Night Surf by Stephen King (1969)

If you’ve never read The Stand before (or if you have), the Night Surf is the perfect companion to get a more complete picture of the story. While it’s not perfectly clear whether the events in the stories are related, you’re bound to discover that the narrative in Night Surf seems to happen at around the same time as The Stand. Here in the short story, a bunch of teenagers think they’re immune to a lethal virus known as A6 or Captain Trips, but of course the opposite is true.

There Will Come Soft Rains by Ray Bradbury (1950)

The city of Allendale, California is now a barren wasteland thanks to a nuclear catastrophe. But since this is California we’re talking about, a smart home is left almost completely intact. The automated systems in the house still perform their scheduled routines like preparing breakfast, washing the dishes, wiping the floor clean, and addressing the now-absent homeowners like it’s just another day at the office. A nuclear disaster failed to disable the house, so nature sends a windstorm that blows a tree branch through its window and starts a fire. The only automated system that remains active is an AI clock that endlessly announces the time and date.

Third from the Sun by Richard Matheson (1955)

Things are getting out of control at home, and the environment is increasingly harmful to life. The entire members of an unnamed family plan to escape the planet with their neighbors on a spaceship. They have to look for another planet with a liveable atmosphere and a friendly moon that’s not too far away but not too close either. No one knows where this place is; the short story only mentions that it’s the third planet from the sun. If their destination is Earth, where are they now and why did they leave to begin with?

Emergency Skin by N. K. Jemisin (2019)

Earth has been abandoned many years ago. The “Founders” along with their new human civilization now thrive on another planet without having to worry about climate change, nuclear fallout, pandemic, and the like. The only thing that bothers them is how ugly their skin has become, probably because of adaptation to the new world. To deal with this skin issue, they send an agent back to Earth to collect a sample of the HeLa culture. Once the agent returns, the sample can develop good-looking skin for the wealthy. The Founders warn the agent that Earth is only a remnant of its glory days; the inhabitants are ugly and everything is reduced to ruins. When the agent makes a landing, the agent sees only evidence to the contrary. Earth is as beautiful as ever, and the people are even prettier and kind. Some of them even immediately offer the HeLa culture to the agent with no suspicion whatsoever. But the AI, which has been planted in the agent’s brain by the Founders to maintain control, refuses to believe it.

Speech Sounds by Octavia E. Butler (1983)

Los Angeles is in a post-apocalyptic time following a disease that killed most of its population. Pockets of survivors still exist in some places in the city, but they are either unable to read or mute. Rye lives alone; her husband and children died from the disease. She can’t read, which means she can speak, but then she comes to realize that it doesn’t do her any good at all. There’s no one to talk to, anyway. Throughout years of living alone in a city that’s almost entirely in a total breakdown, she has learned that revealing her ability to speak would only invite aggressive jealousy from the other survivors. She can speak, but she just doesn’t want to do it in front of anybody else.

By the Waters of Babylon by Stephen Vincent Benét (1937)

Told from the perspective of a tribal youth in a primitive future society, this story explores the ruins of a once-great civilisation, revealed to be modern New York City. As the narrator uncovers fragments of the past, themes of knowledge, taboo, and human progress emerge in this prescient tale.

The Screwfly Solution by Raccoona Sheldon (1977)

An eerie and disturbing tale in which a biological phenomenon causes men to turn violent against women, leading to the collapse of civilisation. Blending apocalyptic horror with feminist commentary, it’s a chilling exploration of gender, control, and extinction.

A Boy and His Dog by Harlan Ellison (1969)

Set in a bleak, lawless future, this story follows a telepathic dog and his teenage companion as they scavenge for food and survival. Darkly humorous and morally complex, it critiques survivalist machismo while depicting a desolate, cruel world after nuclear war.

The Last Night of the World by Ray Bradbury (1951)

In this quiet, reflective story, people around the world dream that the world will end the next day, and accept it calmly. It’s less about chaos and more about the psychology of endings, focusing on how ordinary people might face the end with dignity.

I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison (1967)

In a bleak future where a superintelligent AI called AM has destroyed humanity and kept five survivors alive to torture for eternity, this psychological horror story explores themes of suffering, power, and hopelessness. It’s both disturbing and brilliant, with a chilling tone that has made it a staple of post-apocalyptic literature and speculative fiction.

People Also Ask: The Expanse Book Series Edition

Before we finish up, let’s go through some of the most common questions people are asking about Post-Apocalyptic Short Stories:

What is the biggest appeal of short stories?

Most people love the little build-up. Short stories often get straight to the point of the conflict and deliver quick resolution without too many complications in the way.

Recommended animated post-apocalyptic films?

Wizards (1977)

• Titan A.E. (2000)
• 9 (2009)
• Akira (1991)
• WALL·E (2008)
• Appleseed (2004)

Post-apocalyptic comics you wouldn’t want to miss:

• Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo
• Black River by Josh Simmons
• Bloodstar by Richard Corben
• Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth by Jack Kirby
• Lazarus by Greg Rucka & Michael Lark
• The “Lone Sloane” series by Philippe Druillet
• Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki
• Soft City by Pushwagner
• V for Vendetta by Alan Moore & David Lloyd
• Xenozoic Tales by Mark Schultz

Final Thoughts

We think post-apocalyptic short stories are great to take quick glances at the hypothetical worlds where all of humanity has fallen to a threat they cannot endure. Dense narratives give you rapid tours to a mixture of fantastical, mesmerizing, terrifying, and sometimes downright bizarre and violent universes, and yet you’ll get right back to your worldly reality before bedtime.

Fancy more ruined worlds, radioactive wastelands, and survivalist chaos?

Have a wander through our other post-apocalyptic articles. We’ve got rogue AIs, dusty highways, mutant creatures, and everything in between. Go on, treat yourself to something grim and gripping.

The post Quick Reads for the End of Days: Post Apocalyptic Short Stories
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The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

In this novel, readers follow Hig, a pilot, and his dog as they navigate a post-apocalyptic world. Facing loneliness and loss, Hig searches for purpose and connection while dealing with the challenges of survival. Heller’s prose captures the solitude and introspection of a man trying to find meaning in a changed world.

Buy The Dog Stars here!

The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters

In this gripping mystery novel set against the backdrop of an impending asteroid impact, Detective Hank Palace refuses to let the end of the world distract him from solving a murder. As society unravels around him and chaos looms on the horizon, Hank doggedly pursues the truth. Driven by a sense of duty and a desire for justice. Along the way, he grapples with existential questions about the meaning of life. Alongside the nature of human resilience in the face of imminent doom.

Buy The Last Policeman here!

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

This captivating YA novel follows the adventures of Lina and Doon, two young residents of the underground city of Ember. As the city’s resources dwindle and its infrastructure begins to fail, Lina and Doon embark on a quest to uncover the truth about Ember’s origins. And as a result, to find a way to save their home. Along the way, they encounter mysterious clues, strange creatures and confront the dark secrets that lie beneath the surface of their seemingly idyllic world.

Buy The City of Ember here!

Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban

Set in a post-apocalyptic England centuries after a nuclear war, this novel is written in a unique, phonetically spelt dialect that reflects the fractured nature of the society it portrays. Through the eyes of the young protagonist, Riddley Walker, readers are immersed in a world of superstition, ritual, and survivalism. As Riddley embarks on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment, he grapples with questions of identity, destiny, and the enduring power of myth.

Buy Riddley Walker here!

The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi

In this harrowing sequel to “Ship Breaker,” Bacigalupi explores themes of loyalty, friendship, and the impact of war on young lives. It is set in a future America ravaged by climate change and geopolitical conflict. The novel follows the lives of two orphaned teenagers, Mahlia and Mouse, as they navigate the treacherous waters of the drowned cities. Along the way, they encounter ruthless warlords, mercenaries, and a mysterious bioengineered creature that could hold the key to humanity’s salvation.

Buy The Drowned Cities here!

The Postman by David Brin

This epic adventure novel follows the journey of a nameless drifter who stumbles upon a bag of mail. As a result, he takes on the mantle of a postman in a world ravaged by war and plague. As he travels from town to town, delivering messages of hope and unity, the postman becomes a symbol of resistance against tyranny and despair. Along the way, he encounters allies and adversaries, faces impossible odds, and learns the true power of communication in shaping the destiny of nations.

Buy The Postman here!

The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones

In a future America divided between protected areas and dangerous regions infested with deadly ticks, the novel follows a group of individuals who venture beyond the safety of the Salt Line. Facing threats and uncovering secrets, the characters navigate a world where danger lurks at every turn. Holly Goddard Jones weaves a tale of suspense and exploration in a dystopian landscape.

Buy The Salt Line here!

The Shore of Women by Pamela Sargent

This thought-provoking novel imagines a future society in which women have rebuilt civilisation in the aftermath of a devastating nuclear war. When a group of men reemerges from the wilderness, challenging the matriarchal order, tensions flare and old wounds resurface. As the two groups struggle to coexist, they must confront their deepest fears and prejudices while forging new alliances and charting a path toward reconciliation.

Buy The Shore of Women here!

The Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Set in a near-future America plagued by climate change, economic inequality, and societal collapse, this visionary novel follows the journey of a young woman named Lauren Olamina as she navigates a world on the brink of chaos. Through Lauren’s eyes, readers are immersed in a landscape of violence, despair, uncertainty, resilience, hope, and the transformative power of community. As Lauren found her religion, Earthseed, she offers a vision of the future that is both prophetic and profoundly human.

Buy The Parable of the Sower here!

The Book of M by Peng Shepherd

In The Book of M, Shepherd explores the nature of memory, identity, and love in a world. People’s shadows are disappearing, taking their memories and eventually their identities with them. As the phenomenon spreads and society begins to unravel, a couple named Ory and Max embark on a desperate journey. Their goal: to save Max from losing herself completely. Along the way, they encounter other survivors, face unimaginable dangers, and confront the ultimate question of what it means to be human in a world that is rapidly slipping away.

Buy The Book of M here!

The Dark Tower by Stephen King

Roland Deschain is the last Gunslinger alive. His mission is to discover the mythical Dark Tower, believed to be the pillar that holds the universe together. If the mission fails, the already warped time and space in the post-apocalyptic world will sow nothing but further chaos. Roland is not alone in his quest as a talking dog, a sorcerer, and a psychic boy accompany him. The Dark Tower is a tale of friendship and the eternal battle between evil and good, despair and hope.

Dying Earth by Jack Vance

First published 75 years ago, Dying Earth tells the story of the sun undergoing a rapid decline. Planet Earth is suffering the consequences. Only a fraction of the human population remains, and they don’t enjoy living under a dying sun very much at all. A group of brave adventurers embarks on a journey to find an alternative home, where they can settle just before the Earth finally succumbs to the cold. As expected, the journey is full of challenges from pirates, savages, diseases, and beasts of all sorts. The novel promises a rather dark premise but is sprinkled with a healthy dose of clever imagination and humor.

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

Events in Prince of Thorns are set in post-apocalyptic Europe, where Jorg is the young Prince of Renar. Following a bloody battle, he is betrayed and left for dead. But like any other enjoyable fantasy, Jorg gets back on his feet and sets out on a plan to make those who betrayed him pay for their crimes. Along the way, he encounters a beautiful woman, strange creatures, and deadly enemies.

The Green Priest by Ryan Law

In the hollowed-out refuge called Shelters, there live a group of survivors who find comfort in their simple existence amidst the overgrown and flooded ruins of civilization. Rumors have it that religious leaders known as the Green Priests are in possession of incomprehensible secrets and powers beyond understanding, capable of reshaping the world as they see fit. When a young survivor named Halvar bumps into an ancient artifact, little does he know that it triggers the beginning of the Priests’ awakening. The novel features a good mix of low-fantasy and conventional post-apocalyptic elements to give you a refreshing take on the world’s end narrative.

The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe

Events in The Shadow of the Torturer are set in the distant future, long after the world was struck to near oblivion by a nuclear fallout. Lucky survivors made their way to a city protected by a barrier made of magical power. A new society emerged inside the city, albeit a feudal one where the ruling class claims authority for they can wield magic and use the power as a political tool.

Our main character here is a boy named Severian, who has been falsely sentenced to die for a crime committed by someone else. When the day of the execution comes, mysterious people from an unknown society come to the rescue. His real journey begins here as he sets out on a quest to discover a lost city and save humanity. Severian has to go through a nightmarish world in his quest and deal with metaphysical challenges before everything comes to a conclusion. He might not even be the person he thinks he is. The novel is the first volume in The Book of the New Sun series.

The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett

Demons have destroyed the world as we know it. The constant degradation of the planet is relentless until someone or something can put a stop to their evil powers. Humans have been fighting against the creatures almost to no avail. Arlen might be the key to defeating the demons. The young boy has discovered the secret to keeping them at bay. He is not an all-powerful hero, but thanks to him, humanity has a real chance to make a victorious comeback and save the world.

People Also Ask: Survival Fantasy Book Edition

Before we finish up, let’s go through some of the most common questions people are asking about Fantasy Books, focusing on survival:

What is the apocalypse genre of fantasy?

Post-apocalypse and fantasy combine into a sub-genre called Post-Apocalyptic fantasy. This is where fantastical themes get placed in a future of devastation.

What is the genre of the post-apocalyptic book?

Books that picture a world/future after a tragic global event has occurred.

Is post-apocalyptic sci-fi or fantasy?

The post-apocalyptic genre lies more in science fiction but can nudge towards fantasy, as shown by the books above.

What is prepper fiction?

Often referred to as a disaster novel or apocalypse fiction, the idea behind prepper fiction is to have someone or a group of people cautiously in anticipation of a catastrophe. They make all the necessary preparations (hence prepper) to deal with the foreseeable challenges following the doomsday event.

Recommended post-apocalyptic book series:

– The Dark Tower by Stephen King (8 books)

– Silo by Hugh Howey (3 books)

– The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (3 books)

– Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (4 books)

– The Passage by Justin Cronin (3 books)

– The Three Californias Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson (3 books)

– The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman (32 books)

– The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe (4 books)

Fancy more enchanted realms, mythical beasts, and magical mischief?

Have a wander through our other fantasy book articles. We’ve got sword-wielding witches, talking forests, cursed royals, and everything in between. Go on, treat yourself to something magical and strange.

The post 16 Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy Books To Explore the Fantastical World of Survival appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

Stories in nuclear apocalypse books are set either shortly before the doomsday event, during the catastrophe, in its immediate aftermath (as opposed to decades or centuries), or a combination of those. Much of the discussion revolves around humanity as it undergoes the disaster over the course of the story, and how society begins to crumble with little hope of repairing the damage. Nuclear-related disasters have been a staple in Western apocalyptic fiction for decades, presumably because of the fear of it really happening after World War II and during the Cold War. While you can certainly find newer nuclear apocalypse novels published post-2000, we think it might be a good idea to look at some classics you’d probably like to read again.

Top 13 Nuclear Apocalypse Books

Down to a Sunless Sea (1979) by David Graham

On the Beach (1957) by Nevil Shute

A nuclear war begins in Europe, before it quickly escalates and involves just about every major country in the world. Egypt launches its warheads to the United Kingdom and the United States, while NATO is busy eliminating the Soviet Union. China also has to deal with the Soviet Union’s attacks at the same time. Most of the bombs used in the war contain cobalt to intensify the radioactive properties. Australia is mostly spared from the war itself, but they cannot escape from the rapidly approaching radiation. “On the Beach” offers a gloomy perspective on a group of people in Australia as they try to cope with the prospect of a certain radiation-induced agonizing death.

Swan Song (1987) by Robert McCammon

If you prefer a touch of supernatural elements in your apocalypse fiction, you can’t go wrong with “Swan Song” by Robert McCammon. As the title suggests, the book tells the journey of Swan, a young woman with an extraordinary ability to connect with plant life, allowing her to grow any plant at an accelerated rate and actually resurrect dead plants. The story opens with a nuclear war between the US and the Soviet Union. The only likely outcome is that the world turns into a nearly uninhabitable wasteland. Many people survive the initial blasts, but now they have to live with prolonged nuclear winter, illnesses, and food scarcity. Even after seven years, the nuclear winter still has not dissipated.

When the Wind Blows (1986) – Raymond Briggs

Let’s switch things a little; “When the Wind Blows” is technically a graphic novel, but that shows how good or bad a book is. And with this graphic novel, you probably won’t find anything like it ever again. It’s funny, heartwarming, devastating, shocking, beautiful, and horrific in one package. The story follows the mundane day-to-day lives of an elderly couple, Jim and Hilda. After hearing the news that a nuclear strike is imminent, Jim has enough time to build a shelter with all the optimism in the world that he and his wife would survive. They do survive the blast, but then they suffer from symptoms of radiation sickness. Shivering and headaches come first, followed by diarrhea and vomiting. Bleeding gums and blue bruising attack later.

This is the Way the World Ends (1986) by James Morrow

First thing first, “This is the Way the World Ends” does talk about nuclear disaster, but it’s not your typical sci-fi. It’s a fantasy about nuclear apocalypse. George Paxton knows a nuclear attack is imminent, so he wants to give his daughter a special suit said to protect the wearer from nuclear blast and radiation. He has to sign an agreement that basically acknowledges his complicity in the nuclear race. Despite having nothing to do with any of that, he agrees anyway and gets the suit he wants. It doesn’t work as advertised. His family, including the young daughter, are wiped out in a nuclear war. Paxton survives and is put on trial by all the unborn children of the world for his complicity in the war.

Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

“Alas, Babylon” is a gripping portrayal of a small town in Florida struggling for survival after a nuclear war devastates the United States. The novel follows the efforts of the residents as they face scarcity, lawlessness, and the challenges of rebuilding a community. Themes of human resilience, resourcefulness, and the fragility of civilization are central to this post-apocalyptic narrative.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Set in a desolate, post-apocalyptic world, “The Road” follows a father and son as they navigate a bleak landscape stripped of life by an unspecified catastrophe, likely nuclear in nature. McCarthy’s prose delves into the profound and haunting relationship between the characters, exploring themes of hope, despair, and the human capacity for both cruelty and compassion in the face of utter devastation.

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.

“A Canticle for Leibowitz” spans centuries in a post-apocalyptic world recovering from nuclear devastation. The story revolves around a monastery that preserves knowledge in a society struggling to rebuild. The novel explores themes of faith, the cyclical nature of history, and the persistent challenges of preserving and understanding human knowledge amidst the ruins of civilization.

Metro 2033 by Dmitry Glukhovsky

Set in the dark tunnels of the Moscow Metro after a nuclear war, “Metro 2033” follows the protagonist as he navigates a world filled with mutated creatures and human factions. The novel combines elements of horror, survival, and political intrigue, offering a unique perspective on the challenges of life in a subterranean post-apocalyptic society.

The Postman by David Brin

“The Postman” is set in a world ravaged by war and chaos. A drifter finds a postal worker’s uniform and, assuming the role begins to bring hope to isolated communities. The novel explores the power of symbols, the impact of individual actions on society, and the potential for rebuilding civilization in the aftermath of a devastating collapse.

Z for Zachariah” by Robert C. O’Brien

In this young adult novel, a teenage girl believes she is the last person alive after a nuclear war. Her solitude is disrupted when she encounters another survivor. “Z for Zachariah” explores themes of trust, survival, and the complexities of human relationships in the face of extreme isolation and the remnants of a shattered world.

Lucifer’s Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

“Lucifer’s Hammer” by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle is a gripping and scientifically grounded disaster novel that chronicles the devastating impact of a massive comet striking Earth. The story follows a diverse group of survivors in Southern California as they navigate the immediate chaos, the long and brutal struggle for survival in a drastically altered world, and the emergence of new societal structures – both good and terrifying. It’s a compelling tale of human resilience, societal breakdown, and the fight to rebuild civilization in the face of overwhelming catastrophe.

One Second After by William R. Forstchen

In “One Second After,” an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack cripples electronic devices, plunging the United States into chaos. The novel focuses on a small town’s struggle for survival as it faces the breakdown of modern technology, scarcity of resources, and the challenges of maintaining order. It explores the consequences of societal collapse and the resilience of individuals and communities in the face of a technologically induced apocalypse.

We think nuclear apocalypse books make for a compelling reminder of the “potential” inevitability of a nuclear war when two or more exceedingly powerful nations have been involved in conflicting international interests. If those powerful nations do have nuclear warheads in their arsenals, it’s only apparent that they’ve been implementing some sort of restraint policy. Nuclear apocalypse fictions assume that the nations have reached a point where differences have become too much to bear. They conclude that a nuclear attack is a viable solution. Also, one of the most important lessons from nuclear fictions is that it doesn’t really matter how we approach the situation, the result will be the same. One can either cling to their optimism or deal with the fact in desperation, but for most people, death is a certainty in the wake of a nuclear fallout.

Can you recommend some notable nuclear apocalypse books? Which genre do you like best, apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic? We’d love to hear from you.

Other Things You Might Want to Know

What are the most common types of apocalypses used in Nuclear Apocalypse Books?

The apocalypse in fiction can come in any shape or form, but the most common ones are:

Nuclear fallout or disaster

• Widespread zombie infection
• Worldwide pandemic
• Alien invasion
• Climate catastrophe
• Religious rapture, as in Biblical flood, judgment day, etc.
• Asteroid impact
• Technological disaster, like AI revolution

Which country has the most nuclear weapons?

Russia sits at the top with more than 5,500 “confirmed” nuclear warheads. The United States is in second place with 5,044 nuclear weapons; many of them are hosted in other countries, including Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Turkey, and Belgium. Both Russia and the United States have nearly 90% of the entire nuclear warheads in the world. North Korea and Israel also have nuclear weapons, but numbers are never confirmed. It is estimated that North Korea has enough material to build around 50 nuclear warheads, while Israel has enough to make 200 of them.

How deadly is a nuclear warhead?

It depends on various factors such as location and altitude of the explosion and where it is detonated. For instance, a 15 kilotons yield nuke (the equivalent of the Little Boy atomic bomb), detonated at ground level in downtown New York, would kill close to 137,000 people and injure 177,000 others. A single W87 nuclear warhead carries around 300 kilotons yield.

The post Echoes of Doom: Best Nuclear Apocalypse Books appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

For sure, Zone One still features the usual survivalist narrative, such as when Mark Spitz – the main character – spends his time running from zombies during the early days of the outbreak, but the number of pages for such a struggle only accounts for a tiny portion of the general theme. The bulk of the novel tells the story of Mark Spitz as a member of a sweeper unit tasked with eradicating the undead, both the aggressive and the dormant kinds, from the face of Manhattan for good.

Zone One begins in a non-unusual way when a zombie outbreak, subsequently known as the “Last Night” took place and swept the world in a rapid series of destruction to reduce the vast majority of the human population into cannibal monsters. Scattered survivors were forced into hiding from the sleepless horde of zombies without much of a plan or even hope to survive in the long run. But things have changed now. A nascent government has reformed in Buffalo, New York. Somebody in a high place has issued orders, delivering supplies, sending reinforcements, and instilling a refreshed sense of optimism for survivors. And it’s not just hearsay; the government has successfully organized some campaigns to retake the civilizations, with some camps reportedly becoming home to over 15,000 residents. Civilization is about to make a comeback in New York.

Their next big target is Manhattan, or Zone One, as the government calls it. Just like everywhere else in America, there are two types of undead in the city: the aggressive flesh-eating skels, and the catatonic harmless stragglers. Most of them have been eliminated by the military. It’s now the job of civilian sweeper units to eliminate the supposedly little remaining threats. Mark Spitz is one of those units.

The novel follows the story of Mark Spitz over the course of just three days, from Friday to Sunday, as he and his two comrades in the Omega unit carry out the duty to make sure that the area has zero zombies. It’s not exactly too much to ask even for armed civilians, but Mark Spitz has his own problems with PASD (Post-Apocalyptic Stress Disorder). His personal struggle with the mental condition is actually what drives the story forward in Zone One.

Nearly the entire mission is filled with flashbacks, guiding the readers to a better understanding of the precariousness in Manhattan and the old reality. Zone One is “the end of the world as we know it” in every sense of the word. It tells the tale of the demise of humanity in the most American way possible: with glittering lights of hope, the mighty military power, and acts of heroism from the ordinary citizens. Americans will not go down without a fight, even if it means denying the futility of resistance and the absurdity of their predicaments. It doesn’t really matter if the plague is a form of eco backlash or god-sent punishment – there’s always faith that God is merciful, a scientific solution to a thoroughly observed problem, or a military answer to terrorism. The zombies might be a form of godly apocalypse, a series of events triggered by mere coincidence in the galaxy, or an evil plan by powerful villains: Americans will handle it one way or another.

All the cultural protocols are here, from menial things like sidewalk etiquette to big questions like the meaning of life. The government, the determined citizens, and the reference to capitalism also make their marks, too. Mark Spitz himself represents the ordinary citizen tasked with taking part in the collective effort to retake America from unwelcomed zombies.

He has spent much of his life as just another guy from Long Island. But it all doesn’t matter now. All the talents in the world, the political power, the cleverness, and superiority of any sort are no longer relevant. All the zombies have rendered everyone mediocre; and in a world full of mediocrity, Mark Spitz might just come out as a hero. Whether Spitz and the nation at large actually overcome their zombie issues is never clearly given in the novel, but it’s clear that even if America fails at the end, the nation does it with all the “Americanness” they can muster. It’s the end of the United States as the Americans know it.

We think Zone One is mostly about the anxieties surrounding humans’ questionable abilities to rebuild the world. There’s no guarantee that even the most politically powerful people can bring the world back to its pre-Last Night state simply because they’re still using the old rules and methods; in this new world devastated by zombies, the old rules just don’t apply anymore.

Nobody knows how to deal with the consequences of such a major life-changing disaster. What they do simply is a desperate attempt to cling on to dear life rather than to construct a new, robust society. But when all seems lost, however, at least they can keep on fighting and experiment with new ideas to keep the hope for a better humanity alive in the meantime.

Can zombies actually run the world just like humans? Can you name a novel or film where zombies or vampires actually function like a modern civilization? We’d love to hear from you.

Other Things You Might Want to Know

Short Stories and essays by Colson Whitehead:

Short stories

●      “Down in Front (2004)

●      The Gangsters (2008)

●      The Match (2019)

●      The Theresa Job (2021)

Essays

●      Lost and Found (2001)

●      A Psychotronic Childhood (2012)

●      Hard Times in the Uncanny Valley (2012)

●      Occasional Dispatches from the Republic of Anhedonia (2013)

Does Colson Whitehead have any of his novels adapted into a film?

The upcoming film “Nickel Boys” (scheduled for release in September 2024), is based on Whitehead’s novel “The Nickel Boys” for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2020. The novel itself explores the plight of Elwood Curties, a young African-American student at the Nickel Academy, which is a fictional version of the historic Dozier School for Boys.

Who exactly is Mark Spitz?

The main protagonist in Zone One is called Mark Spitz, but that’s not his actual name. The real Mark Spitz is a former competitive swimmer who won seven gold medals – each with a world-record time – at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. Everyone in the novel calls the main character “Mark Spitz” as a joke because he cannot actually swim.

Check out other articles by month:

• April 2023
• March 2023
• February 2023
• January 2023
• December 2022
• November 2022
• October 2022
• September 2022
• August 2022
• July 2022
• June 2022
• May 2022
• April 2022

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The rushed vaccine transformed the streets of America into a massive open morgue. It would take a monumental cleaning and disinfecting task force to get rid of the public health hazard for good, but it wasn’t really necessary at all because the corpses never stayed dead long enough. They rose from the dead and became a horde of mindless cannibal zombies, hunting for survivors. Michael Talbot, a self-deprecating prepper, is forced to take on a dangerous path to survival while protecting his family and friends from the insatiable undead.

Except for being a former Marine, Talbot is no extraordinary man. He enjoys video games, beers, and in fact, zombie movies. Preparing for the apocalypse is nothing more than a hobby for him, which is why the arsenal in his stockpile is almost as ridiculous as having infinite ammo in a Resident Evil game. It’s fiction, but perhaps some people do have more or less the same weapons as Talbot does here, and that’s scary depending on who you ask.

In most good horror stories, the main character – even the character poised for taking the role as a hero – is supposed to be slightly taken aback by the presence of the villains (in this case, zombies) in the neighborhood. But Talbot is not your usual hero; instead of trembling in fear, he actually is so excited by the presence of hordes of the undead around his front yard. However, the enjoyment is short-lived upon realization that his son is still trapped at work. Talbot’s plight to rescue his boy turns out to be only the starting point of all the terrible, and sometimes downright weird, series of events the survivors have to endure throughout the novel.

This first of numerous volumes in the Zombie Fallout series tells its story in a journal style, which allows you to get a good grasp of Talbot’s rationale just as he’s trying to make sense of the outbreak and justify his every decision in the struggle for survival. Mostly in the beginning of the novel, you’ll encounter some moments where he digresses and rants about everything in life. The rant might appear like a deviation at a glance, but it really does humanize Talbot to a good extent. If you were in the same situation as him, no matter how prepared you thought you were, relentlessly complaining about some random stuff started to look normal. Most of his interactions here involve his small circle of family, friends, and antagonists, but none are particularly sources of excitement for him.

Zombie Fallout quickly becomes a wild ride with a barrage of dark humors coming out of everywhere. Some will find it funny, while others may see them as plain-and-simple disgusting, but all likely agree that the jokes are, more often than not, offensive to say the least. All along the cross-country journey from Colorado to Maine – with some stops at some other places – Talbot and the gang encounter their fair share of dangers, actions, rescues, and serious moments, but not without slapstick, fart jokes, and snarky sarcasms all over.

As a gentle warning, the novel doesn’t even hold back when it comes to being politically-incorrect about race and gender. Sometimes, the lines are delivered so casually as if they’re not meant to be jokes, making them feel even more authentically offensive.

We think Zombie Fallout, as the first in a long series of books, does an excellent job at laying the groundwork for unpredictable, elaborate, fascinating narrative for many volumes to come. This is not to say that the first book is a laborious read; quite the contrary, it’s pretty fast-paced and sprinkled with plenty of unexpected developments already. It has the elements of horror – as expected from a zombie story – but you also get a generous dose of family drama, action, and certainly humor. There’s no other way to say it: the narrative is made even more compelling thanks to the dark (often borderline offensive) jokes – otherwise, Zombie Fallout would be just another volume in a pile of zombie novels on the shelf.

Do you find the book offensive or simply humorous? Can you give one reason (or two) why zombie books with comedic undertones, instead of plain horror, are getting more popular these days? We’d love to hear from you.

Other Things You Might Want to Know

Is the series coming to TV?

Mark Tufo has worked with producer Steven Adams and Theo Dumont (a marketing directive from Buffalo 8) as well as executive producers Weston Scott and Brad Thomas to adapt Zombie Fallout to TV series. Discussion for the adaptation started in 2016, but there hasn’t been any news about its state of development or whether the plan remains alive at all.

Stand-alone books by Mark Tufo:

• The Spirit Clearing: A Michael Talbot Adventure
• Callis Rose
• Mark’s Merry Mayhem
• The Parent Plague: A Free Halloween Short

What is a Prepper?

The consensus says that a prepper is someone who gathers or stockpiles resources and materials in preparation for surviving a cataclysmic event, such as a natural disaster or zombie apocalypse. That said, to be a true prepper, you also have to hone your survival skills, which often involve getting used to handling firearms, hunting for food, crafting medicines, and treating injuries.

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The post Survival of the Wittiest: Humor and Horror in Zombie Fallout appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

The novel focuses on Mark Spitz (not an actual name), a proudly mediocre member of one civilian sweeper unit. It’s a 300-page novel, depicting three days of his real-time action. One thing that makes Zone One a refreshingly unique novel of its kind is how the story doesn’t really delve deep into the typical zombie action, gore, and killing, but focuses more on the introspection of Mark Spitz himself.

First thing first, Mark Spitz suffers from Post-Apocalyptic Stress Disorder (PASD). Throughout his duty in a three-person sweeper unit stationed at Manhattan, he suffers from many episodes of flashbacks that often force him to contemplate the meaning of life. There’s no telling what kind of self-reflection he’s about to encounter. In some moments, he sees Manhattan as a dreamy place in his childhood; in others, it’s the struggle to defend against the zombies and the picture of a collapsed society. Sometimes PASD strikes with a reminder of the working gentrification of Manhattan before and after the zombie outbreak. And every single of those episodes brings the story to different places, jobs, people.

The zombies are not exactly called as such in the novel. They’re categorized into two types: the stragglers, the benign zombies who are forever stuck in mundane actions (such as kite-flying or photocopying), and the skels, the aggressive mindless cannibals that will stop at nothing to get a taste of human flesh.

Gentrification

You can’t help but notice that the topic of “gentrification” keeps popping up in many pages throughout the novel. As a matter of fact, it’s undoubtedly the overarching topic of social critique as Mark Spitz and co continue to sweep through vacant buildings and skyscrapers across the borough. Mark Spitz recalled the younger days when he used to sit on his uncle’s balcony, enjoying the view of Manhattan sky and the neighborhoods below. It’s pretty with all its imperfections by all measures, but there’s a hidden anxiety to point out everywhere: the wrecking ball tasked by the zoning commission to replace old steel with new shiny ones. Taking a role in the sweeper unit makes Mark feel like he is the gentrifier of today’s Manhattan.

To some extent, the psychogeography of the city never really changed at all. Residents have no choice but to leave their buildings because of some changes in the policy, and the new residents will be forced to move out in the future unless they can really cope with every new reality to come. Manhattan is a borough of perpetual change. There will always be new people in new high rises, although the addresses likely remain the same. Old buildings send people away, and the fresh ones rise from the rubble as invitations to get integrated into the shimmer of the city. Even those who live in the “Happy Acres” are not always spared from the misery of gentrification.

And at the end of the story, the humans’ attempt to be the gentrifiers in Manhattan might be futile because the skels break down the barricade that’s supposed to keep them out of Zone One. They take the street and purge Manhattan of all humans, and in practice make the skels the gentrifier. They do so not only to get their dose of human flesh but also to overtake the streets, the space, the buildings, and the city for themselves.

We think Colson Whitehead uses zombies to depict how fragile human society really is. It also taps into our inclination to recall memories of the past when overwhelming peril lies directly ahead. This is showcased by the survivors’ likelihood of indulging in setting up social organizations and crafting a makeshift government, as if creating an old sense of normalcy works as a coping method. But regardless of what the survivors are trying to do, complete annihilation of humans is inevitable. Zone One pictures a bleak future, although it does offer some good observation into humans’ behavioral tendencies in what remains of their old society. Hope always lies in the average citizens and how far they’re willing to go to preserve their mediocrity.

Is there any way you can relate the zombies in the novel with the latest COVID-19 pandemic? Do you think the storyline makes a decent description of societal collapse? We’d love to hear from you.

Other Things You Might Want to Know

Fiction books by Colson Whitehead:

●      The Intuitionist (1999)

●      John Henry Days (2001)

●      Apex Hides the Hurt (2006)

●      Sag Harbor (2009)

●      The Underground Railroad (2016)

●      The Nickel Boys (2019)

●      Harlem Shuffle (2021)

●      Crook Manifesto (2023)

Books like Zone One:

●      Monster Island by David Wellington (2006)

●      Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse – Anthology (2008)

●      30 Days of Night by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith (2002)

●      Dark Recollections by Chris Philbrook (2013)

●      Autumn: The City by David Moody (2011)

What is PTSD?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) refers to a mental health condition triggered by horrifying events in the past – either witnessing the events or experiencing them. Symptoms may include nightmares, suicidal thoughts, paranoia, hallucinations, severe anxiety, and flashbacks. Some patients also have difficulties separating hallucinations from reality during an episode of PTSD.

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 appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

People simply didn’t know that the CDC had been under a lot of pressure from the highest office in the country to expedite the experimentation and deliver meaningful results. The research basically turned into a rush job, which led to two glaring mistakes: the scientists used a live virus to conduct the experiments, and they didn’t have time to test for side effects before approval. Within just days after the research was completed, hundreds of thousands of ready-to-use vaccines were sent across the world.

Unaware of the reckless job by the CDC, everybody was waiting in line to get a shot. As expected, it didn’t take long until the CDC heard and saw disturbing things about the vaccine. In just a matter of hours, about 95% of people who received their shot died from the live virus used in the vaccination. As if that wasn’t terrible enough, the dead bodies soon reanimated and wandered around the streets looking for fresh meals: the irresistible taste of human flesh. And this brought us to the beginning of Michael Talbot’s story in the first volume of the Zombie Fallout series.

Whether it’s a coincidence, Talbot is a self-proclaimed survivalist, or a prepper, if you prefer the catchier term. In a story where the cannibal undead are actively searching for the next victims, being with a survivalist can indeed bring a sense of relief and safety, no matter how small it might be.

Mark Tufo, the author, does a pretty good job of adding some new elements to the classic zombie truism. For example, the zombies can move quickly (while this isn’t a new thing now, remember that Zombie Fallout first came out 14 years ago) and there’s also zombie/vampire hybrid species – both add to the sense of urgency and level of peril in the tale. You even get children zombies, which are not less dangerous than the adult ones.

But the old way keeps a firm presence here: it’s apparent that Tufo still likes his zombies in their normally perceived unnatural state. They are essentially walking corpses that cannot help but hunt aggressively for the living. Despite their rotting faces and bodies, sometimes Talbot can still recognize them at first glance. They were once humans, after all – they used to be normal people who had families, jobs, hobbies, favorite movies, and any sort of individual peculiarities. And then suddenly, they’re now running beasts whose only intention is to devour him. The zombies’ past lives as humans allow the story to be an effective (or reflective) examination of the society at large, making Zombie Fallout feel like Talbot’s personal journey to get a better understanding of human conditions.

At its core, Zombie Fallout remains a survival story. The novel chronicles the plight of a few human survivors as they try to outrun and outmaneuver the zombie hordes at every corner. At first, Talbot refuses to see that the zombies are likely targeting him specifically, but he will gradually take on the new reality as the story progresses. While other survivors don’t always fare better than he does, the realization makes Talbot’s situation even more precarious than ever, although it also gives them somewhat of an advantage.

Zombie Fallout isn’t exactly a complex novel. The plot line is not actually that hard to follow, despite the sheer amount of characters Talbot encounters during his exploits. Many of those characters come and go quickly, never to be seen again in the book. What the novel lacks in complexity or sophistication, it more than makes up for in dark sarcasms as an attempt to make light of bleak situations.

We think there’s a good mix-and-match of monsters put into the storyline. For a book that clearly says “Zombie Fallout” on the cover, you get a lot more than you expect. For sure, the conventional zombie apocalypse elements are still present, but there are enough twists and turns to lead the narrative to the presence of vampires, werewolves, zombie/vampire hybrids, and undead children to name a few. Navigating the treacherous landscape with a fair share of dark jokes here and there, the main character effortlessly lets you know that he’s not afraid of many types of zombies, and that’s a straightforward good thing to have in a hero. The book isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s enjoyable if you don’t take it too seriously.

Do you think Talbot’s plan as a prepper will work as intended? Is it just a coincidence that Mike Talbot, who is a prepper, survives the initial outbreak? We’d love to hear from you.

Other Things You Might Want to Know

Zombie Fallout book series in order (ongoing):

Zombie Fallout: Zero (2010)

1. Zombie Fallout (2010)
2. A Plague Upon Your Family  (2010)
3. The End.. (2011)
4. Dr. Hugh Mann (2011)
5. The End Has Come and Gone (2011)
6. Alive In A Dead World (2012)
7. ‘Till Death Do Us Part (2012)
8. For the Fallen (2013)
9. An Old Beginning (2014)
10. Tattered Remnants (2015)
11. Those Left Behind (2017)
12. Etna Station (2018)
13. Dog Dayz (2019)
14. The Perfect Betrayal (2019)
15. The Trembling Path (2020)
16. Sifting Through The Ashes (2020)
17. Hiraeth (2021)
18. The Lost Journals (2022)
19. Altered Destinies (2022)
20. Unearthed (2022)
21. Shores Of Despair (2023)
22. Burden of Time (2023)
23. Bridging the Gap (2024)
24. The Broken Road (2024)
25. Zombie Fallout 25 (2024, upcoming)

Other book series by Mark Tufo:

Indian Hill (7 book series)

• Lycan Fallout (7 book series)
• Dystance (3 book series)
• The Book Of Riley A Zombie Tale (5 book series)
• Devils Desk (2 book series)
• Timothy (3 book series)

Some other humorous zombie books to read:

Zombie Haiku: Good Poetry For Your … Brains By Ryan Mecum

• The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead By Max Brooks
• Zombocalypse Now By Matt Youngmark
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies By Jane Austen, Seth Grahame-Smith
• Ex-Heroes By Peter Clines

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• April 2023
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The post A Unique Take on Zombies in Zombie Fallout appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

Even until today, the consensus maintains that Feed is just as unique as it once was, despite having been in circulation for more than a decade.

World-Building

One of the major points of high praise is the world-building aspect, in the sense that Feed offers a detailed narrative with an instantly clear and thrilling delivery. The novel is thorough without getting too technical about the virus, the government response, the long-term impact on society, and risk mitigation efforts by the public at large. Thanks to the practical thoroughness, the story comes with good credibility and is an easy read overall.

Events in “Feed” by Mira Grant are set about 20 years following an incident known as The Rising, where a man-made zombie virus went airborne and infected every single person in the United States. But not everyone turned into a zombie; the virus would lie dormant at first until it got triggered by one of several very specific conditions before the virus began the amplification process and transformed an otherwise normal person into a mindless killer with insatiable hunger for human flesh. Among those triggers included death, in which case the virus would take over and reanimate the corpse, and direct contact with an already zombified specimen where a live host was bitten. While cases of spontaneous zombification were not impossible, they were rare at best.

The zombie outbreak was bad, but not so bleak that you could call it an apocalypse. Many people survived back then, and the society today still pretty much works as a modern civilization with electricity, plumbing, and the Internet. Apart from the constant blood testing to keep the “zombification” under control in an all-infected population, everything else remains mostly unchanged. You still have a functioning government; in fact, the narrative is set during the height of a presidential campaign in the country.

Learning their lessons from the less-than-credible conventional media during the outbreak, people have now turned to blogs for their daily dose of news. Some bloggers are by-the-book news journalists, including Georgia, our main protagonist here. There are also bloggers who focus on giving opinions – but still based on facts – like her brother Shaun, while others such as their friend, Buffy, focus on personal and fictional stories. All three have been selected as the official correspondents for a senator’s presidential campaign trip. In between the mostly uneventful days of the campaign, they encounter some zombie attacks that lead to an investigation of a larger conspiracy involving the presidential candidates.

Getting accepted for the positions means a sudden exponential growth of the brother-sister news site, After The End Times, and a big chance to be a major name in the industry. Considering the country is in a perpetual state of zombie infection, however, their lives could also be in danger.

Characterization

As for the characters, you can almost say that the cast in Feed is somewhat predictable. Let’s not forget that except for the flashback to the initial zombie outbreak, the entire storyline happens during a presidential campaign trip, so expecting a smooth character development is a bit of a stretch here. That being said, it doesn’t mean there isn’t any, either.

For example, it’s good that the novel gives a bit of a background story to Georgia and Shaun, who grew up as orphans in the aftermath of the zombie uprising. Both of them were adopted by the Masons and since then have been living their lives chasing big stories like real investigative journalists. It might not be entirely clear how they’ve become so proficient at what they do, but in the end they’re selected as members of the news team that follows presidential candidate Senator Peter Ryman on his bid for the highest office. They’ve encountered zombie attacks throughout the campaign trail, putting his life and everyone else’s around him at risk.

That a presidential campaign selects bloggers – out of so many TV reporters or reputable journalists – to be part of the press corp might be borderline ridiculous, but at least it doesn’t come out as improbable given the traditional media’s reluctance on reporting any zombie-related news in the past. Georgia, the by-the-book blogger who narrates much of the story in Feed, doesn’t believe that the attacks on the campaign are mere coincidences and will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of the mystery.

We think Mira Grant’s Feed is a praiseworthy take on the zombie narrative with detailed world-building and well-structured plot points, alternating from joyful adventures and tensions as the characters fight against zombies and check their blog traffic. The novel might present itself as some sort of political thriller, but we prefer seeing it simply as a satire of journalism and zombie tropes. It is essentially a fun zombie book that never for once tries to take itself too seriously. The result is a unique and enjoyable read, but never corny.

If the zombie virus is man made, don’t you think we can also develop a cure? Do you think there is an element of utopia in the story? We’d love to hear from you.

Other Things You Might Want to Know

What is the nature of the relationship between Georgia and Shaun?

Admittedly, the lack of clear explanation about the relationship between Georgia and Shaun makes for one of the most unsettling elements of the story. They came from different families, but then they were adopted by the Masons and raised as brother and sister. Georgia and Shaun are not biological siblings, but they’re probably too close to each other for readers’ comfort. Sometimes, when they’re on the road, they even share a bed by choice.

Comic books by Mira Grant:

Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider (ongoing series)

• X-Men Black: Mystique (2018)
• Age of X-Man: The Amazing Nightcrawler (2019)
• Ghost-Spider (ongoing series)
• King In Black: Gwenom vs. Carnage (2021)
• Magic: Soul and Stone (2023)

Popular story collections by Mira Grant:

When Will You Rise: Stories to End the World (2012)

• Letters to the Pumpkin King (2014)
• Laughter at the Academy (2019)
• Apocalypse Scenarios: These are the Ways the World Ends (2022)
• The Proper Thing and Other Stories (2024)

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• December 2022
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• July 2022
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• April 2022

The post Building a World on the Brink: World-Building and Character Development in Mira Grant’s Feed appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

Virus Backstory

A lot of zombie stories end when the undead are defeated or with survivors arriving at a sanctuary cut off from the rest of the world. Feed proposes an idea about a zombie outbreak, starting with a man-made airborne virus that spreads like a common cold. Although there’s no cure, people don’t just transform into zombies the moment they get infected – a peculiarity indeed, but there is a backstory to it.

Back in 2014, the medical world was in for a series of remarkable achievements. First, a young girl named Amberlee recovered from terminal Leukemia. In the same year, Dr. Kellis successfully synthesized a rhinovirus strain to get rid of the common cold once and for all. It was an overall wonderful year marked by astonishing discoveries. Medical science had finally put cancers and the common cold to their eternal ends. And then disaster happened; the two viruses through a series of unfortunate events merged into one to create an airborne hybrid.

Cancers and runny noses had become things of the past, but the new strain – subsequently known as Kellis-Amberlee or KA virus – had the most terrifying side effects ever. Since this is an airborne virus, everyone was infected. In fact, the virus was so potent that it could reanimate dead bodies and turned them into mindless cannibals. KA was initially benign in living hosts unless they died (of any causes) in which case the virus took control of the bodies, or they were bitten by an infected-resurrected corpse. Also, the transformation into a zombie almost always happened through several phases, starting with the lack of sensitivity to pain, followed by memory loss, and finally a complete conversion. Spontaneous conversion was rare, but not impossible.

Millions of people fell victim to the zombies during the early years of the outbreak, an event that would be forever remembered in history as The Rising. While it wasn’t exactly an apocalypse-level catastrophe, it took some major reformations for humanity to become adapted or adjusted to the zombies. Now, 20 years later, most people live in strictly controlled safe zones. Everybody is subjected to regular blood testing to monitor the KA virus inside their body and detect early symptoms of transformation. The authority deliberately makes the test painful because losing the pain sensation is an early sign of zombification. Rigorous decontamination protocol is put in place to prevent another outbreak as well.

As far as virology is concerned, it makes sense that a zombie outbreak caused by a virus doesn’t kill everyone. Most viruses will not want to wipe out the host species; without the host, the viruses would go extinct unless they can evolve quickly enough to develop the ability to replicate outside the human cells (in Mira Grant’s Feed, however, the KA virus can also infect animals over 40 pounds, but the principle remains).

It would actually be in the virus’ best interest to maintain a good balance between killing the hosts and keeping a good supply of new ones alive and well. Staying in a benign state until the host dies or gets bitten by a reanimated corpse seems like a pretty good strategy. Based on that theory, the zombie outbreak becomes survivable and allows human civilization to continue to exist in a condition that’s as normal as a modern society can.

Today’s Technology

Thanks to the virus’ balancing strategy and the fact that humans can actually do their day-to-day activities in safe zones, the zombies never had a chance to destroy the civilizations. Not much has changed in terms of technology. People still have electricity, plumbing systems, and the Internet. The government still functions, and in fact the story in the novel happens during the height of a presidential campaign in the United States.

One of the most notable changes is that people now consume the media differently. During the major outbreak in 2014, traditional news outlets were too sluggish to provide meaningful reports about the zombies. Many outlets were overly tied to the government and big companies, who were also reluctant to give “zombie news” a place in the front pages of newspapers and on prime time schedules.

But people knew zombies were real, and that’s where the distrust of conventional media grew. People saw that some Twitter feeds and blog posts offered real-time stories accurate to what the public saw on the streets. Given intense enough emergencies that threatened humanity as a species, it turns out that the Internet could abandon their knack for tribalism, fearmongering, and sowing divisions. Traditional media’s reputation took a dive, and to take their place now as trustworthy news sources are online blogs run and maintained by independent journalists, professionals, and entertainers.

We think Mira Grant’s Feed can stand among some of the most creative and unique zombie fictions out there. The novel even suggests that people are aware of popular zombie fictions, and that’s why they’re not entirely in a state of panic attack during the outbreak. For example, the 1978 film Dawn of the Dead is not only mentioned, but is credited as giving some sort of guidance to help humans survive the zombies. The details in its world-building, including the backstory of the virus, and how it depicts the society in the outbreak’s aftermath prove to be quite a blend of an enjoyable, exciting read.

Do you prefer slow-moving or fast-sprinting zombies? What zombie film is most scientifically accurate? We’d love to hear from you.

Other Things You Might Want to Know

Is “Feed” by Mira Grant suitable for young readers?

Some scenes are pretty gruesome and there are some sex jokes here and there. However, the political aspect of the presidential campaign might not sound too interesting for young readers, so the novel is probably best for adults.

Popular books by Mira Grant:

Mira Grant actually is an American author named Seanan McGuire, who also sometimes uses A. Deborah Baker as a pseudonym. Some of her most popular books include:

October Daye series:

Rosemary and Rue (2009)

1. A Local Habitation (2010)
2. An Artificial Night (2010)
3. Late Eclipses (2011)
4. One Salt Sea (2011)
5. Ashes of Honor (2012)
6. Chimes at Midnight (2013)
7. The Winter Long (2014)
8. A Red Rose Chain (2015)
9. Once Broken Faith (2016)
10. The Brightest Fell (2017)
11. Night and Silence (2018)
12. The Unkindest Tide (2019)
13. A Killing Frost (2020)
14. When Sorrows Come (2021)
15. Be the Serpent (2022)
16. Sleep No More (2023)
17. The Innocent Sleep (2023)

InCryptid series:

Discount Armageddon (2012)

1. Midnight Blue-Light Special (2013)
2. Half-Off Ragnarok (2014)
3. Pocket Apocalypse (2015)
4. Chaos Choreography (2016)
5. Magic for Nothing (2017)
6. Tricks for Free (2018)
7. That Ain’t Witchcraft (2019)
8. Imaginary Numbers (2020)
9. Calculated Risks (2021)
10. Spelunking Through Hell (2022)
11. Backpacking through Bedlam (2023)
12. Aftermarket Afterlife (2024)
13. Installment Immortality (2025)

Wayward Children series:

Every Heart a Doorway (2016)

1. Down Among the Sticks and Bones (2017)
2. Beneath the Sugar Sky (2018)
3. In an Absent Dream (2019)
4. Come Tumbling Down (2020)
5. Across the Green Grass Fields (2021)
6. Where the Drowned Girls Go (2022)
7. Lost in the Moment and Found (2023)
8. Mislaid in Parts Half-Known (2024)
9. Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear (upcoming, 2025)

Newsflesh series:

Feed (2010)

1. Deadline (2011)
2. Blackout (2012)
3. Feedback (2016)

Some humorous zombie books you may find enjoyable:

Zombie Fallout by Mark Tufo

• Mountain Man by Keith C. Blackmore
• Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton
• The Zombies of Lake Woebegotten by Harrison Geillor
• Gil’s All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez
• The Panama Laugh By Thomas S. Roche
  
  

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The post The Science of Survival: Virology and Technology in Mira Grant’s Feed appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

Their world changed following the outbreak. Now, about 14 years later, Benny has grown up to be a difficult teenager with difficulties trusting his brother. The new society dictates that as soon as anybody reaches the age of 15, it’s mandatory to have a job or their food ration will be cut in half. Benny is on the verge of crossing the bridge that takes him into adulthood in the world destroyed by zombies. Tom has established himself to be quite a zombie hunter, which apparently is an actual profession; he’s quite a prolific one at that, too.

Apart from the zombie-slashing actions and bickering teenagers, the dynamic that emerges from the difficult relationship between Tom and Benny also makes for an excellent central point in the story. Benny wants to be a zombie hunter, but it’s not likely that he’s willing to learn the trade from his older brother. This is although just about every single hunter in town regards Tom as one of the most experienced and proficient in the field.

Benny has this twisted idea that Tom is a coward who left their parents to die years ago when the outbreak happened. Perspective matters here: Benny was only a baby when the incident occurred, so he had nothing but an obscured memory of it all. Benny still has no clue about what actually went down during the crucial moment when Tom – being a teenager – had to make what must have been the toughest decision in his life. But Tom has his own reasons to keep the truth from Benny. The combination of those doesn’t really do any good to improve their strained relationship.

Quite a portion of the beginning of the book describes how unlikeable Benny can be. He’s a typical immature character who refuses to see anything beyond the surface level and never gives a second thought about what anyone outside his small circle of existence does. You might go as far as taking him as a bit of a brat – a rude young man without respect for his pretty tolerant older brother.

Benny is also lazy in finding a job. He spends most of his time playing zombie trading cards and talking about his favorite zombie hunter, Charlie Pink-eye. Of course, in Benny’s mind, Charlie is the greatest, coolest, most fearsome zombie hunter of them all. His opinion is about to change soon. In contrast, Tom is depicted as a compassionate and patient older brother with a real knack for obliterating zombies. It’s too bad that he’s also basically a straightforward, sad hero who always sees himself as imperfect.

One day, Benny scores a highly sought-after zombie card of a character named Lost Girl. It doesn’t take long until Charlie Pink-eye, his favorite hunter, violently tries to take the card away from Benny. As if that’s not shocking enough, a simple, calm intervention from Tom quickly sends Charlie away with little problem. And this is where the relationship is improving for Tom and Benny.

As reluctant as he might be, Benny finally comes to his better senses and becomes Tom’s apprentice. Jobs are scarce, and with the threat of losing half of the ration, it’s indeed the obvious thing to do. In the great adventure of the rot and the ruin, Benny learns who his brother really is and the admiration slowly grows. There will be another encounter with Charlie Pink-eye, in which Benny comes to realize that his idol is nowhere near as great as he thinks. In fact, Charlie kidnaps one of Benny’s friends and flees to the Ruins beyond the safety of the community’s fence.

Together, the brothers go after Charlie and try to get the friend back. Tom is always right there on Benny’s side, protecting him from harm, and showing him what it means to be a family. The bratty teenage boy finally gets to learn from his older brother about the complexity of the post-apocalyptic world, survival skills, life lessons, and that everything is not always as it appears to be. Benny can now see Tom as his true protector and mentor. And the revelation about what truly happened in the First Night becomes a turning point that leads to a major emotional reconciliation between the brothers.

We think Rot and Ruin is an interesting take on the otherwise overly-exploited post-apocalyptic zombie story. While many things remain the same such as the mindless undead, food scarcity, fenced communities, mysterious entities, and a human villain, the novel does offer some fresh threads of sympathy and empathy as the main protagonists (but more specifically Benny) undergo character development. The progress is indeed quick, and yet it doesn’t feel rushed.

Do you think the novel gives enough of a backstory about the zombie apocalypse? What does the jumbo jet at the end of the story suggest? We’d love to hear from you.

Other Things You Might Want to Know

Is Rot & Ruin part of a novel series?

Rot & Ruin (2010) is the first in a series, followed by:

• Dust & Decay (2011)
• Flesh and Bone (2012)
• Fire and Ash (2013)
• Bits and Pieces (2015)

A few other popular books by Jonathan Maberry:

Stand-alone novel:

• The Wolfman (2010)
• Deadlands: Ghostwalkers (2010)
• Mars One (2016)
• Indigo (2017)
• Glimpse (2018)

John Maberry is best known for his Joe Ledger novel series, which includes the following volumes:

• Patient Zero (2009)
• The Dragon Factory (2010)
• The King of Plagues (2011)
• Assassin’s Code (2012)
• The Extinction Machine (2013)
• Code Zero (2014)
• Predator One (2015)
• Kill Switch (2016)
• Dogs of War (2017)
• Deep Silence (2018)
• Joe Ledger – Rogue Team International
  • Rage (2019)
  • Relentless (2021)
  • Cave 13 (2023)

Popular children’s books about zombies:

• Peanut Butter & Brains: A Zombie Culinary Tale by Joe McGee
• I Want to Eat Your Books by Karin LeFranc
• Abigail and Her Pet Zombie by Marie F. Crow
• My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish by Mo O’Hara,
• Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPucchio,
• Zombie Baseball Beatdown by Paolo Bacigalupi
• Zombelina by Kristyn Crow

Check out other articles by month:

• April 2023
• March 2023
• February 2023
• January 2023
• December 2022
• November 2022
• October 2022
• September 2022
• August 2022
• July 2022
• June 2022
• May 2022
• April 2022

The post Brothers in Arms: The Dynamic Relationship of Benny and Tom in the Rot & Ruin Series appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.