Post Apocalypse Books

[satchmo]

I'm bidding on a copy of 48, I haven't read a James Herbert for ages and it sounds great.

I had no idea The City was worth so much money, I bought it in The Works or somewhere similar for about a quid. Wish I'd bought a pile of them now!

[House of Usher]

Memoirs of a Survivor, Doris Lessing.

The Continuous Catherine Mortenhoe (more dystopian than apocalyptic)

The Machine Stops, E.M. Forster (novella)

The Drowned World and anything else by J.G. Ballard

[Funt Solo]

I love Amtrak Wars - except for one thing - at the end of book 6, it's not really the end, and there aren't any more books.  So, it never ends.

[TordelBack]

Yeah, Girlfriend in a Coma was a nice surprise (I'd no idea what it was about when I picked it up), and its 'end of the world' sequence is fairly terrifying in its believablity.  I have real soft spot for Coupland, mind, so your mileage may vary...

I rate his (non-apocalyptic) All Families are Psychotic very highly, some marvelous ideas and images.

[Richmond Clements]

48 is great fun.

I too bought a copy of the City for £1, and sold it on ebay for something like £30-40.

[Floyd-the-k]

Oryx and Crake by the divine Margaret Atwood is a good read, even if the sci fi is a bit paint-by-numbers

An excellent read is 'The Children of Men' by PD 'chuckles' James

If your significant other reads kids books, John Christopher did a few goodies which were post-apocalyptic in setting

[Leigh S]

cool - i've got a signed copy of "The City" somewhere that i picked up for 50p... off to check out e-bay!

[Robin Low]

"See also: the very very awesome Ian Miller/James Herbert graphic novel "The City". Which sells for a pretty penny these days."

I remember when it used to be in every bargain bucket and remainder bin in the country! You know how some books end up with half a dozen different price labels, each cheaper than the last...

I thought it was good, too.

Regards

Robin

 

[beta]

World War Z by Max Brooks.  First person interviews with survivors of the zombie apocalypse.  Read it before they turn it into a mockumentary with a happy ending.

[Roger Godpleton]

As far as Atwood goes Handmaid's Tale>Oryx and Crake IMHO.

[JayzusB.Christ]

I remember reading all this mad stuff about big prozzies and monsters fighting with a sheep at the end of the world, great stuff. Can't remember the name of it, 'The Big Book of Re-evaluations' or something, part of some big compilation of weird stories as far as i can remember. The last few stories got a bit boring, just some hippy bloke who ends up getting nailed to a tree

[Mardroid]

I know it's slightly off topic, but aren't the original Shanarra books supposed to be waay post apocalyptic stories? I'm sure I read that once - or am I mad?

As has been said it's set in a possible future and there are definitely post apocalyptic elements to it. It's more a fantasy novel though.

The same author (Terry Brooks) has brought out a couple of books in a new series that is actually set between is Word and the Void series and the Shannara books. The series is called "The Genesis of Shannara", the first book being "Armageddon's Children", the second (which I haven't read yet "The Elves of Cintra".

Whilst also fantasy, these books are very much post apocalyptic, mainly because the poisoning of the earth is very recent history. I.e. you've got street kids hiding away in ruins, and you've got mutants. You've also got demons too though and guys/gals with magic staffs (Knights of the Word) and Elves (although their  part in the first book is quite small.).

A bit formulaic like many of Terry Brooks books, but an enjoyable read I thought. Actually I like most of his Shannara books too, except the first one 'The Sword of Shannara' which follows the same plot as Lord of the Rings almost exactly (albeit I liked the latter, I want to see something original.)

[TordelBack]

...except the first one 'The Sword of Shannara' which follows the same plot as Lord of the Rings almost exactly...

It is pretty shockingly blatant, isn't it?  Particularly when they get to Moria...

[Ochs]

Angela Carter, The Passion of New Eve. Kind of post apocolyptic, dream like and very very dark, twisted and quite perverse too from what I remember.

[Jonathan O]

Angela Carter is an excellent writer. The Bloody Chamber is a superb collection. Mean to get round to reading more of her.