Post Apocolyptic Books

[Rob B]

Though I Am Legend is a vampire tale on some accounts, it is also a post-apoclyptic tale.

Either way you cut it, read it.

[Ntschotschi]

I agree that "A Canticle for Leibiwitz" is definately a classic must read. There's a sequel "Saint Leibowitz and the wild horse woman" written 40 years after the first novel.
Terry Bisson used material of Miller and finished it after Miller's death.
I think it's quite good although not of the same "classic" standard.

[Llama]

I'd second B.Cat's view as far as CANTICLE and RIDDLEY WALKER, both excellent novels. Although I don't think any other post-apoc novel ever quite matches Stewart's EARTH ABIDES. That's a beautiful book with a very moving ending.

[Jon Shannow]

Slowhand whats "Post World War (III?)" this about most post-apoclyptic tales are set after world war three.

[Raisuli]

'Earth Abides' and 'A Canticle For Liebowitz' are essential reading for any SF fan.

A friend recommended Brin's 'The Postman', but I found the second half to be disappointing and lacking in credibility.

'Stand on Zanzibar' isn't the easiest reading experience by a long way, while 'The Sheep Look Up' makes '...Liebowitz' seem like Douglas Adams' work. That's not meant as criticism of Brunner, just a caution as to how unremmittingly bleak the book is.

How about Frederick Pohl's 'Jem: The Making of a Utopia'?



[This message has been edited by Raisuli (edited May 05, 2002).]

[asimovian]

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells is a book with a post-apocalyptic theme, and as far as I know, it is supposed to be one of the great classics.
The hero of the story constructs his own time machine and makes a rather unintentional trip a few hundreds of thousands of years into the future.
Humanity as we know it doesn't exist anymore ; Wells paints a very pessimistic picture of a post-apocalyptic civilization ; he clearly hadn't much trust in humanity (he was a historian too).
Should be a book which sets one to think. Not pure escapism.

[Kamakhya]

The Time Machine was a classic allegorical tale about the woes of what was becomming modern Capitalism and industry. The morlocks represented the factory slaves and the eloi the bourgeoisie. The social commentary in the book was truly inspiring and clearly showed how Science Fiction was the perfect medium to explore the ramifications of society's actions and beliefs. Wells was a brilliant social commentator as well as a damn fine writer.

I haven't had the courage to see the movie, but I suppose I will rent it one of these days. I have seen the original movie.

Kamakhya

[asimovian]

Kamakhya, please do have the courage.
Tastes differ, but if you have seen the first movie, you will probably like the remake.
You will get a new impression of the Morlocks - which I find are terrifyingly real, and better characterized than they were in the original movie.

[asimovian]

And Kamakya, I must add that I don't agree on this :

quote
The Time Machine was a classic allegorical tale about the woes of what was becomming modern Capitalism and industry. The morlocks represented the factory slaves and the eloi the bourgeoisie.
unquote

***SPLOILER WARNING***

I don't see factory slaves use the bourgeoisie for their food.
Remember how the eloi were at regular intervals forced to follow a hypnotizing signal which attracted them to some mysterious location from which they never returned ?
No, no, my friend : believe you me, the morlocks symbolized the result of retrogradation and the victory of the base over the excellent.

[asimovian]

Small but necessary correction in my above reply :

quote
the victory of matter of the base over excellence
unquote

this should be : "the victory of the base over excellence."

[ASTORIX]

I quite liked Mike Farren's "The song of PHAID the Gambler". Its
a journey across an earth where the weather divides the world into separate regions. Its a world set far into the future after a complete collapse of a modern society centuries before.

[Fnorgby]

Don't forget Samuel Delany's _Dhalgren_. Not really sure if it qualifies as post-apocalyptic, but it's a classic.

Earth Abides is one of my all-time favorites. The funny thing is that Stewart's other books are cheesy dime novels. "Storm" -- about a really bad storm. "Fire", about a really bad forest fire. There are others that I've read, but forgot the titles. When you read "Fire", you know you're reading a really bad book. How could the same guy achieve the sensitivity and subtlety of Earth Abides?

And definitely Swan Song and The Stand are two of a kind. And McCammon shows King for the chump he really is.

andy

[Bill]

Davy by Edgar Pangborn is a good novel that is being forgotten.

Farham's Freehold is probably Heinlein's nastiest piece of work, but it's a Heinlein, so it's still pretty good.

[asimovian]

Bill, why do you call it nasty ? Is it of lesser quality, or is there something specific you didn't like in it ?

[Bill]

It was very grim. Heinlein must have been feeling very pessimistic when he wrote it. Some people also misinterpret it as being racist. That's not Heinlein's fault, but it happens. It's not a comfortable book.