Booksology That’s why I thought about various books about apocalypse. There are a lot of them, from minor interruptions to complete destruction of the world. These outages can occur for any number of reasons: weather, war, nature, disease, etc., take your pick. Instead of considering the same apocalyptic novel used in all lists,road, stand, i am legend, on the beachetc.—the books below aren’t all that familiar to everyone, but they’re all really good and very unsettling.
And as I write this, a major winter storm is expected to wreak havoc in 33 of the 50 states, causing significant damage and power outages, so we might find out sooner than we think. However, the fact that you are reading this means that everything worked out in the end. Fingers crossed!
Alden Bell’s “The Grim Reaper is an Angel”
This is probably my favorite zombie novel. The story follows a young woman named Temple as she explores a monster-infested America to find her brother, while a murderer is on her trail. Temple is also looking for help, but mostly only finds zombies.
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The Last Ones Left Alive by Sarah Davis-Gough
In this fascinating debut novel, isolation won’t save people from the end of the world forever. Orpen grew up on a small island off the coast of Ireland, hearing stories of a world before the terrifying carnivorous Scrakes that now inhabit the country. Alone with his mother and Maeve, Orpen is told that isolation is the only way to stay safe. But when tragedy strikes, Orpen knows his only chance of survival is to go to the dangerous mainland.
The Getaway by Lamar Giles
This is a great YA thriller about racism and class. Jay is a black teenager who is lucky enough to live in Karloff Country. Karloff Country is a gated resort where you can enjoy a privileged vacation while the rest of the world suffers from shortages of essential goods. Jay and his family work at the resort’s amusement park, so they can go there. But things change when the wealthy come to the resort and don’t leave, and the less fortunate suddenly disappear.
The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones
As if the end of civilization wasn’t enough, there are also ticks. In a futuristic America, humanity has been reduced to a small portion of the country by deadly ticks. Humans are safe in the burnt-out areas. But there are huge profits to be made by taking danger enthusiasts out of the zone. On one such tour, things go horribly wrong when it turns out that deadly ticks aren’t the only thing the group has to fear.
Anna Kavan ice cream
It’s a classic 1967 sci-fi about environmental destruction and sexual assault that remains horrifyingly chilling today. As the world slowly turns into ice and society collapses, the nameless narrator hunts the girl he once loved, but for what reason or purpose is unknown.
Shattered Snow Moon by Waubgeshig Rice
What makes this award-winning novel so terrifying is that it leaves so much to the imagination.
After days of power outages in small, isolated northern Anishinaabe communities, people realized they needed to start planning what to do if power wasn’t restored. But a power struggle soon erupts, and an outsider emerges with horrifying tales of the world outside town.
You Shouldn’t Have Been Human by Andrew Joseph White
While White’s recent adult horror debut is technically more dystopian-focused than post-apocalyptic, I take every opportunity I can to give it a shout-out. why? Because this is one of the most infuriating, gory books I’ve read recently, and wonderful! This is the story of an alien invasion that wipes out many humans in rural West Virginia, leaving behind a hive of survivors. Beneath all the bloodshed and horror is an important story of navigating identity and dysphoria as a neurodivergent and trans person.
Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson
And finally, what feels increasingly likely, technology has turned against humans. The AI that the world had relied on decided it no longer needed humans, and the robots attacked and destroyed most of civilization. A group of sole survivors narrate the novel, telling the story of a deadly attack as they try to determine if there is a chance to fight back.
Well, Starvits, please use the knowledge you have learned here today for good and not for evil. If you want to know more about books, I talk about them almost nonstop (even when I’m not reading them). You can hear me say lots of adjectives about books on the Book Riot podcast. All books! And also on Instagram.
