[BearsBoy]

Just in case anyone is interested in doing some reading... I thought I would post links to some SHTF stories. I got interested in reading them when I stumbled on a forum a few years ago that had John Ross as a member. He was posting chapters from his book "Unintended Consequences" as he wrote it so I was able to read the original online. It's out of print now but if you can find a copy it sells from $100-$300. It's pretty "rough" in places but I think most on here would enjoy it.
After that I found a story called "Deep Winter" by Thomas Sherry. I found out that you can email him at [email protected] and he will send you three of his stories as .pdf files. "Deep Winter" "Remnant" and "Shatter".
Another really good one is "Lights Out" by David Crawford. I was going to post a link to a .pdf but it's been removed since he published it. It's available at Amazon.
And yesterday I stumbled on the website of Jerry D. Young. It seems that he writes and has links to a ton of stories. I've read three already (it's been sloooowww at work) and have to say his are pretty good. The link is http://www.jerrydyoung.com/news.php

Enjoy!

 

[miker84]

Lights Out is on my list.
I've read:
The Road
One Second After
The Stand
Patriots
I'm about to start reading Alas Babylon.
I'll check out the others. Thanks for the info.

 

[jbpmidas]

Can you send the PDF's? I always need good reading at work on graveyard!

 

[BearsBoy]

I don't have any on this PC at work but check out that last link I posted for http://www.jerrydyoung.com. There are dozens of pdf's on that link.

 

[jbpmidas]

Thanks! Maybe that will work at work.

 

[Scharfschütze]

Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle is pretty good; also "World War Z" about a virus-induced zombie epidemic is good. The latter is less about science fiction / zombies, more about the complete breakdown of society's infrastructure worldwide, very interesting insight into what happens when things and structures we take for granted fall apart. You could substitute something more realistic than a virus that causes humans to become "z"s, yet causes worldwide problems, and the book would still be as good. Lots of firearms and survival info.

 

[jbpmidas]

Read "One Man Alone" from Jerry D Young. It's a pretty good short story. I'll read some more.

 

[sand_man]

The Stand Extended Version was great!

 

[edm]

I really liked the Stand (alltime favorite book) Lucifers hammer and Lights out.

 

[Tuco]

A friend gave me two books for Christmas (we tend to trade subversive literature). One I is called World Made by hand and the other is The Witch of Hebron both by James Howard Kunstler. They are both pretty good and deal more with the aftermath of societal break down. I read One Second After and it scared the living he ** out of me.

 

[miker84]

The wife thinks I'm a total nutjob for reading these SHTF books. She watched "The Road" dvd with me (Netflix) and said it was the most depressing thing she's ever seen. I hope we never see the conditions that are described in these books, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Here's an indy movie that's coming out this year about a SHTF situation:
Remnants

 

[jbpmidas]

The Neighbors by Jerry D Young is a really good read. Just finished it.

 

[Scharfschütze]

Have any of you read "World War Z" ? I'm interested in what you guys think of it.

 

[miker84]

Have any of you read "World War Z" ? I'm interested in what you guys think of it.

Not yet. My oldest daughter did, but she's really into the Zombie thing.

 

[Scharfschütze]

Well, I initially didn't want to read it 'cause I am not a sci fi fan. But a friend recommended it. The "Zombie" aspect is a hook to get a certain category of readers interested in sci fi, and they will find that in the text, but the overriding theme is the complete breakdown of society, who survives, who doesn't. What occupations are truly valuable to society, who has to re-train to earn a living in the post-modern societies. Like the technical experts who are now collecting fertilizer(manure) for farming 'cause they no longer have a skill needed by society. Also what happens to a completely closed society (North Korea) when the virus breaks out there was another interesting theme. I hear there is a movie being made, unfortunately (from my interest in SHTF fiction) I think it will focus more on the zombies, less on how easy it would be for society to fall completely to pieces. I have to mention "Lucifer's Hammer" again, an old one about the aftermath of a huge asteroid strike. Somewhat dated technology-wise, but good.

 

[jbpmidas]

Those get to be addictive! I think I have read 5 so far. Good, quick reads!

 

[BearsBoy]

Just finished "The Neighbors"... That's the 10th story since Thursday! I need to give it a break!

My favs so far... "The Hermit" and "An Old Man And His Tractor". Oh, and "Ozark Retreat, part 1 & 2"

 

[Scharfschütze]

Der Junge gave me "Dies the Fire" by S.M. Stirling. He got it 'cause he read in the Cold Steel catalog that this novel had inspired that company to design several of their swords. Very interesting book, I recommend it...

 

[Brutus]

Just in case anyone is interested in doing some reading... I thought I would post links to some SHTF stories. I got interested in reading them when I stumbled on a forum a few years ago that had John Ross as a member. He was posting chapters from his book "Unintended Consequences" as he wrote it so I was able to read the original online. It's out of print now but if you can find a copy it sells from $100-$300. It's pretty "rough" in places but I think most on here would enjoy it.
After that I found a story called "Deep Winter" by Thomas Sherry. I found out that you can email him at [email protected] and he will send you three of his stories as .pdf files. "Deep Winter" "Remnant" and "Shatter".
Another really good one is "Lights Out" by David Crawford. I was going to post a link to a .pdf but it's been removed since he published it. It's available at Amazon.
And yesterday I stumbled on the website of Jerry D. Young. It seems that he writes and has links to a ton of stories. I've read three already (it's been sloooowww at work) and have to say his are pretty good. The link is http://www.jerrydyoung.com/news.php

Enjoy!

I got to read Deep Winter in its original, pre-published form. Sherry is/was a member at another site I frequent and that site had a "Member's Stories" section where he posted it chapter by chapter as he wrote it. It's a very good read.

 

[miker84]

Just finished Alas, Babylon. It was good. Realistic without being over the top. It was published in 1959 so the content and context revolves around the cold war and nuclear threat. Nevertheless, the challenges of life in a post-disaster situation are the same today as back then. I imagine this book shook some people up back then. I can see that One Second After is almost an updated version of this.