists and other cults, forging their Empires under the surface. There's also the danger of the various mutants harassing and invading stations. A new breed of powerful mutants start attacks against one of the Northern stations of Metro and the main character has to begin a journey that will lead to a mobilization of several soldiers and will erase this danger that threatens to expand to the whole Metro. This is about it basically. The rest should be in the book.

World War Z.

Raised the bar for "zombie" based fiction clean out of sight.

The Road by Cormac Macarthur is a good one, as is The Stand by Stephan King(however that's less post-apocalyptic and more apocalyptic).

A canticle for Leibowitz. One of few books in the genre with a bit of smarts behind it.

I happened to be reading I am Legend right now

I second I am Legend, tons superior to both the films based on it.

Originally Posted by Manco

I second I am Legend, tons superior to both the films based on it.

Don't forget the third film... The Last Man on Earth (1964) starring Vincent Price.

I really enjoyed Dr. Bloodmoney (1965) by Philip K Dick. Despite having been reading his work all my life, I'm still surprised how inventive and original he was.

On the Beach by Nevil Shute; about the last days of the last humans left alive after a nuclear holocaust. Quite impressive, I recommend it.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Heart breaking, gut wrenching and bleak as it gets about a Post-apocalyptic .


Yet most people here probably know it well enough so i am gonna introduce
Fist of the North Star!!!!



Post-apocalyptic fiction featuring superhuman Bruce Lee/Madmax laying the justice on murderous scums of the earth is one of the most manly thing ever created.

Oh...snap its not technically a book . The novelisation counts write? Its technically postapocalyptic/wuxia with a intense dose of testosterone.

Ok it reeks of cliche...big muscle meat head beating things up? No, to not judge a book by its cover one must truly open this book and experience the maniless that is FIST OF THE NORTH STAR. From a plot standpoint, you follow Kenshiro, superhuman Bruce Lee with a good heart searching for his wife in a post-apocalyptic hellhole. So what happens when a superhuman Bruce Lee bumps into those murderous baby eating rapist like those from The Road? You beat nine shades of outta them.

Along the way our homeboy Kenshiro meets a dizzling cast of well developed side characters, instead of the general bunch of s that tries to rip you off for their own good. Every characters are developed ranging from the bandit lords and a freaking horse. Villans are depraved as usual but the work also shows how they fallen to become this way. Situations can range from empowering, uplifting, hilarious to tragic and horrible instead of the general bleak, depressing and hopeless situations as many expect from post-apocalyptic fictions.

It also single-handedly broke the "men aren't allowed to cry" nonsense from the 1980s. Kenshiro wept MANLY TEARS openly for fallen foes and innocents alike. When super sonic speed Bruce Lee so buff that he makes Gregor Clegane looks like an overweight retarded stepson of Hodor cries openly, you know its acceptable to cry like a man.

The Manga AHEm i mean the novel introduces Westerner to this thing called Pressure points where a Martial Art Master can do...THIS

lol Fist of the North Star, I remember watching VHS fansubs that my babysitter had of that.

Originally Posted by RubiconDecision

I'm re-reading One Second After by William Forstchen. It's my third time, and I don't usually re-read books. It details three EMP devices being exploded high in the atmosphere over the continental USA, and the aftermath. It gets grim, but not nearly as much as Cormac McCarthy's The Road. I like it since it seems plausible given the carrying capacity of towns in the US and our need for technology and transportation of supplies. It'll make you realize the fragility of civilization in 21st Century America.

Seems interesting. I have always loved the idea of what an EMP can cause to mankind.

Originally Posted by Their Law

The Road by Cormac Macarthur is a good one, as is The Stand by Stephan King(however that's less post-apocalyptic and more apocalyptic).

The movie was breath-taking to say the least. I'll definitely get this, even though the movie was grim and sad and I guess this will also be the case with the book.