Okay – this reader question is going to exclude some readers who don’t read survival fiction (my apologies – next one will be more inclusive).
What is your Favorite Survival Fiction Book – and Why?
This question must be in the top 5 questions that I’m asked each week by readers – so I thought it would be useful to have a post that I can point people to for suggestions made by other readers.
So what survival fiction books are in your “must read” basket?
Looking forward to reading your answers as I’m sure other readers are too.
PS: I’ll kick things off – my favorite survival fiction books would have to be One Second After
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{ 47 comments }
Deep Winter by Thomas Sherry is my favorite. Lights Out is a close second, followed by the works of Jerry D. Young.
In the post-apocalyptic world, consumed by World War III, right and wrong, virtue and vice have skewed their meanings. Old animosities remain; new and deadly alliances are formed. But one need remains constant – the need to survive. Care to guess what this is from? Why – pure entertainment!
I haven't read "One Second After" but look forward to it. My favorite at this point is "Lucifer's Hammer" by Larry Niven. I think it described very well how things could go after a catastrophic event. There are some lessons to be learned from many of the post-apocalyptic stories out there, even if the reader feels parts are unrealistic. No one really knows what will cause TSHTF, or how bad things might get when it does, so we need to take all of theses stories and try to grasp the different scenarios and be prepared as best we can for how each might play out. Most of us can't be prepared for everything, so we have to first get ourselves set for what we see as the most likely to happen, then expand from there.
Can't say I have any favorites of ANY fictional survival books….Just that they are based on assumptions which are 1 in 100,000 that everything would work the way depicted.
I liked "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George.
Gotta say it – Pat Frank's Alas, Babylon. Also, even though it's fantasy, I enjoyed Armageddon's Children by Terry Brooks.
The Survivalist – Jerry Ahern
Probably going to have to say One Second After. Lucifers Hammer is a close second.
I haven't read many of these books, but one that I really liked was Alas Babylon.
I've read One Second After, and Patriots but for me the number one most hit home for me read was "Lights Out". I was able to relate much more with this one as i'm not a "techie" type guy. I'm not knowledgeable about technical stuff, so Lights Out was more real life to me and i personally got much more out of it.
Al
"The Road" paints a pretty bleak picture but highlights how sheer will and determination can get you to press on when all hope would be lost otherwise.
Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradberry
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
World Made by Hand by James Howard Kunstler
Into the Forest by Jean Hegland
The Day After Tomorrow by Allan R. Folsom
“The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress” by Robert Heinlein. It’s not a book about survival, but people who not only survived one of the most hostile conditions possible, but thrived and then fought a whole planet for their Freedom.
Nice looking new format but it appears some of the posts have been removed with the changeover ~
PS
Favorite survival book? It’s actually a short story but The Shawshank Redemption :-)
“Patriots:Surviving the Coming Collapse” by James Wesley Rawles…A great how-to written in fiction format. “The Road” was chilling but helpful, and “One Second After” was decent too.
I would have to say as of now Lights out and Unintended Consequences by John Ross. Unintended Consequences is extremely good because of the history lesson you will get, so much stuff in this book that they “forgot” to teach you in government school. Unfortunately if you want to read Unintended Consequences you will either have to get a pirate internet version or pay $80.00 – $150.00 for a paper copy (its out of print).
I liked the “Patriot” very much. I am currently reading “One Second After”, about half way through, it seems along the lines of Patriot somewhat, but there is allot to learn from both.
Man, you guys pretty much included everything so far. I would recommend “The Last Centurion” by John Ringo. It’s not an actual survival book but it does spend a huge portion of the book discussing America after a currency collapse and hyper inflation. It’s very entertaining read and if you keep up with current economic news you’ll see how timely this book is.
I also like SM Stirling’s stuff. His Dies The Fire series is really good and it shows the breakdown of society even though it’s not actually a survival book. I liked his Islands In The Sea Of Time series a little better though.
I just finished One Second After a few weeks ago. It’s making the rounds of my friends right now (like Patriots did). Sharing some of these books are great ways to feel people out before talking about survivalism.
Farnhams Freehold is one of my favorite reads, but its a tossup with Lucifers Hammer.
1. Lucifer’s Hammer, Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
2. Alas Babylon, Pat Frank
3. Pulling Through, Dean Ing
4. Farnham’s Freehold, Robert A. Heinlein
5. Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe
6. Swiss Family Robinson, Johann Wyss
7. Lest Darkness Fall, L. Sprague de Camp
8. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Mark Twain
9. The Crosstime Engineer Series, Leo Frankowski
10. The Emberverse Series, S.M. Sterling
Pulling Through, by Dean Ing
I would have to say that “One Second After” is my favorite with “Patriot” being a close second. Both have a good story to tell and open you eyes to many scenarios that could arise.
Actually, I was surprised that this one has not been mentioned yet…..”The Postman” by David Brin.
This is the one that started my reading journey into survivalist fiction.
Bob
III
Lots of good books here, but I notice ‘Malevil’ by Robert Merle is missing. Right up there, IMO.
One Second After
One Second After. This book brought tears to my eyes, the humanity of the characters was so realistic
Lucifer’s Hammer
Alas Babylon
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
I started with My Side of the Mountain as a kid and I consider the trilogy by Matthew Brakken…Enemies Foreign and Domestic, Domestic Ememies and Foreign Enemies and Traitors…must reads!
The triology by Matthew Bracken, Enemies Foreign and Domestic, Domestic Enemies and Foreign Enemies and Traitors are must reads in my opinion
i’ll add ‘lucifer’s hammer’ by rober r. mccammon.
reading is good. preparing is good. but it is my opinion is that *ANY* major TSHTF back-to-the-stone-age event would probably end up as described in cormac mccarthy’s ‘the road’.
I recommend the trilogy by Matthew Bracken, Enemies Foreign and Domestic, Domestic Enemies and Foreign Enemies and Traitors. Not only a great story but many things in this book are getting the reader to see a domino effect of things happening today. The Patriot by James Wesley, Rawles is also great “blue print” for getting your s*@t together. My Side of the Mountain is a “mild” way to get the reluctant on board.
Folks,
Many of the respondents mention the book “Unintended Consequences” by John Ross. The book is out-of-print, and if you do find a hard-copy book it is very expensive. HOWEVER, I did find the netire 700+ page book as a .pdf “e-book” .pdf format document that you can easily “Save As” to your PC from this web site:
http://ponyhugs.blogspot.com/2009/04/john-ross-unintended-consequences.html
It is a great book, with factual historic reference, that is now available FREE to all.
NOTE TO M.D. – I notice that we now have to put in our e-mail address in order to post comments. Even though you state, “will not be published,” I personally feel that this is an OPSEC issue that compromises the commentor. I am not worried about you, but hackers or “others” who may be monitoring the interent traffic of websites. No, it is not paranoia, but as as stated, a potential OPSEC threat. I urge you to go back to the old system for posters.
In my opinion “Lucifers Hammer”. It started me on the journey, a paperback I bought early in the 70′s but I see it all the time in the thrift stores and I’m gonna buy the next one I see as my original copy is falling apart.
To “patton” on email which will not be published. This is the way it is on all blogs and is the only way you can post anywhere. Obviously you used your email address to post that. Why aren’t you afraid ?
I was reading through all the responses, wow no wonder most preppers are wound kinda tight. I will List my favorite Survival book As Con-Tiki. Some say it is not survival, but they set out on an Adventure to prove something and might not have survived the trip, so there ordeal was a survival isue and a great read and Like most books listed, this event actually happened. Kudos to the person who put robinson crusoe, but Alexander selkirks marooning was intentional, but still a great story.
Keep up the Good work M.D.
I know a lot of people will disagree, but I think mine is The Road. But I am a big Cormac McCarthy fan.
To: tjbbpgobIII
I am using an e-mail that is no longer valid for this post to answer your question. If I could not post my question, then my OPSEC concerns could not be addressed by M.D. (or others?).
I run a Blog also, and It does not require e-mail addresses to post comments/replys. Th eonly reason you would want an -email is so that any other people (like your good self) who “reply” will get an e-mail notification.
“Fear” is irrelevant. OPSEC is not.
The Last Canadian
Patton,
Maybe it could be for other reasons -
1. To have a record who said what just in case of something weird being said.
2. A tracking device
3. Flush out the anonymous posters
4. Keep a poster from sending multiple responses under assumed names
I don’t really know, but those sound logical to the less informed about blog set-ups like me.
Besides, if the email address is NOT published, how are you compromised??? Is it a fear of being forced to be appropriate? Sounds a little paranoid to me…
I get irritated with the “hit & run” posters some of which intentionally spread – or worse, manufacture lies. Also, this creates a better flow into a less free-for-all format. We have serious challenges ahead and do not need people inappropriately fueling that fire.
I think this set up is great & this type of format is used by many of the more legitimate & popular sites like Yahoo! Maybe you should consider using a similar set-up on your site.
Another good one I didn’t see posted was “Into the Forest” by Jean Hegland. I believe this is geared toward teenagers, but I enjoyed it.
1. Lights Out (wish I could get it hard copy)
2. One second after
3. Alas, Babylon
4. My side of the mountain
Worst:
The Road (Dismal, dreary, and pointless)
Patriots (Clumsily written, badly edited)
Earth Abides
Wolf and Iron
First, thanks for the recommended reading list. I have read and enjoyed some of them. Some from your list that I’ve read I thought were very useful.
On your recommendation of One Second After, I bought the book. Very compelling reading. I couldn’t put the book down. Extremely well written book with excellent character developement. I would have to agree with you M.D. that this one is the best – at least of the ones I’ve read. It made me more aware of some of the things we might encounter after SHTF. I understand that a movie, based on this book, is in the works.
One Second After is definitely a MUST READ!
This is more or less a chronological order of how I came upon them…
The one that started it for me–Two Against The North (Lost in the Barrens) (From Scholastic Book Svcs in fifth grade) -Farley Mowat
Farnham’s Freehold, locked in time in the cold war, but started me thinking when I read it in high school.
Lucifer’s Hammer (an eye-opener, fast paced story)
The Stand I like the unabridged version — all 1200 pages
Patriots (agree with another poster–not too well edited, timeline dates particularly suffer from the apparently hasty ‘update’ given to it before publication in ’08)
Lights Out! (one of the very best), while the hero is bullet proof, enough people around him end up dead to keep it pretty balanced.
One Second After-Very realistic, moving story
I completely understand where Patton is coming from. I have several email addresses, ranging from insecure to barely-used, top notch, heavily safeguarded addresses. If it’s really an opsec concern, use 10 minute mail. (Also, Your IP address is wayyyyy more vulnerable than your email address, you probably already knew that, but never hurts to be sure.)
Eh, Patriots is hit and miss, didn’t really care for it much myself, Too many problems with the plot and writing style (the two really interesting characters get maybe 2 chapters, then you hear nothing about them again. they never even meet the survival group as I recall)
My side of the mountain: useful information, great plot, and good even as a kid. This one’s a great one for everyone, no matter what your age or background.
Tunnel in the Sky, also good. As are several of Heinlein’s books (Farnham’s freehold and Sixth Column come to mind)
Probably “One Second After”.
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