For years I've always enjoyed when authors posted list's of books that inspired them or the most fun/gross/weird/brutal books they have read. With that in mind I decided that after twenty years of reading horror it was time to start compiling some of my own lists.
I decide for my first list I would post my favourite post apocalyptic novels as it's one of my favourite sub genres. Before you even read the list, this is the books that I have enjoyed the most, not a list of mass market top sellers that everyone loves.
I must have just turned twenty when I first read this book. I hadn't long finished reading Richard Laymon's entire collection and was trying several new author's, that had been recommended to me on the Laymon message board when I came across Blood Crazy, my first read by Simon Clark but not my last. The gist of this book is, everyone in the world over the age of eighteen goes nuts, like 28 Days Later kind of nuts and the youth are left behind to make their way in the new world. It's a bit of a road trip book with some truly great moments. The pacing is fast and the character development was great. I'm not someone who re-reads books so my opinions on this one are based on my twenty year old self's view but it has remained a favourite, even after I've read hundreds more books in the horror genre.
This book, unlike a lot of mass market books really hits the spot. It's massive but the storyline is massive as well. Their is actually three separate storylines running through it if I remember correctly but the imagination of this author is unquestionable. There are so many great ideas in one book. It truly blue me away. If I'm honest it was a tough decision between what to put first and second but I think I slightly preferred Blood Crazy simply down to my own personal taste.
There are many reasons this book is on the list. I know some may argue that it's set in the UK and it doesn't mention if the going's on are happening outside of the UK but I read it going on the assumption that they were. It's up to the reader really as it also doesn't say it's confined to the UK. If you don't like spiders this book will scare the fuck out of you but it's not quite as simple as that, they are no ordinary spiders and they hatch from women's stomachs to make it all the more horrific. There are two books in the series and I loved both.
While I love the Rising and City of the Dead this is my favourite zombie book by Keene. I know it's no the most famous but it's the best in my opinion. There is something about the characters in this book that really sucks you in. I find with most books I need fast paced action as I rarely relate to most of the people in the story but this book is different. Keene is a tremendous story teller in my opinion, at least with his earlier works he was. I still read everything he writes but I haven't enjoyed much of his work since an Occurrence in Crazy Bear Valley so if you haven't read him I'd start with everything he published through Leisure.
Now this one is fucking mental. I am a massive fan of Mellick now and have read around thirty of his books but this was one of the first two I read. Mellick writes Bizarro and in my opinion is the best at it in the game. Below is a synopsis as I don't think I would be able to do this one justice with a description.
Road Warrior Werewolves versus McDonaldland
Mutants...post-apocalyptic fiction has never been quite like this. They call
themselves the Warriors, their enemies call them the Bitches. They are a gang
of man-eating, motorcycle-riding, war-hungry werewolf women, and they are the
rulers of the wasteland. A century after the fall of civilization, only one
city remains standing. It is a self-contained utopian society protected by a
three-hundred-foot-high steel wall. The citizens of this city live safe,
peaceful lives, completely ignorant to the savagery that takes place beyond the
walls. They are content and happy, blindly following the rules of the fascist
fast food corporation that acts as their government. But when Daniel Togg, a
four-armed bootlegger from the dark side of town, is cast out of the walled
city, he soon learns why the state of the outside world has been kept secret.
The wasteland is a chaotic battleground filled with giant wolves, mutant men,
and an army of furry biker women who are slowly transforming into animals.
Trapped on the wrong side of a war zone, Daniel Togg makes new friends and new
enemies, while uncovering the mysteries of the people living in the wasteland
and how they came to be there. Including 45 illustrations by the author, Warrior
Wolf Women of the Wasteland is an epic bizarro tale of dehumanization, gender
separation, consumption, and violent sexual awakenings. A fast-paced
post-apocalyptic adventure in the vein of The Road Warrior, featuring a very
unique werewolf mythology.
Go pick it up. It will be one of the best things you have ever read.
So I've listed the five that from memory have been my favourites. Below are a few other honorable mentions:
The full Clicker's series is really good.
Now I'm sure if you have made it this far you are having a rant about books that aren't on the list. As I said these are my favourite's. I know most people will rate King's Stand above my top five but I find him long winded and it dragged in lots of parts although the overall story was excellent. It's also probably the case that I haven't read some of the books that others love and have forgotten some that I loved myself through time. If anything I hope you found at least one book on the list to give a try. I would love to see other peoples lists so if you post one, tag me on Twitter or Facebook or send me a link.
Until the next time.
Kev
