Books about being one of the last people on Earth?
I typically lean more towards female protagonists but i’m happy to read anything that goes along this general story line. Also, i’m thinking more “last people on earth” vibes.
Ann Burden is sixteen years old and completely alone. The world as she once knew it is gone, ravaged by a nuclear war that has taken everyone from her. For the past year, she has lived in a remote valley with no evidence of any other survivors.
But the smoke from a distant campfire shatters Ann’s solitude. Someone else is still alive and making his way toward the valley. Who is this man? What does he want? Can he be trusted? Both excited and terrified, Ann soon realizes there may be worse things than being the last person on Earth.”
brucelsprouts on
I Who Have Never Known Men!
jellyrat24 on
Z is for Zachariah; The 5th Wave
1d4_fire_damage on
The Salt Line is what you are looking for. It follows a stong and capable woman as she navigates the world ravaged by a strange disease.
After The End is also great with a unique twist to it. June is the last person on earth after a nuclear apocalypse.
The Road is a bleak post apocalyptic novel following a father-son duo on their way across the desolate and ash-covered USA.
I am Legend is an older book that follows the last man on earth as he is surrounded by vampiric humans every night.
NotYourShitAgain on
Easily, the top in this category forever, Wittgenstein’s Mistress.
Nowordsofitsown on
Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
It starts out with all of humanity though, then the number rapidly goes down. Female protagonists.
Low_Spread9760 on
Wittgenstein’s Mistress
losoba on
The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
creal on
Station Eleven.
Multi POV, though, who I felt was the “main” protagonist is female.
End of world scenario.
5 star read for me
choirandcooking on
The Road.
Gray. Ash.
SkyOfFallingWater on
The Wall by Marlen Haushofer (more like “last person” though)
freerangelibrarian on
A short story:
Adam and No Eve by Alfred Bester.
RealHousewivesYapper on
Wranglestone by Darren Charlton, it’s a queer YA horror and it was so good! There is a sequel as well but I haven’t picked that one up yet
VonGooberschnozzle on
*The Last Man* by Mary Shelley
*After London* by Richard Jefferies
*The Purple Cloud* by M. P. Shiel
*The Scarlet Plague* by Jack London
*The Night Land* by William Hope Hodgson
*Darkness and Dawn* by George Allan England
*The Lost Continent* by Edgar Rice Burroughs
*Earth Abides* by George R. Stewart
*Daybreak 2250 AD* by Andre Norton
*I Am Legend* by Richard Matheson
*The Long Tomorrow* by Leigh Brackett
*On the Beach* by Nevil Shute
*The Drowned World* by J. G. Ballard
*Hiero’s Journey* by Sterling E. Lanier
Clear-Journalist3095 on
The Road.
I Am Legend.
hedcannon on
Not Earth but “For Those Who Are About To…” by Joanna Russ.
Silent-Literature-64 on
Just finished The Last One at the Party and loved it!
18 Comments
Galapagos by Vonnegut
Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O’Brien
Summary “Is anyone out there?
Ann Burden is sixteen years old and completely alone. The world as she once knew it is gone, ravaged by a nuclear war that has taken everyone from her. For the past year, she has lived in a remote valley with no evidence of any other survivors.
But the smoke from a distant campfire shatters Ann’s solitude. Someone else is still alive and making his way toward the valley. Who is this man? What does he want? Can he be trusted? Both excited and terrified, Ann soon realizes there may be worse things than being the last person on Earth.”
I Who Have Never Known Men!
Z is for Zachariah; The 5th Wave
The Salt Line is what you are looking for. It follows a stong and capable woman as she navigates the world ravaged by a strange disease.
After The End is also great with a unique twist to it. June is the last person on earth after a nuclear apocalypse.
The Road is a bleak post apocalyptic novel following a father-son duo on their way across the desolate and ash-covered USA.
I am Legend is an older book that follows the last man on earth as he is surrounded by vampiric humans every night.
Easily, the top in this category forever, Wittgenstein’s Mistress.
Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
It starts out with all of humanity though, then the number rapidly goes down. Female protagonists.
Wittgenstein’s Mistress
The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
Station Eleven.
Multi POV, though, who I felt was the “main” protagonist is female.
End of world scenario.
5 star read for me
The Road.
Gray. Ash.
The Wall by Marlen Haushofer (more like “last person” though)
A short story:
Adam and No Eve by Alfred Bester.
Wranglestone by Darren Charlton, it’s a queer YA horror and it was so good! There is a sequel as well but I haven’t picked that one up yet
*The Last Man* by Mary Shelley
*After London* by Richard Jefferies
*The Purple Cloud* by M. P. Shiel
*The Scarlet Plague* by Jack London
*The Night Land* by William Hope Hodgson
*Darkness and Dawn* by George Allan England
*The Lost Continent* by Edgar Rice Burroughs
*Earth Abides* by George R. Stewart
*Daybreak 2250 AD* by Andre Norton
*I Am Legend* by Richard Matheson
*The Long Tomorrow* by Leigh Brackett
*On the Beach* by Nevil Shute
*The Drowned World* by J. G. Ballard
*Hiero’s Journey* by Sterling E. Lanier
The Road.
I Am Legend.
Not Earth but “For Those Who Are About To…” by Joanna Russ.
Just finished The Last One at the Party and loved it!