what are your favorite post-apocalypse books?

[Starbeast]

@Vince W I'm unaware of the Mack Bolan series.

I just checked photos of Mack Bolan paperback covers. He looks like a secret agent. Cool cover art, and yes, the character art does look similar.

For the Endworld series, it's basically about a community of people living together, and occasionally sending out scouting parties to find other survivors. The search team is always lead by "Blade" (guy on the paperback covers), along with a group of interesting characters. Like a guy named "Hickok", who wears cowboy clothing, and packs two six gun revolvers.

They encounter mutants, rogue gangs, military groups, strange tribes, etc. The novels read like comic book tales.

 

[Anthoney]

I read a lot of this genre. I read so many I can't remember them all. For the last 10 years my favorite author from this genre has probably been S. M. Stirling. Dies the Fire is the first book in the Emberverse series. There are 15 books but the last few have veered into fantasy. These books have a minor but clever tie-in with his other Nantucket series. That starts with Island in the Sea of Time. Another set of favorites from another genre.

 

[Vince W]

@Vince W I'm unaware of the Mack Bolan series.

I just checked photos of Mack Bolan paperback covers. He looks like a secret agent. Cool cover art, and yes, the character art does look similar.

For the Endworld series, it's basically about a community of people living together, and occasionally sending out scouting parties to find other survivors. The search team is always lead by "Blade" (guy on the paperback covers), along with a group of interesting characters. Like a guy named "Hickok", who wears cowboy clothing, and packs two six gun revolvers.

They encounter mutants, rogue gangs, military groups, strange tribes, etc. The novels read like comic book tales.

View attachment 55305​

Sorry. When I compared the series to Mack Bolan I was wondering if they were written by many authors under one name.

 

[hitmouse]

Another shout for the new wave take on this genre, notably the works of JG Ballard (The Drowned World, The Drought, The Crystal World, and really most of his stuff one way or another esp High Rise , Vermilion Sands) and also Moorcock (the Jerry Cornelius books) , Aldiss (Greybeard).

 

[Vince W]

Another shout for the new wave take on this genre, notably the works of JG Ballard (The Drowned World, The Drought, The Crystal World, and really most of his stuff one way or another esp High Rise , Vermilion Sands) and also Moorcock (the Jerry Cornelius books) , Aldiss (Greybeard).

High Rise left me unsettled for days after reading it.

 

[Starbeast]

Sorry. When I compared the series to Mack Bolan I was wondering if they were written by many authors under one name.

No worries. I figured you meant something like that.

 

[DeltaRune10]

The Gone series by Michael Grant. There is 6 books in the series.

 

[Parson]

I generally avoid this category like the plague, but I read one that I really, really, recommend: When the English Fall by David Williams.

 

[BAYLOR]

I generally avoid this category like the plague, but I read one that I really, really, recommend: When the English Fall by David Williams.

Would recommend to you Earth Abides by George Stewart very vibrant ans powerful and a great novel it's own right. Also A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller Jr . No Blade of Grass by Samuel Youd

 

[Parson]

Also A Canticle for Leibowitz

I've read this. Didn't care for it all that much. It was recommended to me as a S.F. book that took religion seriously. In my opinion it doesn't. It takes religious people seriously, but it would be more fair to say that it takes "faith" (It doesn't matter what you believe in, as long as you believe in something) but not "Faith" (in the numinous) seriously.

 

[Danny McG]

Daybreak 2250 AD by Andre Norton

I missed this one a few weeks ago, yet another revival by the awesome BAYLOR, the Dr Frankenstein of dead threads!

 

[BAYLOR]

I missed this one a few weeks ago, yet another revival by the awesome BAYLOR, the Dr Frankenstein of dead threads!

I thought it a pretty good topic. So what not give it another chance ?

I think you'll like that novel by Norton.

 

[hitmouse]

I've read this. Didn't care for it all that much. It was recommended to me as a S.F. book that took religion seriously. In my opinion it doesn't. It takes religious people seriously, but it would be more fair to say that it takes "faith" (It doesn't matter what you believe in, as long as you believe in something) but not "Faith" (in the numinous) seriously.

I tend to agree. Left me cold.
I would, however, second @BAYLOR's suggestion of The Earth Abides, and I would be interested in your take on it. A very moving book which manages to avoid most of the post-apocalypse cliches.

 

[Parson]

I would, however, second @BAYLOR's suggestion of The Earth Abides, and I would be interested in your take on it. A very moving book which manages to avoid most of the post-apocalypse cliches.

Had a look-see on Amazon. On the plus side it is highly rated, and I've now had two recommendations from people who know what they are talking about when it comes to S.F. It was an award winner for Fantasy (which sounds good, but gives me pause, Fantasy?). But it was written in 1949 which means it could read very dated, and it was being offered for $9.99 for a Kindle version. Sooooo --- I'm still pondering it.

 

[BAYLOR]

Had a look-see on Amazon. On the plus side it is highly rated, and I've now had two recommendations from people who know what they are talking about when it comes to S.F. It was an award winner for Fantasy (which sounds good, but gives me pause, Fantasy?). But it was written in 1949 which means it could read very dated, and it was being offered for $9.99 for a Kindle version. Sooooo --- I'm still pondering it.

Yes it was written in 1949 and no, it's not fantasy. As far as I know , its the only science fiction novel he ever wrote and it's never stayed out of print.

 

[Robert Zwilling]

The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood

 

[hitmouse]

Had a look-see on Amazon. On the plus side it is highly rated, and I've now had two recommendations from people who know what they are talking about when it comes to S.F. It was an award winner for Fantasy (which sounds good, but gives me pause, Fantasy?). But it was written in 1949 which means it could read very dated, and it was being offered for $9.99 for a Kindle version. Sooooo --- I'm still pondering it.

Still reads very well indeed. Not particularly dated since there is no technology involved: it is about a very humble man trying to do the best he can in an almost deserted world. Definitely sf.

 

[BAYLOR]

Damnation Alley by Roger Zelazny

 

[Vince W]

Damnation Alley by Roger Zelazny

This would be my choice as well.

 

[BAYLOR]

This would be my choice as well.

I wouldn't mind seeing reboot o this film and Id like George Miller to direct and produce it.