Comments on: Top 10 Post-Apocalyptic Books

By: Demon971

Demon971 — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:23:02 +0000

I’d definitely like to add to GammaHammer’s comment, that the Deathlands series by “James Axler” would have been a perfect addition to this list. Out of all the books and movies I’ve seen regarding post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction, Deathlands has got to be one of the best. Right up there with the Fallout universe (which I consider my most favourite and fortunately the most interactive post-apocalyptic world)!

By: pvitz

pvitz — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:38:29 +0000

maybe not top 10 but deinetly good reads are robert heinlen farnhams freehold, also sterling e. lanier heiro’s journey this was to be a trilogy but author dies after #2 but great post apoc. story.

By: Jerry

Jerry — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 02:32:07 +0000

Good suggestions by all.

I would add Harlan Ellison’s short story “I have No Mouth and I Must Scream.”

A super computer has killed everyone on earth with its control of nuclear weapons but keeps the last five people left alive to torment them for its sadistic pleasure.

By: Tanya

Tanya — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:43:22 +0000

I was very interested in reading Bangs and Whimpers but the $70+ price tag was just too much for me. I did some searching around and found other sources for all the stories in this book. I’ll list them below for all the others, like me, who want to read Bangs and Whimpers on the cheap.

1.) “The Nine Billion Names of God” by Arthur C. Clarke – The Secret History of Science Fiction. I found this listed at my local library

2.) “KIlling of Morrow” by Robert Reed – Starlight 1
Available on Amazon

3.) “We Can Get Them for you Wholesale” by Neil Gaiman – The End of the World: Stories of the Apocalypse. I found this at my local library

4.) “Fire Catcher” by Richard Kadrey – Omni Magazine Vol.#8:11 August 1986

5.) “Not with a Bang” by Howard Fast – A Touch of Infinity
Found it on Amazon

6.) “Lost and Found” by Connie Willis – Fire Watch
Found this at my local library

7.) “The Wind and the Rain” by Robert Silverberg – Best SF 1973
Found it on Amazon

8.) “The Year of the Jackpot” by Robert Heinlein – The Menace from Earth
Found it on Amazon

9.) “Expendable” by Philip K. Dick – Paycheck and Other Classic Stories
Was able to get from library

10.) “Finis” aka “The Last Dawn” by Frank L. Pollack – The Mammoth Book of Science Fiction. Found one on Amazon

11.) “A Guide to Virtual Death” by J. G. Ballard – The complete stories of J.G. Ballard. Found at my local library

12.) “Emissary from a Green and Yellow World” by Robert Sheckley – Uncanny Tales. Found on Amazon

13.) “The Portable Phonograph” by Walter Van Tilburg Clark – The Watchful Gods and other Stories. Available on Amazon

14.) “Fermi and Frost” by Frederik Pohl – The 1986 Annual World’s Best SF
Available on Amazon

15.) “Ultimate Construction” C. C. Shackleton – Strawberries and other Secrets
Amazon

16.) “The Manhattan Phone Book (Abridged)” by John Varley
This is a very short story that you can read online here:
http://www.varley.net/Pages/Manhattan.htm

17.) “The Man Who Walked Home” by James Tiptree, Jr. – Ten Thousand Light Years from Home. Amazon

18.) “Interview with a Lemming” by James Thurber
You can read this story on line here: http://books.google.com/books?id=Guem4QpR0BwC&pg=PA82&lpg=PA82&dq=james+thurber+interview+with+a+lemming&source=bl&ots=V5v0VdWeyD&sig=f9UZjMVseDDzXgOMZyQt2yCnYik&hl=en&ei=UFyCTfCDN4u6sAPX-7WGAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBsQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=james%20thurber%20interview%20with%20a%20lemming&f=false

19.) “The Last Question” by Isaac Asimov
You can read this story online here:
http://www.multivax.com/last_question.html

By: booger

booger — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 01:04:08 +0000

wow! so many books!

By: Tyler

Tyler — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 19:44:30 +0000

Loved all the suggestions. I’ve read 9 of the top ten (all but bangs and whimpers) and they were great.

I also loved King Blood by Simon Clark as well as his sequel to Day of the Triffids, called Night of the Triffids.

David Moody’s autumn series and keene’s books are great as well if you like zombies.

Just finished The Passage and recommend that as a fun PA book.

By: morgan

morgan — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 04:37:57 +0000

The Stand is by far one of my favourite books! The Road was kind of a weird book but I loved it because it left you with such an eerie feeling. I love books that dont give the reader everything!

By: JEffw

JEffw — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 20:53:57 +0000

I am going to actually back up The Taking and Cell. Yes it is true that they are from authors that seem to write most of their books for speed and not quality but both were very fun reads. And isnt that why we read at all? To have fun?

By: Ganubis

Ganubis — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 11:25:50 +0000

HAHA! “A bunker with 10 years worth of crap.” Read GoGo Girls of the Apocalypse. That book was kinda neat.Made me laugh too. Short though. Earth Abides was okay. Some 50′s racism…lot’s of realistic PA problems. Gets really good in the end. I liked The Road. Not so much Sci-Fi, but gloomy and VERY depressing. I’m on #33 “Episode at Noon” of the Deathlands “saga” (when will it end!!!!?) I’m such a sucker that I started “Outlanders” tonight. They’re good if you like ass kicking in your PA fiction.

My top 10 PA fiction would be something like this….
#1 Swan Song (some call it a Stand rip off…nope)
#2 Battlefield Earth (book was WAY better)
#3 The Postman (Book was better)
#4 The Taking (I usually hate Koontz, but creepy as hell.)
#5 Lights Out! (independant author Halffast or something)
#6 I am Legend (Ummm…”The Passage”?)
#7 Cell (yeah I said it)
#8 The Stand (King sorta wears on you)
#9 Genesis of Shannara Trilogy (first novel I ever read was the sword…this is nothing like that.)
#10 One Second After (It could happen…see #5)

By: ryan

ryan — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 07:49:46 +0000

Want good dystopian lit…? open a newspaper.