Good SHTF Survival Fiction Books

[jgradyc]

Usually before I commit to reading a book, I check the Amazon reviews. I read some of the 5 star reviews and some of the 1 star reviews. When the 1 star reviews resonate with something that's important to me, I tend to avoid the book.  In the case of Cyberstorm, it was one of those ads that appear on the Kindle. You just click on it and poof!, the book is there ready to read so didn't read the reviews first.

 

Had I read the 1 star reviews, I would have seen that it missed on a lot of the things that were important to me.  The author obviously knew very little about the topic he was writing about and the main characters were unlikable. The progression of the plot didn't reflect reality. The power goes out in NYC and looting doesn't start until 6 days later. 

[Mark A]

A. American (along with G. Michael Hopf) has a new book out: http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Going-Home-Novel-American-ebook/dp/B01C7ROQ1C?ie=UTF8&keywords=hope%20a%20going%20home%20novel&qid=1462056240&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

 

I like G. Michael Hopf so I'm hoping this one is good.

 

Mark

[dawgdoc]

 

I agree with you hipower...it can really be a challenge finding truly decent works in this genre of books. 

 

For a lot of these books, I look at them as information manuals in entertainment form; otherwise, I would be too critical of the writing in some of them.  Rawles especially seemed to bounce around in his books, and the change from first person to third person in A. American's Going Home was annoying.  Beside the interesting technical information, it is informative to see how various minds think a TEOTWAKI situation would play out.  Many of them share similar plot points--city gangs spreading into the rural areas, the government turning on the people, etc.  Is this because it is likely to happen that way, or because the small community of authors absorb and regurgitate the same ideas?

 

It is disconcerting how frequently authors think people will turn to cannibalism and that the military will become tyrants over the people.  I hope they are wrong.

[Moped]

It depends on how many survivors there are and how much food there is to go around.  Also I suspect that the Government (not just the Military) would quickly declare Marshall Law and try their best to lock down the country, using the Military and Federal, State and Local LE.  I think that's a given in just about any scenario.

[TomUT07]

Just finished the entire survivor series by A. American.  Just getting into reading and never been a big reader, but I finished the 7 book series in about a month and couldn't put them down.  They were recommended by a friend and I have now passed them on to others as well.  Really good IMHO and seems very realistic in today's world.

Thanks for all the recommendations everyone, look forward to reading them.

[shotgunshooter]

I also finished the A.American series. While I think the series could have gone on longer I was happy with the ending. For any of you that need another book to read check out Dies Irae: Day of Wrath. Very possible especially with everything that is going on in the world right now.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[Mindless-Focus]

While not really survival, Harry Turtledove, the alternate history guy, has 2 great books out on an alternate Cold War that's not so cold. 

[BigK]

I'm 5 out of 6 books into a series by D.J. Molles called "The Remaining". It's your infected, not zombie, type EOTWAWKI type story line. Without giving anything away, it's about an Army Captain who's in a program where he and others like him go into a bunker when there's danger and come out when it's safe and try to rebuild the world.

[Jamie Jackson]

OK friends. I need some book recommendations!

I'm recovering from surgery and will be homebound for several weeks...

 

I just finished books 1-3 of the "New Homefront" series by Steven Bird.

They were decent and set locally here in East TN. +1 to that.

https://www.amazon.com/Last-Layover-New-Homefront/dp/1507808577/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=39X2YXC6RWNV1A9VPBK5

 

I also read book 1 of the "Day by Day Armageddon" Series by J.L.Bourne. I particularly enjoyed the style and content of this book and will probably pick up book 2. The format is written as a journal entry and is remarkably well executed. But, unfortunately the Amazon reviews pretty much all state the series finishes poorly... 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439176671/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Currently I am re-reading a book I pulled off my shelf that I haven't read in probably 15 years. While not a SHTF book I highly recommend it to my gunny brothers & sisters here.

It's "Tactical Reality: An Uncommon Look at Common Sense Firearms Training and Tactics" by the late great Louis Awerbuck. from 1999.

I have subscribed to SWAT Magazine for a few decades now, and I have always read Louis Awerbuck's section first. I regret I never took the opportunity to train with him. My loss!

https://www.amazon.com/Tactical-Reality-Uncommon-Common-Sense-Firearms/dp/1581600518/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473679670&sr=1-4&keywords=louis+awerbuck

 

So help a brother out and recommend some quality reading material for me! Please... 

Edited September 12, 2016 by prag
as usual...spelling...

[ReeferMac]

If you haven't read James Howard Kunstler I'd recommend his books. I've read 2 of them through the inter-library loan here in TN (A World Made by hand and Witch of Hebron), and am currently working on the 3rd (but the title escapes me at the moment, uncommon journey or something...?)

If you haven't read "The 4th Turning", by Strauss and Howe, I highly recommend it! Not only will the middle part put you to sleep, it's a really thought provoking book. I have a copy, could drop off to you if you like.

And best wishes for a speedy recovery!

 

- K

Edited September 12, 2016 by ReeferMac

[Jamie Jackson]

Thank you K. I appreciate that.

My wife actually just renewed her library card last Thursday. I'll log on and see if we can't get Kunstler in the works. Good suggestion! 

[Jamie Jackson]

I've got the book "World made by hand " coming via inter-library loan as you suggested "K"!

Thank you for the suggestion bud. 

[ReeferMac]

I hope you enjoy it. Kunstler has a way w/ language, and the chapters are pretty light. I found it easy to breeze through them looking forward to the next.

The Witch of Hebron is kind of a second, takes place w/ the same characters shortly after.

 

- K
 

[Jamie Jackson]

Thanks again K.

I received the e-mail notification that Kunstler's book arrive at my local branch library and just went and picked it up.

I'm impressed as that was pretty darn quick! 

 

Thanks also for the Witch of Hebron recommendation. Save me some bucks! 

[Mark A]

Well, William Forstchen's new book " The Final Day" is set to release in a couple of days. I was pretty disappointed in one year after. Apparently I was not alone as it is selling for 2.99 for the Kindle version. The new one is 12.99. I think I will pass and wait for this one to arrive at the library.

 

Mark

[Jamie Jackson]

5 hours ago, Mark A said:

Well, William Forstchen's new book " The Final Day" is set to release in a couple of days. I was pretty disappointed in one year after. Apparently I was not alone as it is selling for 2.99 for the Kindle version. The new one is 12.99. I think I will pass and wait for this one to arrive at the library.

 

Mark

I didn't care much for "One Year After" either. The library, or at least a few months of Amazon reviews is what I'll wait on.

It looks like we're having a bit of a slump in this genre.

[Wilson002s]

I loved "One Second After", but I got about 2 Chapters into "One Year After" and it's been sitting in the passenger seat of the car for the couple weeks since. I'm gonna try and push through it, simply because I don't like to leave a series midway through, but judging from reviews and such, it'll be a challenge. I think I'm gonna give the Enemies books or the A. American series a shot next.

Edited January 2, 2017 by Wilson002s

[Jamie Jackson]

I really liked the A. American series Wilson. Entertaining Gun Guy Post Apocalyptic fiction. 

The Bracken Trilogies are usually free to download a couple of times a year on Amazon. I'm actually rereading them and on book two right now.

Forstchen did a remarkable job on his little novella "Day of Wrath (Dies Irae)"...he just didn't seem to maintain his mojo in "One Year After" imho.

[Erik88]

Cry Havoc by A American was good

Also, The Apocalypse Trails series by Joe Nobody is good but they are very short.

[Hiker]

I've read a lot of the SHTF type books. I tend to like the series but not just a regular length Book broken into several sections. Spelling and typos get to me too.

The McClane Apocalypse is what I'm currently reading. Set in TN. Good characters. 

I appologize if previously recommend - long topic!

[Billybob52]

The Last Stand by William H Weber was a great read. It starts out in Sequoyah Hills in Knoxville and goes all over East TN. Its a fast read as I took the four books on a week long camping trip and got sucked in and read all four in about six days. Great read easy read

 

Sorry if already mentioned

[Ronald_55]

1 hour ago, Billybob52 said:

The Last Stand by William H Weber was a great read. It starts out in Sequoyah Hills in Knoxville and goes all over East TN. Its a fast read as I took the four books on a week long camping trip and got sucked in and read all four in about six days. Great read easy read

 

Sorry if already mentioned

Sounds like I need to check it out......and find out how you get to take week long camping trips.. lol. Sounds great.

[Jamie Jackson]

8 hours ago, Billybob52 said:

The Last Stand by William H Weber was a great read. It starts out in Sequoyah Hills in Knoxville and goes all over East TN. Its a fast read as I took the four books on a week long camping trip and got sucked in and read all four in about six days. Great read easy read

 

Sorry if already mentioned

I enjoyed this series as well. It's a bonus that it has a local setting. Good recommendation Billybob. 

[SWCUMBERLAND]

I have 299 Days on a device here...basics are good, but the timeline.... no. 1099 days maybe. That and they got a bit too mystical, and normalcy bias was spread on to even the best characters. Fortunately not a thick layer.

 

The "I've been thised and thated by aliens" guy, Whitley Strieber, and another author, James Kunetka wrote a book back in the 80's called Warday.

As big a chunk of pro-California propaganda I've not seen in a long time. The premise is a limited nuclear war... and Cali didn't get touched, was prospering and went even more authoritarian than they presently are to protect it.  It does mention the US getting EMPed prior to the nukes, and a lot about radiation.

[Mark A]

I didn't make it to the end of the series and it takes a lot for me to not finish a series...