I have no idea what the movie is like but the novel is a solid read. After the war a survivor starts to wear a postal uniform and that brings the promise of hope of society being able to rebuild. On The Beach by Nevil Shute, about a military sub that lands in Australia after the nuclear war and how everyone attempts to come to terms with impending doom.

It's an absolute classic and if you read one post-apocalyptic novel this should probably be it, though it takes place well after the event itself and is about future societies interpreting the past and rebuilding based on old knowledge.

Miller Jr., about how long after the nuclear holocaust the Catholic Church attempts to interpret relics left behind by a mysterious saint. I enthusiastically second the following:Ī Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. However, if you're looking for something post-nuke then you should really read some of the titles already mentioned above. It's a savage slice of Reagan-era cheese and in no way realistic, except for the loving descriptions of the firearms our heroes use gleefully kill the aforementioned commies. John Thomas Rourke, a sort of prepper culture Mary Sue, will do what it takes to _survive_, which gets increasingly ludicrous when later books start to involve cryogenics and fighting those goddamned commies into the distant future. It's a solid read, if pessimistic and probably a bit too libertarian tinged to be really enjoyable.įor a totally goofy take on nuclear apocalypse fiction, I can't actually recommend Jerry Ahern's The Survivalist series, but I've ready a bunch of it and enjoyed it as trashy men's adventure fun. Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle that shows the impact of a huge metorite on the California coast and then the attempts by the characters to survive and, if not rebuild, fortify. King lingers on the horror of it all and also puts some time into the rebuilding aspects. Yes, it's a lot of post-apocalyptic novel, especially if you read the author's preferred Super Doorstop edition, but I loved having that much time to spend with all of the characters throughout the apocalypse and beyond.

Charon Docks at Daylight by Zoe Reed