The Ultimate Guide
to Post-Apocalyptic Fiction
A few years ago, I got hooked on The Road by Cormac McCarthy.
I was obsessed with the bleak and beautiful landscapes it described, of a world destroyed and a society torn to pieces. I was fascinated by the way civilisation had crumbled, and how a handful of desperate survivors set out to rebuild their lives in their new world.
I read and re-read the stories, savouring every second of destruction and darkness and chaos. I wanted more, but I didn’t know where to look – right until I stumbled upon the term ‘post-apocalyptic fiction‘.
Turns out, there’s a whole genre dedicated to my obsession: it’s called post-apocalyptic fiction, and it deals with life after the apocalypse.
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What is Post-Apocalyptic Fiction?
Post-apocalyptic fiction refers to books, games, TV shows, podcasts and movies set after the collapse of civilisation.
Typically, globally destructive events - like nuclear war, outbreaks of unstoppable diseases, climate catastrophes and even supernatural disasters - destroy most of the world's population, leaving a handful of people to attempt survival in a radically changed world.
A Brief History of Post-Apocalyptic Fiction
Fear of the end of the world has existed for thousands of years, but it wasn’t until the early 20th century that the genre first manifested in its current form. Mary Shelley’s ‘The Last Man‘ is widely regarded as one of the first modern works of post apocalyptic fiction, telling the story of a plague that eradicates humanity until, you guessed it, there’s a single man left standing.
But it wasn’t until the 1950’s that the genre really hit its stride. Fuelled by the end of World War II, and the development of the nuclear bomb, growing numbers of novelists turned their thoughts to doomsday scenarios. With total annihilation now possible at the push of a button, once far-fetched visions of the end of the world now seemed terrifyingly plausible – leading to a pantheon of novels and works of fiction often referred to as ‘the Golden Age of Post Apocalyptic Fiction‘.
You might like: 5 Classic Post Apocalyptic Novels You Can Download for Free
These classic stories typically revolve around scientific innovation pushed to its destructive limits, a theme which has continued into some of the genre’s best modern tales. Since then, other types of apocalypse have taken precedence – from zombie pandemics to alien invasions, catastrophic climate change to genetic superbugs run wild – but one fact remains constant: post apocalyptic fiction mirrors one of humanity’s deepest-seated fears.
For as long as we exist, and society continues to thrive, a part of our subconscious fears the unknown, and the end of everything. Post apocalyptic fiction allows us to explore this dark side of the psyche, and revel in all-manner of fictional disaster scenarios.
As well as the post apocalyptic genre, there are a couple of other related niches that look at similar themes, so to further our understanding of this kickass niche, let’s clear up some of the blurred definitions:
Apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction takes place during the end of the world, with society beginning to crumble and collapse as the story unfolds. There are no hard-and-fast rules for the type of tragedy that besets mankind: only that a monumental event takes place during the course of the story, changing the world irreparably, and forcing its survivors to fundamentally change their way of life just to survive.
Examples: World War Z, The Death of Grass
Post-apocalyptic fiction
Post-apocalyptic fiction is set after the apocalypse, and typically follows the day-to-day lives of the survivors of the end of the world. Set anywhere from a few days to a few thousand years after the apocalypse, this genre focuses on the breakdown of society, and the problems that follow: from scarce food and water to a complete lack of communication, from vampire uprisings to roaming bands of murdering savages.
Examples: The Road, Mad Max, The Stand
Dystopian fiction
Dystopian fiction is a slightly different take on the same theme. In dystopian fiction, society still exists – but for reasons of corruption, oppression, disease or war, the world has been transformed into a living hell on earth. Dystopian fiction is the polar opposite of utopian fiction, which centres on beautiful, perfect societies, and differs from apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic scenarios because in a dystopia, society still exists.
Examples: The Hunger Games, The Handmaid's Tale
Common Themes in Post Apocalyptic Fiction
When you think of post apocalyptic fiction, a few images might spring to mind: roving bands of raiders, Mad Max-style wastelands, nuclear winter... But while these are all popular motifs in the genre, they're far from the only things you'll find. In fact, one of the great things about post apocalyptic fiction is the huge variety on offer: from heart-wrenching tales of loss and redemption, to all-out action thrillers, to mind-bending science fiction epics.
You might like: 8 Types of Apocalypse, Explained
Some of the most common themes you'll find in post apocalyptic fiction include:
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One of the most popular themes in post apocalyptic fiction is nuclear war. In these stories, civilization is destroyed by a nuclear holocaust, and the survivors must contend with the fallout: from radiation sickness and mutated creatures, to roving bands of raiders and marauding gangs.
Example: Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Learn more: The 19 Best Books About Nuclear War
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An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic radiation that can disable or destroy electronic equipment. In post apocalyptic fiction, an EMP is often used to wipe out all technology and send civilization back to the dark ages.
Example: One Second After by William R. Forstchen
Learn more: EMP Books: 6 Essential Books About Electromagnetic Pulses
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From supervolcanoes and asteroids, to climate change and global pandemic, post apocalyptic fiction often imagines a world brought low by natural disaster.
Example: The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
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One of the most popular post apocalyptic scenarios is a zombie apocalypse, in which a virus or infection turns people into flesh-eating zombies. In these stories, the survivors must band together and find a way to survive against all odds.
Example: World War Z by Max Brooks
Learn more: The 21 Best Zombie Books
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In a world ravaged by extreme weather, climate change stories (often referred to as climate fiction, or cli-fi) see survivors forced to contend with extreme weather conditions, rising sea levels and dwindling resources.
Example: The Drowned World by J.G. Ballard
Learn more: The 8 Best Climate Fiction Books
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In religious rapture stories, civilization is brought to an end by a religious event or prophecy. This can be anything from the rapture (a biblical event in which believers are taken up to heaven) to the rise of a new Messiah.
Example: The Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
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In a post apocalyptic world ravaged by an alien invasion, the survivors must band together and find a way to fight back against their extraterrestrial aggressors.
Example: The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
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A pandemic is an epidemic of infectious disease that spreads across a large region, multiple continents, or even worldwide. Thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this type of story has gained recognition in recent years.
Example: The Stand by Stephen King
Learn more: The 15 Best Pandemic Books
Now that you know some of the common themes and settings in post apocalyptic fiction, chances are that you're sold: post-apocalyptic fiction sounds amazing, and you want in. But where should you start?
Easy: with one of my mega-guides. I've written detailed, in-depth round-ups of the 50 greatest books, movies and games the post-apocalypse has to offer. Whether you're completely new to the genre, or you're a seasoned veteran looking for a hidden gem, our guides have your end-of-the-world cravings covered.
1. Post-Apocalyptic Books
Literature has proved to be extremely fertile ground for post-apocalyptic fiction to take root. Many of today's most highly-acclaimed authors have turned their hand to the genre, including masters like Stephen King, Margaret Atwood and Cormac McCarthy. Whether you're after a quick but poignant read like The Road, to a sprawling epic The Stand, you're guaranteed to find your perfect apocalypse somewhere within Ash Tales' archives.
2. Post-Apocalyptic Movies & TV Shows
Recent years have seen a huge resurgence in post-apocalyptic TV shows and movies, driven by smash hits like The Walking Dead, Mad Max: Fury Road and The 100. From sober, reflective films like Children of Men, to high octane, action-packed thrillers like World War Z, and even black comedies like Shaun of the Dead, use our guides to find the perfect fuel for your next Netflix binge.
3. Post-Apocalyptic Games
From the irradiated wastes of Fallout 4's Commonwealth, to the alien surrounds of S.T.A.L.K.E.R's Pripyat, many of the most immersive post-apocalyptic worlds exist in gaming. Thanks to perennial classics like Wasteland and Fallout, and modern-day incarnations like the Metro series and Fallout 76, wannabe wasteland wanderers can experience dozens of dark, twisted interpretations of the apocalypse.
The 50 Best Post Apocalyptic Games
4. Post-Apocalyptic Podcasts
Fill your ear holes with end-of-the-world goodness, and explore killer post-apocalyptic podcasts ranging from long-running fiction serials to post-apocalyptic pop-culture analysis. Better still, why not check out the Ash Tales podcast? Each episode is an original, self-contained short story from one of the genre's hottest authors.
If you're a fan of post-apocalyptic fiction, or if you're just looking to expand your reading/viewing/gaming horizons, then this guide is for you. We've listed the best post-apocalyptic books, movies and games out there, so you can explore the genre in all its glory.
Whether you're after heart-wrenching tales of human survival like The Road, high-octane action like Mad Max: Fury Road, or dark post-apocalyptic comedies like Shaun of the Dead, we've got you covered.
So what are you waiting for? Start exploring today!
