Good SHTF Survival Fiction Books

[Jamie Jackson]

Prag, I've been reading electronic versions. So far my Kindle app has been a good way to get some of these unknown authors.

I may need to switch to print versions for 299 days so I can pass them along.

Mark

 

I'm probably too much of an old goat for the electronic versions LOL. Heck...I'm still impressed by fire... :pleased:

 

But I too would think I am being taken to the cleaners if I didn't have the physical unit that could be shared around.

[jgradyc]

First, thanks for the list. This is awesome!  I've been looking for some light reading for the summer and the books on this list will be the ones I'll look at first.

 

I'm 500 pages into the 700 page ebook Enemies Foreign and Domestic. I found it hard to get through the first half of the book... weak character development, no action to speak of, and too much time spent away from the main character(s). As a writer myself, I'm a bit critical of books that aren't top of the line, so take my criticism with a grain of salt. Since this was his first book, I'm assuming that Matthew Bracken has gotten better with his subsequent efforts.

 

Again, thanks for the list.

[Spots]

It looks like the new Glenn Tate book is out on Amazon...I do like Amazon Prime. :pleased:
Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615828507/ref=pe_340070_30475800_email_1p_0_ti



Spots: I'm half way through with " Patriot Dawn" by Max Velocity...Excellent read thus far my friend. :up:

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Patriot-Dawn-Resistance-Max-Velocity/dp/1480139688/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1371282435&sr=1-2&keywords=max+velocity+books


Robert: I read "One Second After" before "Light's Out" as well. Both were great reads, but I found "One Second After" the better of the two...very sobering in it's dealings with a potential reality.

Its a good book isn't it. You should read Contact: a tactical manual by the same author.

I've read the first two of "Holding their own" series this week. Bought #1 monday, finished it and bought number #2 tuesday. Just ordered number 3 today. Great series and the man and women interact like me and my wife which makes it a better read also.

Sent from the backwoods of Nowhere

[Jamie Jackson]

Thanks Spot. I'll add "Contact" to my list.

 

That's good to hear about the "Holding their own" series of books as well...I just added them as well. Much obliged.

[jgradyc]

I finished Enemies Foreign and Domestic by Matthew Bracken and moved on to his second book in the trilogy. I'll stick by my review of EFAD. It's slow for half the book. He can't decide who is the protagonist. His prose is weak. I'd read a few reviews on Amazon to get the Cliff's Notes version of the plot in EFAD and then skip it. Just move on to his second book, Domestic Enemies: The Reconquista. Bracken's writing skill has improved and it's a decent read... maybe a 5.5 on a scale of 10, with a 4 being weak to the point of being distracting. Writers like Tom Clancey and Clive Cussler in their primes might rate a 8.5 to 9.

[Spots]

Thanks Spot. I'll add "Contact" to my list.

That's good to hear about the "Holding their own" series of books as well...I just added them as well. Much obliged.

Contact is more of a study guide. Be aware it is very technical and can be dry. It has tons of good info but its not one of those things Id be reading at 300 am becauze I had to finish it. I read and study about 1 hour a night on stuff when we don't have company. Whether its primitive survival, blacksmithing or tactics or something else. So I use it as a study guide during that to supplement and refresh what I learned in the Corps.

I finished Enemies Foreign and Domestic by Matthew Bracken and moved on to his second book in the trilogy. I'll stick by my review of EFAD. It's slow for half the book. He can't decide who is the protagonist. His prose is weak. I'd read a few reviews on Amazon to get the Cliff's Notes version of the plot in EFAD and then skip it. Just move on to his second book, Domestic Enemies: The Reconquista. Bracken's writing skill has improved and it's a decent read... maybe a 5.5 on a scale of 10, with a 4 being weak to the point of being distracting. Writers like Tom Clancey and Clive Cussler in their primes might rate a 8.5 to 9.

While I enjoyed all 3 of the Enemies triolgy I agree it was dry and fhe author seemed confused. It seemed he would make a big deal about this person or that, then they would fade into the background of the storyline and play no significant role. His second and third books are much better. I enjoyed the 3rd the most of those 3.
Sent from the backwoods of Nowhere
Edited June 20, 2013 by Spots

[Jamie Jackson]

Contact is more of a study guide. Be aware it is very technical and can be dry. It has tons of good info but its not one of those things Id be reading at 300 am becauze I had to finish it. I read and study about 1 hour a night on stuff when we don't have company. Whether its primitive survival, blacksmithing or tactics or something else. So I use it as a study guide during that to supplement and refresh what I learned in the Corps.


 

 

 

All the more reason to have a physical copy in my home library my friend.

 

Even though I'm an old Corpsman, I am sorely lacking in meaningful group tactics practical experience. Dry I can handle. My time serving with the Corps was with MSG (Marine Security Guards)...not a lot of field tactics in our Embassies LOL. And the knowledge paradigm related to Urban Conflict has shifted dramatically since I served.

 

Thanks Spots.

[tng27]

+1 on the Mitch Rapp series of books by Vince Flynn. Excellent reads.

Sad news.

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2013/06/19/mn-author-vince-flynn-dies-at-47/

[Spots]

I finished 4 of the Holding Their Own books. It is a great series so far. The characters remind me of me and my wifes interaction. It has some good action, but the author keeps the hero from seeming rambo like and just like a good guy with above avaerage tactical skill and lots of luck. It does a good job of explaining the weaposn systems and is realistic in their capabilities and what the average prepper would likely have access too. Book number 5 came out last week and I'm twitching wanting to read it but I have to wait until Friday/payday lol. Anyways, anyone else got any new suggestions?

Tapatalk ate my spelling.

[Erik88]

I finished 4 of the Holding Their Own books. It is a great series so far. The characters remind me of me and my wifes interaction. It has some good action, but the author keeps the hero from seeming rambo like and just like a good guy with above avaerage tactical skill and lots of luck. It does a good job of explaining the weaposn systems and is realistic in their capabilities and what the average prepper would likely have access too. Book number 5 came out last week and I'm twitching wanting to read it but I have to wait until Friday/payday lol. Anyways, anyone else got any new suggestions?

Tapatalk ate my spelling.

 

I just finished book 4 and I'm anxious to read book 5. It's a great series.

[RobertNashville]

While waiting for Book IV of "Holding Their Own" to come out I started "299 Days"...I'm ready to start Book 6 of that series and I also have "Holding Their Own" IV and V waiting in my Kindle. Both series are great and I'd be hard pressed to pick one over the other. That said, of all the books/series I've read in this genre I'd say "200 Days" paints what I believe is the most realistic scenairo; at least in terms of how society could go down the tubes as I really believe a complete economic meltdown is precisely what we are facing (unless one of the other cards in the house of cards falls first).

I guess it's a good thing that there are so many good reads out there dealing with the whole general subject of prepping and surviving a wide breakdown in society but it also makes choosing which series to read first more difficult! :)

[Jamie Jackson]

It can be a challenge just deciding Robert. We are fortunate to have so many well written and thought provoking books on these topics.

 

I just started "The 17th Irregulars" (Volume 6) of the Tate series.

 

I've preordered [url=http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Home-Novel-American/dp/0142181285/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373214242&sr=1-1&keywords=surviving+home+by+a.+america] "Surviving Home" by A.American[/url]. I thoroughly enjoyed "Going Home" by him.

 

I most definitely plan on reading the "Holding Their Own " series thanks to the recommendations in this thread.

 

So many books, and so little time. And that's not a bad thing. :pleased:

[Guest FNEG]

I just got done reading "lights out" and I enjoyed it but " one second after " was better IMO.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[Mark A]

Holding Their Own 5 is just in time. We are headed to Alaska next Saturday to celebrate year 20 of marital bliss... (What? She's not looking over my shoulder???) Still 20 years...

Anyway, had to slow down my reading a bit to make sure I had something to do while stuck in the sardine can.

Also have been saving up survival podcast episodes so I can have a bunch of them to listen to.

Mark

[Jamie Jackson]

I'm just finishing "Surviving Home" by A.American (see post #62 for link). Excellent Book! I'm impressed.

 

I have book one of the "Holding Their Own" by Joe Nobody coming by weeks end. Thanks for the recommendations folks. :pleased:

[Mark A]

Apparently my stupid is extra strong this morning... A while back I read a 2-3 book series set in Middle TN that featured the TN National Guard moving to a state park and setting up there and eventually fighting in place.

 

I thought I read it on my iPad but it is not in my Kindle list. Can anyone tell me the name of the series? I want to see if there are any new books.

 

thanks in advance for any help, Mark

[Tobashadow]

Apparently my stupid is extra strong this morning... A while back I read a 2-3 book series set in Middle TN that featured the TN National Guard moving to a state park and setting up there and eventually fighting in place.

I thought I read it on my iPad but it is not in my Kindle list. Can anyone tell me the name of the series? I want to see if there are any new books.

thanks in advance for any help, Mark

Dark Grid series

Dark Grid
Dark Road
Dark Coup

[Erik88]

I'm just finishing "Surviving Home" by A.American (see post #62 for link). Excellent Book! I'm impressed.

 

I have book one of the "Holding Their Own" by Joe Nobody coming by weeks end. Thanks for the recommendations folks. :pleased:

 

It's actually Going Home and yes it's a good book. The action takes place just an hour North of my house.

 

Holding Their Own is a great series too.

 

 

 

ETA--I stand corrected, it appears he did a another one. I read this before it was published as he did a chapter at a time on Survivalistboards.com

Edited August 15, 2013 by Erik88

[Mark A]

Tobashadow, many thanks...

 

Mark

[Jamie Jackson]

No worries Erick. LOL. There's a lot of good work coming down the pike these days.

 

I actually enjoyed [url=http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Home-Novel-American/dp/0142181285/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373214242&sr=1-1&keywords=surviving+home+by+a.+america] Surviving Home[/url] even better.

 

 

I'm looking forward to starting the "Holding Their Own" series this weekend. :up:

[DangerDanJD]

I found the entirety of "One Second After" as an audio book broken down into chapter on youtube and listened to the whole thing over the weekend. Pretty dark, but it also seems very realistic. 

[Hershmeister]

Not Prepper related but i am quite fond of the incredible real life survival story of Sir Ernest Shackleon


Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

This is an excellent book which draws from the diaries/interviews/memoirs of shackleton and his crew


Or read his self written book "South" which is quite good but doesn't reveal some of the conflict as he was a gentleman and silent in his opinions Of those he didn't like.

If you get into the shackelton story then you need to read Shackeltons Forgotten Men which I found to be an even more incredible story of loyalty and perseverance than even Shackletons.

[RobertNashville]

This is probably best listed as as a novel of political intrigue but I think it's worth mentioning here all the same.  I just finished reading "The Eye Of Moloch" by Glenn Beck which is the sequel to "The Overton Window".

 

What makes both of these novels worth reading, in my opinion, is that using documented facts/truth, Beck paints a pretty good picture of where America stands today and touches on many of the factors that could well degenerate into a SHTF event that requires us to go into survival mode.

 

Anyway; worth the read in my opinion....I'll probably go back now to the Joe Nobody "Holding Their Own" series since there is at least one new one since I left off! :)

[Spots]

Anyway; worth the read in my opinion....I'll probably go back now to the Joe Nobody "Holding Their Own" series since there is at least one new one since I left off! :)

If its #5 Alpha Chronicles, you should enjoy it. Im actually re-reading all 5 of them as we speak. Its a good series. I really wanna read the 299 days eries but I'm wary since there is so many of them and I keep hearing people complain that you don't get much book for the money at $10 each

Tapatalk ate my spelling.

[RobertNashville]

If its #5 Alpha Chronicles, you should enjoy it. Im actually re-reading all 5 of them as we speak. Its a good series. I really wanna read the 299 days eries but I'm wary since there is so many of them and I keep hearing people complain that you don't get much book for the money at $10 each

Tapatalk ate my spelling.

I will actually be picking the Holding Their Own series back up with No. IV; "The Assent" (although I have IV and V already on my Kindle.

I've been reading the 299 days series and am up to date with them (I finished "The 17th Irregulars" before starting "The Eye Of Moloch").  I love the 299 Days series and it seems very realistic to me; also I've no complaints at all with the length/content of each book...this will be a large collection when it's done and I think people are more than getting their money's worth.

If I have a complaint with the 299 Days series (and most series for that matter) it would be that most of us, indeed most people, simply won't be able to do/prepare for a SHTF or TEOTWAWKI event the way most of the book's protagonists do...I mean; how many people have the financial ability to maintain a nice home in a gated community in a major city (somewhat necessitated by their profession/job) and also go and buy, free and clear, a very nice cabin on a peninsula that provides an ideal defensible location to ride out the end of the world? ;)