5 Intense Books Like “World War Z” by Max Brooks
So you loved reading World War Z: the newsfeed-style chapters, playing out the end of times in real-time, and the rabid zombies, tearing their way through civilisation. But now the book is finished, the final chapter is closed, and you're not sure what to read next. Are there any other books like World War Z?
Yes! We've compiled a collection of our favourite spiritual successors, each reminiscent of Max Brooks' legendary novel in terms of time, structure or overall vibe. So dive into another enthralling end-of-the-world story (or if you're really stuck—check out our list of the best zombie novels).
Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson
Why it's similar to World War Z
Robopocalypse is written in the same style as World War Z, stitching together multiple perspectives into an overarching story—but obviously, death is delivered here by sentient robots instead of flesh-eating zombies.
Description
Robopocalypse focuses on the idea of a global robot uprising, following the artificial intelligence named Archangel as it gains sentience and leads an army of robots against humanity. Told through multiple perspectives in a pseudo-documentary style, Robopocalypse is a fast-paced, action-packed novel that explores the implications of artificial intelligence gaining sentience and turns the idea of a "robot apocalypse" into a frightening reality. It's an entertaining read that will leave you mulling over the implications of artificial intelligence long after you've finished reading.
The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks
Why it's similar to World War Z
The Zombie Survival Gude is the spiritual predecessor to World War Z, written by Max Brooks before WWZ was even a glimmer in his eye. If you liked the realism of World War Z, you'll love the instruction manual-style writing on offer here.
Description
The Zombie Survival Guide is a 2003 instructional manual written by American author Max Brooks, and has been credited with helping to start the zombie apocalypse genre of popular culture. The book covers a hypothetical zombie outbreak of the fictional "Rabidus Hungarus Virus" and offers instructions on how to survive and defend against the zombies. Max Brooks provides a comprehensive look at the threat posed by zombies, covering everything from the history of zombies to their physiology and how to effectively kill them. The book is clear-eyed and practical (to the extent that you'll forget that zombies don't exist), and an essential read for anyone who wants to be prepared for the possibility of a zombie apocalypse.
Feed by Mira Grant
Why it's similar to World War Z
Feed is another story that stitches together multiple perspectives to create a cohesive narrative, following a brother-sister duo as they try to survive in a world overrun by the living dead.
Description
Feed by Mira Grant is a zombie novel with a twist, following a woman named Georgia who works for a news organization in the year 2040. The world is—mercifully—very different from our own, as it has been overrun by zombies. But here comes that the twist: people have found a way to coexist with the zombies. They have harnessed their hunger for human flesh and now use them as a food source, thanks to a company called Zero Day Feed, which provides a safe and reliable way to turn people into zombie food. As Georgia investigates a possible conspiracy surrounding Zero Day Feed, she discovers that the truth is much more complicated than she ever could have imagined.
The Passage by Justin Cronin
Why it's similar to World War Z
The Passage is a sprawling post-apocalyptic novel (the first of a trilogy) that centres on the outbreak, spread and aftermath of a zombie-like virus outbreak. Spanning multiple perspectives and aeons of time, it should scratch the World War Z itch.
Description
The Passage is an epic, post-apocalyptic novel by Justin Cronin. The story follows a group of survivors during the outbreak of a manmade virus that has decimated the population and turned any survivors into supernatural, vampire-like creatures. We follow Amy, a young girl infected by the virus, and Wolgast, FBI agent and her adopted father, and a cast of survivors and inhuman creatures as they battle for dominance over the world. The Passage is a sweeping, character-driven novel that explores what it means to be human in the aftermath of a disaster.
The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman
Why it's similar to World War Z
The Walking Dead is the classic story about surviving in a world overrun by zombies, exploring both the immediate aftermath and longer-term consequences of the outbreak—just like World War Z.
Description
The Walking Dead is a post-apocalyptic horror comic book series created by Robert Kirkman (and, as you're likely aware, turned into a blockbuster TV series). The story follows a group of survivors who are attempting to survive in a world overrun by zombies, known as "walkers", as they travel through the ruins of civilisation in search of a safe haven. The Walking Dead is violent, gory, gritty and more than a little reminiscent of World War Z. With eight books in the novel series (and many more in the run of graphic novels), The Walking Dead should scratch your zombie fix for many years to come.
World War Z has finished, but your journey into zombie fiction has only just begun. With myriad zombie outbreaks to explore, and a whole pantheon of news-style, multi-perspective writing to immerse yourself in, these books are sure to provide you with hours of grotesque entertainment. Enjoy!
