For several years I put reading aside, always telling myself I was “too busy.” Honestly, I just lost the motivation. But recently I stumbled back in through audiobooks, and WOW, what a game changer. Being able to listen while doing chores and daily tasks made reading possible again, and it completely reignited my love for books.
The ones that really pulled me back in were post-apocalyptic, dark, and often gruesome stories that painted such vivid worlds in my imagination. The characters, the atmosphere, the tension, all bring together these incredible worlds. They’re long and I enjoy that they’re not afraid to be drawn out to take
Time to world build. I like the long books even those with chapters that just fill space, but add to the lore of the world.
Now my only fear is that I’ll never find other books that hit quite the same way. So I’m turning to you all asking for some incredible post-apocalyptic / dark / gritty books (or series) that you’d recommend?
I’d love anything with:
– Strong world-building in bleak settings
– Characters who feel real in desperate circumstances
– Stories that aren’t afraid to get grim or gruesome
by Fallout_Lord
6 Comments
Lark Ascending by Silas House
The Road by Cormac McCarthy- talk about bleak. It is sparse, beautiful, and sobering
All The Water In The World. It’s set in a climate change ravaged New York City, and while it’s a tough read, I really liked it at the end.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
One Second After by William Forstchen (this is 1 of 3 in a series)
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
The Metro series by Dmitry Glukhovsky
1 more vote for The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Very dark,but probably one of the most realistic of a post nuclear exchange world.