My Favorite Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalyptic Fiction Novels

[@kennethmahan1863]

I always question book shelves that are perfect and like in rainbow order, but these bookshelves... these are proper shelves.

[@goldenager59]

You're a very formidable reader indeed, to present us with a _very_ sizeable roster of works in the genre, recommended enthusiastically and winningly. My thanks, Taylor. It's been some time since you shot this 'cast, and you probably have enlarged your mental catalogue with a few of these older titles already, but (just in case) I ought to alert you to a few other works of note ...such as British writer John Wyndham's *The Chrysalids* (aka *Re-Birth*), where the descendants of nuclear war survivors are deeply pious (and ruthless) guardians of the biological Norm against the Mutant in plant, animal, or human. *This Immortal,* by Roger Zelazny, sees a post-nuclear Earth partially owned by aliens who see it as having potential to draw tourists. Wilson Tucker's *The Long Loud Silence* shows the Mississippi River as a fortified cordon protecting the still-living West from the now-dead East following a combination attack of nukes and viral infestation. Edmund Cooper's *The Cloud Walker* gives us a boy who dreams to make men fly again, in the face of the anti-tech Luddite Church. Norman Spinrad's *Songs From the Stars* is a delightful fancy set in the West Coast nation of Aquaria, where neo-hippies practice "white science" of muscle, sun, wind, and water, but the "black science" of internal combustion and atomics threatens to return. And lastly, Robert Heinlein's controversial *Farnham's Freehold* focuses on half a dozen people in a well-equipped home-made shelter following atomic war, who face a world unlike anything they (or we) could have possibly imagined. Hopefully these opuses by the grand older men of science fiction will spark something in you. Whatever comes of it, I wish you satisfaction, safety, and success in your endeavors. 🤓

[@readbetweenthelines4040]

Excellent list. I like how you have a nice blend of books, from classics to epics to even YA fiction. I added Suffer the Children and Rot and Ruin to my list. Currently reading Station Eleven because its applicable to right now.

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Yay Station Eleven! It's so good. I've been wanting to reread it during quarantine. I hope you enjoy Suffer the Children and Rot and Ruin! Stick with Rot and Ruin. The first book is good but I definitely think it gets stronger as the series progresses.

[@Elsupermayan8870]

Two apocalyptic themed books that are really good and should be read are; The Turner Diaries by Andrew MacDonald. A story about the country being taken over by outside groups and those who rise up to defend what's left of liberty. The Camp Of The Saints by Jean Raspail. The story Of The downfall of western civilization due to a large influx of immigrants from the 3rd world.

[@tyroneatkins9578]

I was grinding my teeth throughout this list waiting for I Am Legend (my personal fave post-apoc book along with The Stand) and was relieved when you gave it a mention at the end! (Sweet list still!)

[@richx9035]

The Earth Abides is really powerful and feels credible. Read it as a teen originally a long time ago and it stuck firmly in my mind so obviously from my perspective memorable.

[@paulqueripel3493]

Finally, Canticle gets a mention in one of these. I always thought it was over about 1000 years, each tale about 500 years apart. Dark ages, renaissance, modern times, starting 500 years after the apocalypse.

[@taylortalkstales8106]

I think you're right. It's been a while since I read it last so the timeline of the book is a little fuzzy for me, but I know it took place over a very long time and what you mentioned sounds accurate. It's very underrated in my opinion and I hope more people go check it out. I'm planning on rereading it sometime soon.

[@zanedominic8776]

I realize it is quite off topic but do anybody know a good site to watch newly released tv shows online ?

[@darrensamir4580]

@Zane Dominic try Flixzone. You can find it by googling :)

[@josuedarwin4390]

@Zane Dominic I would suggest Flixzone. You can find it on google =)

[@Thagomizer]

Any list of Post-Apocalyptic literature that includes A Canticle for Leibowitz is a good one, even if it has no other books.

[@lostinabookcase3796]

Speaking of preparedness, my dad loves showing me castle/fortress plans for his ultimate survivalist bunker XD

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Haha that's awesome! You never know when you'll need it right?

[@0mittens0]

I did not know there were so many books in the sub genre?? This makes me happy

[@taylortalkstales8106]

I'm so glad! There are quite a lot, which pleases me since it's my favorite sub genre. I can't get enough of it really. There were a few others I considered putting on this list as honorable mentions, but left off because I didn't want to have too many or have the video get crazy long.

[@Tulwean]

Hi Taylor. My favorite post apocalypse series is The Genesis of Shannara by Terry Brooks. It takes place in the ruins of Seattle. I live in Washington so it's really cool to walk around Seattle and see the places that are in the book. If you are going to read it, I suggest to start with the Word and the Void series.

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Oooo you know what? I haven't read that series yet but I really want to go check it out now. I also live in Washington and always appreciate a good story set in our state. Thank you for the recommendation!

[@Tulwean]

@@taylortalkstales8106 pretty much anything from Terry Brooks is my favorite. He wrote the Genesis series to bridge the Word and The Void series to the rest of his books and it was done amazingly well.

[@snixelpig]

Great list,anything I would have put on my list was on it. So I can't add anything. Suffer the Children is next for me. Thank's once again for finding me my next read. Great list!

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Thank you so very much! So far I think this was my favorite list to come up with and video to make. Let me know what you think of Suffer the Children :)

[@JamesRosenzweig]

Good Morning Midnight is such a nice little book - you're right, it's certainly about loneliness, and there's something great about its ambiguity. I'm so glad you chose to include that Jemisin trilogy, The Broken Earth - those have to be the best books I've read in the last few years. I'm glad you reminded me of them, in fact - I ought to revisit them. :-) Your recommendation of The Road is another reminder that I really ought to try it, although I swore I was done with McCarthy after making it through two of his novels and never really enjoying his style - I know a lot of people love him and I can't say he's not talented, but that quirk of his about eschewing dialogue tags is just so punishing for me as a reader, and I found it turned his books into a chore for me. :-/ But The Road certainly sounds like a good premise for his style and his strengths. One of these years I'll have to give in and go for it. :-)

[@JamesRosenzweig]

Oh, and I'm so glad you spotlighted A Canticle for Leibowitz - there's just nothing like it, is there? What a fascinating book. :-) Not to say you should have included this here, since as you said, you've got so much to pick from, but have you read Wanderers by Chuck Wendig, which came out last year?

[@taylortalkstales8106]

I agree! I've read A Canticle for Leibowitz several times now and there are still things I pick up on when I reread it. Oh yes I loved Wanderers too. I mention it in this video around the 18 minute mark. It was also one of my top books from last year too. I recently read that Chuck Wendig is freaked out by some of the parallels his book has with this coronavirus epidemic, which I can see.

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Thank you for your comments! :) The Broken Earth trilogy is definitely a favorite series of mine. I've been meaning to reread them at some point. I can see about the dialogue tags being an issue. He doesn't use them in The Road either, although I feel like the way it's told it seems a little less noticeable than in some of his other books. I think it could be because there are so few characters in the story. The bulk of The Road really does just focus on the man and his son. It's good but certainly bleak.

[@JamesRosenzweig]

Your point about The Road as a setting being a better fit for McCarthy's style is a really good one, and I'll try to make it more of a priority. :-) And sorry I missed your comment about Wendig! I must have been in the process of writing down my enthusiastic reaction to one of the other books you'd mentioned. :-) Yeah, his book is eerily prescient - here's hoping what's ahead of us is a lot less grim!

[@JoanieMaeZie]

Great list! I haven’t heard of a lot of these books. The Last One sounds fun. The road was such a hard read for me! It’s so bleak. I’m glad I read it, but don’t think I could again. The Stand 🤘🏻 😊 I’ve been meaning to get to Swan Song! Fun list :)

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Thank you so much! The Last One is indeed pretty fun. Normally I'm hesitant about adapting books into movies or shows, but I could see it working as a pretty good miniseries or shorter TV show. Oh yes, The Road is very bleak. I remember watching the movie with my mom and I think it scarred her for life because of how sad it is. I hope you get a chance to read Swan Song. It's soooooo good.

[@jean-marieboucherit4518]

Interesting the way you talk about books. Thoughtful I would say.

[@Yellowbanana2024]

Great list of books. Thank you for not doing any spoilers😊

[@Isaac-ki3vy]

Comprehensive List! I can't wait to read some of these, especially Wanderers, The Stand and Swan Song!

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Thank you! Those three are probably my three favorites on this list. Have you gotten a chance to read any of them yet?

[@jackieb325]

This is just the 2nd video I've watched of yours. The other one was your favorite SK books. While watching this, all I could thing about was, what about Swan Song? Did she ever read that one? I was so happy to see it as your top favorite. I love Swan Song and The Stand probably equally, though I've only read Swan Song once, and that was when it first came out. I have it on my kindle now. I need to read it again. Thank you for your reviews. I've jotted down some of the books you mentioned so I can check them out from my local library app. One last note, I first heard of Earth Abides last year as I was listening to the old time radio show Escape. I haven't read it yet, but have it saved to read in the future.

[@bigbang3224]

Recently found ur channel......loved the recommendations...thank you.

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the recommendations :)

[@nikkilewen9861]

Thanks for your insights on these books! You might want to check out the post-apoc survival series the Three Sisters Trilogy.

[@mrangryface]

Ooh, timely- going to check some of these out

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Let me know which ones you end up reading! :)

[@Ghostly-00]

I read The Stand first and then Swan Song a few years later and I definitely prefer Swan Song. I really liked The Stand but the ending was just reaallly disappointing. Swan Song on the other hand is a book that has just stuck with me like I think about it all the time haha. I know I'm comparing them right now (I feel like I am because everyone is always comparing them) but I do agree that they shouldn't be compared. They're both apocalypse books, the characters go on a journy in both of them, they both have supernatural things happening and I feel like that's where the comparison ends. They're just different as you said in the video.

[@AidenMLynch]

Swan Song and The Stand is my favorite! "Lights Out" by David Crawford is my 3rd. I'd recommend it, although you'd prob read it already :)

[@belleooo]

The top two books are in my all time favourite novels. And switch places depending on mood lol. I will go through your list as some I havent yet read/heard. Thanks.

[@BookInvasion]

New Sub here! Jason's Weird Reads haul video sent me -Great list! I really enjoyed The Last One by Alexandra Oliva! and I've had Suffer the Children on my TBR for a long time.

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Thank you so much! Just checked out your channel and subbed back :). If you get a chance to read Suffer the Children, I hope you enjoy it.

[@AJayRisen]

I've just discovered your channel! I'm loving the content. I had to click on this because I saw Suffer the Children in the thumbnail and I swear nobody talks about it! I'm about to click on your review :)

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Thank you so much! I agree. It's criminally underrated, even among underrated books. I honestly only found out about it because of a random suggestion at my local library a couple of years ago.

[@trent.vs.robots]

Great list. I was worried you weren't going to have Swan Song in there. Also, I thought your hat looked really cute.

[@noahjuanjuneau9598]

Post apocalyptic classic (and a sleeper) "Ridley Walker" by Russell Hoban. I highly recommend that one. "Stranded Nowhere" by E A Lake - which is book one in a trilogy (maybe its even four books?) about survival 'after the merde hits the ventilation system' in the remote wilds of the upper Michigan peninsula. Lake specializes in post-apocalyptic fiction... Most of his books are available as Kindle editions at amazon.

[@deidaraakatsuki2183]

Hi can you do a video review of the Keeper of Rhymes kindle ebook please...it seems the plot is completely mental! But i want to make sure by watching a review before i buy😅

[@steffanyojeda6762]

I am so impressed! Every book on here that I have not read was immediately added to my TBR. *clap clap clap*

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Thank you so much Steffany! I hope you enjoy checking out the books. Which one are you planning on starting first?

[@steffanyojeda6762]

@@taylortalkstales8106 Possibly earth abides if I can get a copy ^.^

[@outback3791]

You should read the "Deathlands" series by James Axler. The first book is by Jack Adrian.

[@louisvillaescusa]

The thing that drove me nuts about The Road was the lack of punctuation. The apocalypse only occurred a decade or so before the actions in the book take place, so there was no reason to delete punctuation. It made the book needlessly hard to follow.

[@evatarr5670]

Your channel is so cool! So many books I’ve never heard of!

[@SoupieGuitar]

I think Ish survived in Earth Abides because he's bitten by the snake and rests up, and that means he misses the actual virus going around, not that the venom counteracts it, though Ish does consider that in the book 😌

[@kamikazedude]

Ryan Westfields Post-Apocalyptic EMP Survival series has been my best, It starts off a bit rushed but if you can get past things happening too fast it is great, I feel i know each character. I cried a few times.

[@65TossTrap]

Very nice list, although I do disagree with you on Station Eleven. Please consider the following titles: The Last Ship, by William Brinkley. It’s beautifully written, filled with tragic adventure, horror, pathos. Also, I strongly recommend, I am Legend, by Richard Matheson. A eerie post-apocalyptic world in which a plague of vampires have threatened humanity. I have read and re-read the last 50 pages several times over the years, and each time I discover something new. Thank you again.

[@kainedodds2073]

Yes! I will go through a few on your list as you seem to have the same taste in books :) I love the stand and have only recently read Swansong and wow. I see how people do rate as similar as yes there is good vs evil and in my opinion the best part in both was the journey but that's kind of were it ends. I think The Stand hands down has a better start but liked the ending to swansong a lot more as it was sweet and simple. I feel like I need to read Station Eleven as so many recommend it. your first and second pick were the same for me but my 3rd was Wool series which is a bit of a grey area when it comes to post apocalypse I guess lol. I'm looking for something darker in post apocalypse ATM as I feel humanity Would be a lot more corrupt in those times torn between Survival, Morels and desires so trying to find a author that can capture the corruption of man. Do you have any suggestions? Swansong was properly the darkest I've read so far lol

[@MrBears1987]

I know your more about fiction books... But George R Stewart has a great book about the Donner Party-Ordeal of Hunger.

[@ahmadnaser8192]

You should check out "On the beach" by Nevil Shute if you haven't yet

[@Elsupermayan8870]

Three books that go well together and should be read together are; Dante's Inferno, Heart Of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and Michael Herr's Dispatches.

[@billkeon880]

Have you read On The Beach by Nevile Schute?

[@ChantreJ]

Arcadium by Sarah Gray. Skylight (Arcadium #2) also by Sarah Gray. Highly recommended.

[@freya7084]

I’ve just found you! I’ve noted down some of your recommendations. Subscribed :)

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it :). Glad you've got some new books to read! Any in particular that you're interested in?

[@freya7084]

Taylor Talks Tales the rot and ruin series sounds really interesting as well as the road and good morning, midnight :)

[@freya7084]

Taylor Talks Tales also! I’m currently reading “the stand “

[@Elsupermayan8870]

@@freya7084 If you haven't already, try reading Dante's Inferno. He takes you on a journey through Hell. The deeper in Hell you are depends on the sins you committed while on earth.

[@helenasf1782]

Yay really great list, thank you! This is one of my favourite sub-genres. Some really great recommendations added to my tbr. Also, that’s fab that you’re writing your own book! Will you be sharing a sample with your followers at some point?

[@spankynater4242]

Listen to the Talking Heads song Nothing But.... Flowers.

[@eriklindhurst5793]

Susan Beth Pfeffer's first book, Life as We Knew It, is very good. The second book in the series, The Dead and the Gone, is a good sequel. The third and fourth books should never have been written. I won't spoil why, but I am sorry I read them. I recommend just reading the first book as a stand-alone.

[@teckyify]

Finally someone who is talking actually about the book‘s content, thank you 😂

[@krys5978]

What about “Last Canticle for Leibowitz”. Loved that book.

[@casinodelonge]

The Road - "a bit of a bleak story"?? No, its the bleakest thing I've ever read. I felt I needed counselling after this one. Great intro to your channel though!

[@garysscaryfaeries3046]

The wanderers sounds a lot like Cell by Stephen King.

[@WilAdams]

I am surprised you missed the fact that Stephen King actually ripped off 'Earth Abides' when he wrote 'The Stand'. If you read King's non-fiction book Danse Macabe you will see that he actually admits this. I was lucky enough to have read Earth Abides the day before starting the Stand, and I saw the similarity almost instantly, and years before King admitted it in Danse. Perhaps you might want to look into that before your do your Stand review. You did not mention Long Voyage Back so I can only guess that you have not read that one yet. Try it. As for Swan Song vs Stand. Yeah, they are the same, but they are also different. If you recall there was never a Mother Abigail faces off against Randall Flagg scene in the Stand, but in Swan Song, Swan and the Man with 10,000 faces do come face to face. There are other things like that which happens in Swan Song but which King seemed to shy away from in The Stand and that is why, for me, at least, Swan Song is better. Also, I love McCammon's other books: 'They Thirst' (Vampires in LA--so a rip off of 'Salem's Lot--try to read the UNCUT England release), Night Boat (haunted WW2 sub, so, yes, a rip-off of Christine) and Boy's Life, a rip off of nothing, and perhaps one of the best books ever written.

[@elmambru235]

Have you ever read "Greybeard" by Brian Aldiss and "The Postman" by David Brin? I think that these are very good post-apocalyptic stories. In the case of The Postman, the book is far, far better than the movie.

[@MilesWilliams88]

The Road is so good!

[@taylortalkstales8106]

I love it. It's a story I can read over and over again and still appreciate it.

[@MilesWilliams88]

Me too! I absolutely love it. I plan on reading Blood Meridian at some point this year.

[@eliasklein8278]

I'm on the hunt looking for a book I read in 6th grade.

[@streetsofgold100]

one of the best i have ever read was the Ashes series ,by William W. Johnstone ,this guy had a insight into this

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Thank you so much for the recommendation. I haven't heard of that series but I just looked it up and it sounds great! I'm adding it to my TBR. Thanks again!

[@streetsofgold100]

@@taylortalkstales8106 thanks for responding ,let me know how you like it ,if you can remember ,be prepared to not be able to put it down,stay safe and have an awesome day

[@stvjful]

Is that a pistol on your shelf? It looks nice - reminds me of one of the weapons in Final Fantasy :)

[@EAJohnson03]

Nobody references "A boy and his dog at the end of the world"

[@BookManiac1965]

Great recommendations.

[@devonmunn5728]

The Girl With All The Gifts i read about a year ago and really enjoyed it!! Definitely one to discuss. Also yeah with the movie and how they whitewashed Miss Justineau 😒😒😒😒😒😒 like Sharon Duncan Brewster would have been perfect!

[@kenskingcollection1977]

You cant have an Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalyptic list with out Swan Song and The Stand. Nice list.

[@Founderant]

I enjoyed your video. Do you have a website with contact information? I have a question for you.

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Thank you so much! I don't have a website but my email is listed on my channel page. It's [e-mail].

[@BeardofDarkness]

Great Videos

[@2OldGeeksTalking]

Great video....Do yourself a favor and read GO GO GIRLS OF THE APOCALYPSE, a great book.

[@taylortalkstales8106]

Just ordered myself a copy after reading the synopsis and it sounds great. Thank you so much for the recommendation! Can't wait to read it.

[@abrahamperez8721]

wasteland the new apocalypse is a good one

[@mabyemabyenot]

Could it be that we are in a sort of apocalyptic time? Ofcourse it could be. Welcome to the apocalypse friends.

[@guycalgary7800]

The Road was amazing and broke my heart , I remember going and seeing the movie in a theatre and when the lights came on at the end there were so many people crying .

[@parapoliticos52]

Wanderers seem the kind of book i would typically like, but I Am afraid to pick it up taking in mind who wrote it and its summary. I smell a lit of cringing moralizing in it.

[@RN4Life2002]

Please find a new word for “essentially.” 😉

[@rocsimmons8535]

👍🏽👍🏽

[@spankynater4242]

Try one second after. And not a cool way to start your list, that book was unreadable.

[@brockjacobs3754]

-ish

[@rontate7719]

Why were having corona virus? Dang. Thats really easy.. .. Try two books by same author. One is non fiction The other fiction. I forget his name The Hot Zone is title so you can figure from that author wrote another book. Might just scare the hell out of you. 7.9.2021

[@nikkilewen9861]

Thanks for your insights on these books! You might want to check out the post-apoc survival series the Three Sisters Trilogy.