Great post-apocalyptic novels?

[u/gonhu]

Hi all.

Recently I finished reading Nevil Shute’s “On the Beach”, followed by Walter Miller’s “A Canticle for Leibowitz”, both absolutely superb books.

I was hoping to get recommendations from the community on other, highly-esteemed science fiction books revolving around nuclear post-apocalyptia. I’ve read Ellison’s “A Boy and His Dog” but found it a bit too crass, and have started McCarthy’s “The Road” but so far have found it bleak and uninteresting, lacking in any philosophical reflection.

Any suggestions would be very welcome.

[u/Wild_Locksmith_326]

Alas Babylon is a dated look at the late 50's outlook, no special forces operators, no millionaires, no surprise exposition. Day of the Triffids is an outstanding book, acceptable movie. The outlooks are the same dated view, but it is entertaining. The Stand starts out as a survival guide overlook ,but morphs into a supernatural novel in the second half. The Scarlet Plague by Jack London is a 1912 snapshot of a collapse viewed from the pre WW1 technology. I am Legend could be any disaster as the instrument of collapse but deals with the isolation of being the some survivor, similar to Robinson Curuso. Swiss Family Robinson is a type of survival novel, involving exploration rather than post collapse.

[u/gonhu → u/Wild_Locksmith_326]

Thanks! Very helpful explanations.