Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalipse

Appendix: For Further Reading

What follows is a selected bibliography of post-apocalyptic fiction. The list is not all-inclusive, but is intended merely as a primer for readers looking to better familiarize themselves with the sub-genre.

Like the stories collected in this volume, I’ve focused this bibliography on books in which the post-apocalyptic elements are vital to the story. There are many books, however, that while not “core” post-apocalyptic titles will be of interest to fans of the sub-genre nonetheless. These books—which employ the themes or settings of post-apocalyptic SF but are primarily noteworthy for other reasons—are listed separately to denote their associational relevance to the sub-genre.

To assist you in finding these books, I’ve assembled a series of Listmania lists on Amazon.com listing all of the titles in this bibliography. You’ll find them by following the links below.

GREYBEARD by Brian W. Aldiss

Twilight World by Poul Anderson

Vault of the Ages by Poul Anderson

The Day the Machines Stopped by Christopher Anvil

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

The Drowned World & The Wind from Nowhere by J. G. Ballard

The Burning World (Berkley Medallion Book) by J. G. Ballard

Kelwin by Neal Barrett

Dawn’s Uncertain Light (Signet) by Neal Barrett

Test of Fire by Ben Bova

The Long Tomorrow by Leigh Brackett

The Postman (Bantam Classics) by David Brin

The Last Ship: A Novel by William Brinkley

The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner

Some Will Not Die by Algis Budrys

Plague Year by Jeff Carlson

The Folk of the Fringe by Orson Scott Card

No Blade of Grass by John Christopher

World in Winter by John Christopher

Empty World: 2 by John Christopher

A Wrinkle in the Skin by John Christopher

The Pesthouse by Jim Crace

Engine Summer by John Crowley

Dr. Bloodmoney by Philip K. Dick

Wolf and Iron by Gordon R. Dickson

The Genocides by Thomas M. Disch

Vic and Blood: The Continuing Adventures of a Boy and His Dog: A Graphic Novel by Harlan Ellison

Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

The Aftermath: A Novel of Survival by Samuel C. Florman

Dark Universe by Daniel F. Galouye

Queen City Jazz by Kathleen Ann Goonan

Mississippi Blues by Kathleen Ann Goonan

Crescent City Rhapsody by Kathleen Ann Goonan

Light Music by Kathleen Ann Goonan

The Committed Men by M. John Harrison

The White Plague by Frank Herbert

Riddley Walker, Expanded Edition by Russell Hoban

Ape and Essence by Aldous Huxley

After London: Or, Wild England by Richard Jefferies

Parasites Like Us by Adam Johnson

The Stand: Expanded Edition: For the First Time Complete and Uncut by Stephen King

The Syndic by C.M. Kornbluth

Catastrophe Planet by Keith Laumer

Gather Darkness by Fritz Leiber

The Scarlet Plague by Jack London

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon

Eternity Road by Jack McDevitt

Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre

Malevil by Robert Merle

Shadow on the Hearth by Judith Merril

Beyond Armageddon by Martin H. Greenberg

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

Saint Leibowitz and the Wild Horse Woman by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

Lucifer’s Hammer by Larry Niven

Daybreak - 2250 A.D. (Ace No. G-717; Orig. title: Star Man’s Son) by Andre Norton

Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O’Brien

Davy by Edgar Pangborn

Still I Persist in Wondering (Tales of a Darkening World) by Edgar Pangborn

The Company of Glory (U.K.) by Edgar Pangborn

The Judgment of Eve (SF Rediscovery Series #18) by Edgar Pangborn

After Armageddon (There Will Be War) by Jerry Pournelle

Dome by Steve Perry

The Wild Shore: Three Californias by Kim Stanley Robinson

Edenborn by Nick Sagan

Everfree by Nick Sagan

Idlewild by Nick Sagan

Jamestown: A Novel by Matthew Sharpe

After the Fall by Robert Sheckley

Aftermath by Charles Sheffield

The Last Man by Hugh J. Luke Jr.

Hopkins Manuscript by R. C. Sherriff

The Purple Cloud by M. P. Shiel

On the Beach by Nevil Shute

Cemetery World by Clifford D. Simak

Snowfall (The Snowfall Trilogy, Book 1) by Mitchell Smith

Kingdom River (The Snowfall Trilogy, Book 2) by Mitchell Smith

Moonrise: Book Three of the Snowfall Trilogy by Mitchell Smith

Earth Abides by George R. Stewart

Dies the Fire: A Novel of the Change by S. M. Stirling

The Protector’s War: A Novel of the Change (Change Series) by S. M. Stirling

A Meeting at Corvallis: A Novel of the Change (Dies the Fire) by S. M. Stirling

The Sunrise Lands by S. M. Stirling

In the Drift by Michael Swanwick

The Apocalypse Reader by Justin Taylor

The Long Loud Silence by Wilson Tucker

The Year of the Quiet Sun by Wilson Tucker

Ice & Iron by Wilson Tucker

Summer of the Apocalypse by James Van Pelt

Millenium by John Varley

Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1: Unmanned by Brian K. Vaughan

Y: The Last Man, Vol. 2: Cycles by Brian K. Vaughan

Y: The Last Man, Vol. 3: One Small Step by Brian K. Vaughan

Y: The Last Man, Vol. 4: Safeword by Brian K. Vaughan

Y: The Last Man, Vol. 5: Ring of Truth by Brian K. Vaughan

Y: The Last Man, Volume 6: Girl on Girl by Brian K. Vaughan

Y: The Last Man, Vol. 7: Paper Dolls by Brian K. Vaughan

Y: The Last Man Vol. 8: Kimono Dragons by Brian K. Vaughan

Y: The Last Man, Vol. 9: Motherland by Brian K. Vaughan

Mother Grimm by Catherine Wells

The Earth Is All That Lasts by Catherine Wells

Children of the Earth by Catherine Wells

Earth Saver by Catherine Wells

The Rift by Walter Jon Williams

Deluge: A Romance, by S. Fowler Wright

Dawn by S. Fowler Wright

Tomorrow! (Popular giant) by Philip Wylie

Triumph by Philip Wylie

When Worlds Collide (Bison Frontiers of Imagination) by Philip Wylie

After Worlds Collide by Philip Wylie

Re-Birth (First Edition | Dust Jacket) by John [aka John Beynon’ or John Beynon Harris or Lucas Parkes] Wyndham

The Day of the Triffids (20th Century Rediscoveries) by John Wyndham

Damnation Alley by Roger Zelazny

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler

Lilith’s Brood by Octavia E. Butler

Seed to Harvest by Octavia E. Butler

Glimmering: A Novel by Elizabeth Hand

Winterlong by Elizabeth Hand

Farnham’s Freehold by Robert A. Heinlein

The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, Book 1) by Stephen King

The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower, Book 2) by Stephen King

The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower, Book 3) by Stephen King

Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower, Book 4) by Stephen King

Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower, Book 5) by Stephen King

Song of Susannah (The Dark Tower, Book 6) by Stephen King

The Dark Tower (The Dark Tower, Book 7) by Stephen King

Cell: A Novel by Stephen King

The Walking Dead, Book 1 (Bk. 1) by Robert Kirkman

The Walking Dead, Book 2 by Robert Kirkman

The Walking Dead, Book 3 by Robert Kirkman

The Walking Dead Vol. 4: The Heart’s Desire by Robert Kirkman

The Walking Dead Vol. 5: The Best Defense (v. 5) by Robert Kirkman

The Walking Dead, Vol. 6: This Sorrowful Life (v. 6) by Robert Kirkman

The Walking Dead, Book 7: The Calm Before by Robert Kirkman

The Taking by Dean Koontz

Amnesia Moon by Jonathan Lethem

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

The Tain by China Miéville

This Is the Way the World Ends by James Morrow

Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang: A Novel by Kate Wilhelm

Way of the Wolf (The Vampire Earth, Book 1) by E. E. Knight

Choice of the Cat (The Vampire Earth, Book 2) by E. E. Knight

Tale of the Thunderbolt (The Vampire Earth, Book 3) by E. E. Knight

Valentine’s Rising (The Vampire Earth, Book 4) by E. E. Knight

Valentine’s Exile (Vampire Earth, Book 5) by E. E. Knight

Valentine’s Resolve (Vampire Earth, Book 6) by E. E. Knight

The World Without Us by Alan Weisman (Not post-apocalyptic fiction, but a scientific look at what the world might look like if humans were to suddenly disappear. Should be of interest to fans of post-apocalyptic fiction.)

Field Guide to the Apocalypse: Movie Survival Skills for the End of the World by Meghann Marco