Vote for Your Favorite Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi

Michael White

Everyone's got a book idea kicking around somewhere in their heads, even though most of us won't admit it. For some time now I've been working on an idea for what I call an inverse post-apocalyptic book, that is, a book that falls squarely in the post-apocalyptic genre in terms of themes and style, but it takes place in humanity's deep past. To put it another way, since post-holocaust novels often feature reversions to a primitive lifestyle, why not view the primitive life of the deep human past (we're talking 20,000+ years ago) as equivalent to a post-apocalyptic setting?

All sorts of ideas can go along with that - instead of the memory of a past holocaust, you can have the inverse - prophecy of a vague holocaust in the future that nonetheless is reflected in the life of the present.

I won't bore you with any more of this, but I do need your help. As part of my research for this book, I'm reading a slew of post-apocalyptic sci-fi, and I'm looking for more.

What are your favorite post-apocalypse sci-fi novels?

Here's what's on my list to read. I'm looking for new suggestions, or votes of confidence (or dislike) for the books on my list. As I work my way through these, I plan on having a little sci-fi corner here on the blog.

J.G. Ballard - The Crystal World, The Drowned World
Richard Matheson - I Am Legend
George R. Stewart - Earth Abides
Walter Miller - A Canticle for Leibowitz
John Wyndham - The Day of the Triffids
Denis Johnson - Fiskadoro
Tatyana Tolstoya - The Slynx
H.P. Lovecraft - Till All The Seas
Mary Shelley - The Last Man
Pat Frank - Alas, Babylon
William Hudgson - The Night Land
Aldous Huxley - Ape and Essence
Margaret Atwood - Oryx and Crake
Richard Jeffires - After London
Andre Norton - daybreak 2250 AD
Peter Dickinson - The Devil's Children
Larry Niven&Jerry Pournelle - Lucifer's Hammer
David Brin - The Postman
William Brinkley - The Last Ship

This one is a medieval Arabic piece that appears to fit the genre nicely:

Ibn al-Nafis - Theologus Autodidactus

These are ones that I've read (which I can recall):
Cormac McCarthy - The Road
Stephen King - The Stand
John Wyndham - The Chrysalids
H.G. Wells - The Time Machine
Russel Hoban - Riddley walker
Nevil Shute - On The Beach

I'm currently reading Marcel Theroux's Far North.

You've got my list of great post-apocalyptic sci-fi, now give me yours.

Read the feed:

Comments

Mike I've read 10 from your list and I would add:
Zelazney-This immortal
Daley- Hobart Smith and Alacrity Fitzhugh series
Hubbard- Batlefield Earth
Boulle- Planet of the Apes

Jef Sherry (not verified) | 10/24/09 | 12:38 PM

Thanks for the suggestions (and sorry for the delayed response). I didn't realize that planet of the apes was more than a movie. I'll check them out.

—

Mike

Michael White | 10/28/09 | 21:28 PM

Morgan Kelly - Altered Carbon (more cyber-punk than apocalyptic)

kerr jac | 10/24/09 | 22:54 PM

Cyber punk is great. I love Gibson and Neal Stephenson.

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Mike

Michael White | 10/28/09 | 21:29 PM

Altered Carbon is very good, but it is by Richard K Morgan. Thirteen is also good and is sort-of post-political-apocalypse along the lines of Stephenson's Snow Crash, but less campy. Interesting, but a little too pop-evolutionary psych/anthropology for me (i.e., did not ring true). The Steel Remains is also interesting in that it is post-almost-armaggedonny and features a pair of homosexual protagonists that makes the book notable if for nothing else than the challenge the "standard" sci-fi/fantasy reader. Paired with "acceptable" hetero or lesbian situations, the promiscuous behavior of the male homosexual hero participates in is common among heterosexually, male heroes forces the reader to consider their own beliefs about what is acceptable.

That being said, Morgan has a bit of an inner porno writer in him, which can be a bit gratuitous and can distract a bit stylistically.

Josh Witten | 12/01/09 | 14:00 PM

Darn it, I was going to say Oryx and Crake. She recently released a follow-up to Oryx and Crake called The Year of the Flood. I already had too many books in my arms last time I was at the bookstore so it's on the list for my next trip. Apparently it answers some of the questions from O&C and reveals who the three humans are (from the end of the book). I feel like her "A Handmaid's Tale" might fit into this category as well. You might like John Twelve Hawks' dystopian trilogy called The Fourth Realm; the first book is The Traveler, the second is The Dark River and the third is The Golden City. There's also Ayn Rand's Anthem.

I found a book called "Do androids dream of electric sheep" by Philip K. Willie, which was the basis for Blade Runner.

Becky Jungbauer | 10/25/09 | 21:19 PM

Philip K. Willie - I love it!
I was wondering about Atwood - I haven't read any of her books, and what I've really needed is a recommendation from someone to convince me to giver her a try. So with you're recommendation, I'll check out O&C.

—

Mike

Michael White | 10/28/09 | 21:32 PM

Did you read O&C yet? I just finished Year of the Flood; while you don't absolutely have to read O&C, I think it provides a lot of context that makes Year of the Flood richer. I also think you should read them in relatively close proximity (time), or you'll forget some of the characters from O&C that appear in YotF. What's neat is that they both cover relatively the same time period and the same events, but one from the inside (the right hand man to "The Man") and one from the outside (people persecuted by "The Man"). YotF also answers a few questions that were left open in O&C. Let me know what you think!

Becky Jungbauer | 11/30/09 | 16:46 PM

I still have to get to Atwood. I just finished Earth Abides, and I recently started Dhalgren, which for me is almost as amazing as Gravity's Rainbow. I love this crazy mid-1970's stuff.
But Atwood is on deck. I'm looking forward to reading both books.

—

Mike

Michael White | 11/30/09 | 20:58 PM

It starts to creep you out when things in these books come true - one of the "meats" they eat in Atwood's books is created in a lab, and on NPR this morning they had a discussion about creating meat in lab!! Not kidding. I did a double take when I heard that.

Becky Jungbauer | 11/30/09 | 21:46 PM

Stephanie Pulford was on top of that story earlier this year: The Schtory of Schmeat.
Apparently PETA has an award out for the first in vitro chicken breasts.

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Mike

Michael White | 12/01/09 | 13:42 PM

Hi Michael -- I've read about half of your list, and thanks for putting it up as a guide. Somehow you missed Davy, by Edgar Pangborn, one of my top three. And don't forget No Blade of Grass by John Christopher, a memorable book.

Dave (not verified) | 10/28/09 | 22:36 PM

I'll be sure to check out Davy. I'm not sure why I missed No Blade of Grass on my list - I've heard great things about that book.

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Mike

Michael White | 10/30/09 | 14:19 PM

Canticle for Leibowitz is the best post-apocalyptic novel I've read. Compelling characters, interesting world, and epic scale. Its treatment of the Catholic church is also interesting. Alas, Babylon is also kind of interesting, although it provides more insight into early Cold War culture and attitudes, rather a compelling picture of the future. Oh, and Malevil is pretty interesting too. Similar to Alas, Babylon, only set in France.

Zachary Williams (not verified) | 11/05/09 | 17:28 PM

I'll check out Malevil. Leibowitz and Alas Babylon are definitely high priorities on my list. Thanks for the suggestion.

—

Mike

Michael White | 11/06/09 | 14:53 PM

Make that 'rather than.'

Zachary Williams (not verified) | 11/05/09 | 17:30 PM

I just finished - and really enjoyed - Michael Bishop's My Only Enemy is Time. Its apocalypse does take place in the past, not quite in the way you plan, but reminiscent.

p.s. If memory serves, I think you're looking for Philip K. Wylie, not Willie. -fp

Fred Phillips | 11/05/09 | 18:27 PM

I haven't heard of that one. I love all of these excellent suggestions.

—

Mike

Michael White | 11/06/09 | 14:54 PM

I'm getting Year of the Flood early next week, so if you haven't read it yet I can let you know how it is!

Becky Jungbauer | 11/06/09 | 15:10 PM

Great, keep me posted. Although I guess I have to read Oryx and Crake first.

—

Mike

Michael White | 11/09/09 | 15:14 PM

I assume that would help. :) But, maybe not - I'll let you know.

Becky Jungbauer | 11/09/09 | 16:21 PM

While this isn't necessarily in the fully post-apocalyptic category another book that was pretty good was The White Plague by Frank Herbert.

Gerhard Adam | 11/09/09 | 15:34 PM

Thanks for mentioning that one - I did see that crop up occasionally in a Google search for post-apocalyptic stuff. With you're recommendation, I'll add it to my list.

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Mike

Michael White | 11/09/09 | 16:21 PM

What a great list of books.

Alas Babylon is a fantastic read, Lucifer's Hammer was good too. But, The Last Ship is one of my all time favorite books. I read it years ago, yet I still think about that book often and wonder what ever happened to them after the book ended.

Michael Gallitelli (not verified) | 11/09/09 | 16:11 PM

I'm looking forward to reading The Last Ship - the setting seems pretty different from the others on the list here.

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Mike

Michael White | 11/09/09 | 16:24 PM

Phillip K Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electronic Sheep? (aka, Blade Runner). The movie does not hint at this, but the book is set in the framework of a historical apocalypse that killed most of the animal life on Earth, making animal ownership the ultimate status symbol, and making the title make sense.

Josh Witten | 12/01/09 | 13:48 PM

I forgot about that one. I was a little worried about the lack of Phillip Dick on my list, but some of his more overt post-apocalyptic stuff doesn't sound like his best work (like Dr. Bloodmoney).

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Mike

Michael White | 12/02/09 | 23:23 PM

I would like to add to the list of Very good Sci.Fi. movies---Starman--#1--Next-#2-Robison Caruso-On Mars#3-Day the earth Stood Still=#4-Forbidden Planet=#5--Them-#6-The land that time forgot=#7-War of the worlds-1st one made!!#8-When worlds collide--#8=The Thing--!st one made--#9--Origanal-KING_KONG=#10-Mighty Joe Young--Orig.-#11-=20 million miles to earth!!=#12-Invaders from Mars=#13--The orig.=The body snatchers=#14--The lost World--#15--Journey to the center of the world

charlesstokesjr (not verified) | 06/08/10 | 22:08 PM

"Earth Abides" was my first venture into the genre and "The Road" my latest, with my favorite having to be "The Stand" ... which caused a serious Stephen King addiction I am still fighting. "The Day of the Triffids" was one of the most frightening movies I remember from my youth. I'd like to suggest "The Last Ship" by William Brinkley and "Swan Song" by Robert R. McCammon as two worthy additions to your excellent list.

RHill (not verified) | 07/06/10 | 23:46 PM

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