6 Of The Best Apocalyptic And Post-Apocalyptic Fiction Books About The End

This prequel to the sensational post-apocalyptic book series, The Hunger Games, brings us the story of eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow. Before he became the infamous President of Panam, Snow was once a boy who lost everything but his well-known family name. 

He plans to change his fate by becoming a mentor to one of the chosen tributes for the tenth annual Hunger Games. Yet, against his better judgment, he becomes attached to his tribute as he maneuvers the tricky ways of the Games and Capitol to find his much-needed success. 

I wanted to single out this particular book because there is a greater focus on what Snow is willing to do, not just to survive but to come out on top, even at the expense of those around him. 

This story is a case study of power, hunger, and ambition, illustrating how far one is willing to go to survive. It even goes to show how one can be willing to bend a brutal battle royale to supply him the fear he needs to rise above it all.

Told through journal entries, Miranda, a sophomore in high school, chronicles the terrifying events that follow a meteor crashing into the moon. As the crash results in bringing the moon closer to Earth's orbit, devastating side effects arise across the world: tsunamis, earthquakes, and ash in the air from erupting volcanoes.

Miranda, her brothers, and her mother survive in their sunroom, relying on stored food and a wood-burning stove. The entries span a year as Miranda and her family struggle with the changes and hold onto the fleeting yet necessary anchor of hope.

This story will leave you deep in all the emotions. I recall reading this apocalyptic story in high school and being struck by its haunting storytelling. It's a beautiful and poignant book that tugs on your heartstrings, leaves you pondering the fate of humanity, and pushes you to the edge of your seat to find out what happens. Be sure to check out its companion novels, The Dead and the Gone, This World We Live In, and The Shade of the Moon as well.

Scientist Ryland Grace wakes up with nary memory to very slowly discover that he's been asleep on a spaceship for a very, very long time. Not to mention, his only company now happens to be two corpses - his fellow scientists who didn't survive the trip through space. 

Attempting not to panic and slowly recalling his life prior to the sleep, he remembers the all-important mission he's on: to discover the key to humanity's survival before the sun burns the entirety of Earth. And what if there happens to be another… being in search of the same thing?

Guys, this book is a delight. Andy Weir brings a high-stakes, outer space adventure to life with his usual wit, humor, and insane science (and no, you don't need to know any science to enjoy the book). 

Grace is such a real character who deals with real emotions that come from isolation and fear of the unknown, but you also get to experience the absolute joy and delight that comes from companionship as he encounters an unlikely ally. 

If you have the chance to listen to the audiobook, I highly recommend it.

This post-apocalyptic novel is set in an imagined 2024 America, where an eighteen-year-old named Lauren Olamina is growing up in a brutal environment marked by dwindling food supplies and escalating crime. Slavery is returning in the form of indentured servitude to the wealthy communities, while life outside of those factions grows poorer and more desolate, and no one can be trusted, not even those in law enforcement.

Lauren was born with the strange gift of "hyper-empathy," which allows her to feel pain and other such emotions that are inflicted upon others. And when her safe community is breached, she's sent into the brutal world with this gift as the least of her struggles.

This book is not for the weak of heart. With so many elements truly feeling too close to home in our current political climate, this may not be the easiest story to delve into. Yet, it's still recognized for its literary significance in the realms of speculation and cultural importance.

Although the series was never concluded, two other books follow Lauren as she develops and plants a new way to survive in her deteriorating world.

Station Eleven is an eerie story of a traveling theater troupe, a Hollywood star, and the EMT who saved that star's life. 

One night at a performance of "King Lear," Hollywood star Arthur Leander suffers a heart attack. Jeevan Chaudhary, a former paparazzo and now EMT, jumps up to attempt CPR to revive Arthur. In the crowd, a young child actress, Kristen Raymond, watches this horrifying occurrence, only for it to still end in Arthur's death. Simultaneously, a terrible and contagious flu is spreading across the area, sending masses of sick citizens to the nearest hospitals and causing chaos in the streets. 

After fifteen years have gone by, Kristen is a traveling actress with the Traveling Symphony, performing for communities of survivors. Soon, she discovers the strings of fate that brought all those strange events together. 

This story is told in flashbacks and flash-forwards, spanning decades of life before and after the pandemic. Its artfully woven depictions of beauty and suspense give us an apocalyptic tale of the ever-changing world of fame and the role relationships play in everyone's lives. 

Robert Neville is the last human being alive. Everyone else has fallen prey to a disastrous virus that turned them all into horrific vampires. By day, Robert stakes the vampires, and by night, he shuts himself in to survive. 

During his spare time, he seeks, searches, and researches a possible cure for whatever may have caused this pandemic. One day, a woman named Ruth crosses paths with him and seems to be unaffected by the virus. 

Continuing their search together, Robert soon begins to unearth horrific revelations about the world he has been trying so desperately to survive in and all the implications it brings for the human race. 

This story deals with elements of depression, alcoholism, and the crushing sense of loneliness when life is monotonous and burdensome. It's also a creative work that takes the post-apocalyptic genre further into the horror realm and brings a new perspective to a vampiric story. 

So, if you like a little horror to go with your sci-fi, this is the book for you.