I have recently read "The Road" by Cormack McCarthy. Although it was a short book, I thought it was extremely well written – brilliantly crafted. I am trying to find other books (and) movies of this genre, but it hasn’t been easy. I’m already well aware of 28 Weeks/Days Later, and I Am Legend, but I am looking for the more obscure alternative titles, if there are any.
On Jul 3, 9:12 pm, Gas Bag <shazl...@yahoo.com.au> wrote:
> I have recently read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. Although it was a > short book, I thought it was extremely well written – brilliantly > crafted. I am trying to find other books (and) movies of this genre, > but it hasn’t been easy. > I’m already well aware of 28 Weeks/Days Later, and I Am Legend, but I > am looking for the more obscure alternative titles, if there are any.
If by "this genre" you mean "postapocalyptic travel stories," the grandaddy of the genre is THE STAND, by Stephen King, though it couldn't be more different in style from the McCarthy.
Others include EMERGENCE by David R. Palmer, SWAN SONG by Robert McCammon, DAMNATION ALLEY by Roger Zelazny, A BOY AND HIS DOG by Harlan Ellison, most of the stories in THE BOOK OF THE DEAD (edited by John Skipp and Craig Spector) and the graphic novel series THE WALKING DEAD by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard.
> I have recently read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. Although it was a > short book, I thought it was extremely well written – brilliantly > crafted. I am trying to find other books (and) movies of this genre, > but it hasn’t been easy. > I’m already well aware of 28 Weeks/Days Later, and I Am Legend, but I > am looking for the more obscure alternative titles, if there are any.
If by "this genre" you mean "postapocalyptic travel stories," the grandaddy of the genre is THE STAND, by Stephen King, though it couldn't be more different in style from the McCarthy.
Others include EMERGENCE by David R. Palmer, SWAN SONG by Robert McCammon, DAMNATION ALLEY by Roger Zelazny, A BOY AND HIS DOG by Harlan Ellison, most of the stories in THE BOOK OF THE DEAD (edited by John Skipp and Craig Spector) and the graphic novel series THE WALKING DEAD by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard.
kdb
I recall reading a short story by Ray Russell in Playboy magazine many years ago about a 16 year old girl who along with her dog are the last survivors on earth. After the death of her dog the girl heads north because she has never seen snow and wants to before she dies. She has given up hope of seeing anyone else alive and I remember the story ended with a sad little poem she writes the last line of which was something like "....and death, my husband, will claim me for his bride."
Can't remember the title. Ring a bell with anyone?
- Lucifer's Hammer by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven, about a large comet that strikes the Earth, and the aftermath. Very highly recommended; they should have made a movie out of this instead of making Armageddon and Deep Impact.
- Swan Song by Robert McCammon, about a nuclear war and the aftermath. More of a horror/supernatural story, but a good read
- The Postman (I never read the book) but by all accounts much better than the Costner adaptation.
- Warday by Whitley Streiber and James Kunetka, about two writers who travel across America five years after a limited nuclear war to document how life has changed. Very highly recommended; I wish somebody would adapt this into a movie.
> > I have recently read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. Although it was a > > short book, I thought it was extremely well written – brilliantly > > crafted. I am trying to find other books (and) movies of this genre, > > but it hasn’t been easy. > > I’m already well aware of 28 Weeks/Days Later, and I Am Legend, but I > > am looking for the more obscure alternative titles, if there are any.
> If by "this genre" you mean "postapocalyptic travel stories," the > grandaddy of the genre is THE STAND, by Stephen King, though it > couldn't be more different in style from the McCarthy.
> Others include EMERGENCE by David R. Palmer, SWAN SONG by Robert > McCammon, DAMNATION ALLEY by Roger Zelazny, A BOY AND HIS DOG by > Harlan Ellison, most of the stories in THE BOOK OF THE DEAD (edited by > John Skipp and Craig Spector) and the graphic novel series THE WALKING > DEAD by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard.
> kdb
> I recall reading a short story by Ray Russell in Playboy magazine many years > ago about a 16 year old girl who along with her dog are the last survivors > on earth. After the death of her dog the girl heads north because she has > never seen snow and wants to before she dies. She has given up hope of > seeing anyone else alive and I remember the story ended with a sad little > poem she writes the last line of which was something like "....and death, my > husband, will claim me for his bride."
> Can't remember the title. Ring a bell with anyone?
I barely remember the plot, but the final line sounds like the end of "Xong of Xuxan" (her typewriter had a broken "s" key), which according to a quick internet search was indeed written by Ray Russell.
Kurt Busiek <k...@busiek.com> wrote: > On Jul 3, 9:12 pm, Gas Bag <shazl...@yahoo.com.au> wrote: > > I have recently read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. Although it was a > > short book, I thought it was extremely well written – brilliantly > > crafted. I am trying to find other books (and) movies of this genre, > > but it hasn’t been easy. > > I’m already well aware of 28 Weeks/Days Later, and I Am Legend, but I > > am looking for the more obscure alternative titles, if there are any.
> If by "this genre" you mean "postapocalyptic travel stories," the > grandaddy of the genre is THE STAND, by Stephen King, though it > couldn't be more different in style from the McCarthy.
> Others include EMERGENCE by David R. Palmer, SWAN SONG by Robert > McCammon, DAMNATION ALLEY by Roger Zelazny, A BOY AND HIS DOG by > Harlan Ellison, most of the stories in THE BOOK OF THE DEAD (edited by > John Skipp and Craig Spector) and the graphic novel series THE WALKING > DEAD by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard.
And if the travel part is not so important, "Alas, Babylon" is one of my favorites. It's what Jericho could have been. No zombies.
Gas Bag wrote: > I have recently read "The Road" by Cormack McCarthy. Although it was a > short book, I thought it was extremely well written – brilliantly > crafted. I am trying to find other books (and) movies of this genre, > but it hasn’t been easy. > I’m already well aware of 28 Weeks/Days Later, and I Am Legend, but I > am looking for the more obscure alternative titles, if there are any.
> > I have recently read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. Although it was a > > short book, I thought it was extremely well written – brilliantly > > crafted. I am trying to find other books (and) movies of this genre, > > but it hasn’t been easy. > > I’m already well aware of 28 Weeks/Days Later, and I Am Legend, but I > > am looking for the more obscure alternative titles, if there are any.
> If by "this genre" you mean "postapocalyptic travel stories," the > grandaddy of the genre is THE STAND, by Stephen King, though it > couldn't be more different in style from the McCarthy.
> Others include EMERGENCE by David R. Palmer, SWAN SONG by Robert > McCammon, DAMNATION ALLEY by Roger Zelazny, A BOY AND HIS DOG by > Harlan Ellison, most of the stories in THE BOOK OF THE DEAD (edited by > John Skipp and Craig Spector) and the graphic novel series THE WALKING > DEAD by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard.
> kdb
> I recall reading a short story by Ray Russell in Playboy magazine many > years > ago about a 16 year old girl who along with her dog are the last survivors > on earth. After the death of her dog the girl heads north because she has > never seen snow and wants to before she dies. She has given up hope of > seeing anyone else alive and I remember the story ended with a sad little > poem she writes the last line of which was something like "....and death, > my > husband, will claim me for his bride."
> Can't remember the title. Ring a bell with anyone?
I barely remember the plot, but the final line sounds like the end of "Xong of Xuxan" (her typewriter had a broken "s" key), which according to a quick internet search was indeed written by Ray Russell.
> Dave in Toronto
-- Steven J.
Thanks!! I think that may be the one. I'd forgotten the typewriter bit but I'm pretty sure the girl's name was Susan.
> > > I have recently read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. Although it was a > > > short book, I thought it was extremely well written – brilliantly > > > crafted. I am trying to find other books (and) movies of this genre, > > > but it hasn’t been easy. > > > I’m already well aware of 28 Weeks/Days Later, and I Am Legend, but I > > > am looking for the more obscure alternative titles, if there are any.
> > If by "this genre" you mean "postapocalyptic travel stories," the > > grandaddy of the genre is THE STAND, by Stephen King, though it > > couldn't be more different in style from the McCarthy.
> > Others include EMERGENCE by David R. Palmer, SWAN SONG by Robert > > McCammon, DAMNATION ALLEY by Roger Zelazny, A BOY AND HIS DOG by > > Harlan Ellison, most of the stories in THE BOOK OF THE DEAD (edited by > > John Skipp and Craig Spector) and the graphic novel series THE WALKING > > DEAD by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard.
Michael Chabon notes that "The Road" is well within the post- apocalyptic strain of sci-fi, and notes other examples in his new book, according to the review I read. Problem is, most high-toned reviewers have no awareness that sci-fi exists--unlike McCarthy, who will use any genre, even the ones called pulp, to make his point.
