Book picks similar to
Human Tender by Jason Werberloff
apocalyptic
horror-ish
short
shorts
The Last Astronaut
Chris Dietzel - 2017
He isn't trying to escape the extinction. He's trying to get away from something else.A Great De-evolution Novelette
Apocalypse
Kyle West - 2012
An invasion of monsters. A desperate fight for survival...Alex Keener has lived all of his sixteen years in Bunker 108. He's walked the same metal halls, seen the same faces, has followed the same rules. All that changes when a viral outbreak forces him to flee the safety of his bunker.Outside, he discovers a barren world twisted by the impact of the meteor Ragnarok thirty years ago. Alone, he must wander a brutal landscape, where every breath is a fight for survival. Monsters haunt the planet's surface, and nothing of the old world remains.Can Alex survive this hellish wasteland, or will he become its newest victim?
DMQZ
Quinn Fleming - 2013
The shores and waters of the East River are the "DMQZ," the uninhabited area that separates uninfected Manhattan from the slowly dying borough of Brooklyn.Jacob Hale is a Manhattan police officer rising in the ranks of the Safe Zone military government until a bank heist gone wrong lands him on suspension and under suspicion. On a quest to clear his good name, Hale finds himself drawn into a web of conspiracy, terrorism, and revolt - and into the orbit of a mysterious woman who may be the key to it all.
2076
Stephen G. Mitchell - 2014
The seas have risen, the skies have darkened and the American Midwest has become a desert. A handful of corporations own and operate the country and food is used as a means of oppression. The year is 2074. America is now a third-world nation and China, with its prosperous and burgeoning middle class, is the leader of the Free World. Against this backdrop, a devastating raid by the wealthy ruling class on a stronghold of rebels fighting against the system inadvertently unites two enemies in a forbidden love that threatens to tear their worlds apart. Carlin Pheney, a decorated military pilot and member of the upper class, is captured by Aelena Hall, a veteran leader of the food wars. Together, they become fugitives on the run from a military industrial complex headed by Carlin’s father. Aided by strangers and betrayed by friends, they are swept up in an unstoppable global catastrophe. When Aelena is captured and thrown into the Federal Torture Chamber on Guantanamo Island, Carlin devises a desperate plan for her impossible escape from the water-bound prison. Mystery and suspense pursue the two lovers across the oceans and around the world to a wild and newborn land. Here, if they hope to survive, they must face a terrible battle to colonize a new America and give birth to a nation. In the tradition of literature with science fiction and political overtones that includes Nineteen Eighty-Four, Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451 comes one of the best new books of the year, the dystopian thriller 2076: A Revolutionary Tale—a book about a tomorrow ruled by the plutocrats of today.
Sleepover
Alastair Reynolds - 2010
It was developed from notes for an unwritten novel and maybe one day that novel will be completed, for we need to know the fate of the Earth. This story presents one of the more unusual apocalyptic ideas.
The Junket (Kindle Single)
Mike Albo - 2011
He lands an enviable gig writing about shopping and fashion for the city’s major newspaper, but an ill-fated promotional junket gets Albo into hot water. He becomes a gossip item and finds himself caught in an acrimonious war between Old and New Media. Here's a gimlet-eyed account of the back-biting media scene, a glimpse into the inner workings of the fashion crowd, and a candid portrait of what it takes to survive as a writer in today’s chattering and watchful New York City."I was perilously close to exposing a secret underground economy of promotion: favors and junkets and banquets and gifts that keeps the city in motion, and keeps underpaid writers at work. Basically, I became the Silkwood of Swag."
Cold Cases: Solved Volume 2: 18 Fascinating True Crime Cases
Robert Keller - 2021
Nomad
Robert Swartwood - 2013
With only the clothes on his back and a few meager supplies, he’s headed west on a mission of supreme importance. And danger!The abbies, millions of them, are all around the lonely seeker. A false move, one broken branch, a moan not stifled, and the monstrous reminders of a world gone horribly wrong will surround and devour Tobias. The nomad knows his life is in constant danger. What he doesn’t know and will soon come to understand is that outside of the safe haven of Wayward Pines there are other things more dangerous than abbies.And worse than death!Robert Swartwood’s Nomad is another compelling chapter in the harrowing, bestselling Wayward Pines series.
The Man Upstairs
Del Henderson - 2018
Well, perfect except for one thing…the neighbor.
Life Before Legend
Marie Lu - 2012
As twelve-year-olds struggling to survive in two very different worlds within the Republic’s stronghold, June was starting her first day of school at Drake University as the youngest cadet ever admitted, and Day was fighting for food on the streets of the Lake sector. LIFE BEFORE LEGEND contains two original stories written by Marie Lu that give readers a sneak peek into the lives of their favorite characters in a thrilling new context.
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2005
Laura Furman - 2005
Jones
Dues Dale Peck
Speckle Trout Ron Rash
Sphinxes Timothy Crouse
Grace Paula Fox
Snowbound Liza Ward
Tea Nancy Reisman
Christie Caitlin Macy
Refuge in London Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
The Drowned Woman Frances De Pontes Peebles
The Card Trick Tessa Hadley
What You Pawn I Will Redeem Sherman Alexie
Pump Six and Other Stories
Paolo Bacigalupi - 2008
Social criticism, political parable, and environmental advocacy lie at the center of Paolo's work. Each of the stories herein is at once a warning, and a celebration of the tragic comedy of the human experience.The eleven stories in Pump Six represent the best Paolo's work, including the Hugo nominee "Yellow Card Man," the nebula and Hugo nominated story "The People of Sand and Slag," and the Sturgeon Award-winning story "The Calorie Man."
Burning Alexandria
Michael J. Sullivan - 2012
Irwin has a dilemma, however, the world has turned cold and he has no idea how long it will last. When faced with freezing to death, can he dare to burn "his friends" and how will he choose which will be used to keep him alive. This short story originally appeared in "The End: Visions of Apocalypse" edited by N.E. White. I wrote it the weekend I learned of Ray Bradbury's death and is a homage to this master of science fiction.PRAISE FOR MICHAEL J. SULLIVAN'S WORK“This epic fantasy showcases the arrival of a master storyteller.” — Library Journal on Theft of Swords“A delightful, entertaining and page-turning read that reminds us just how enjoyable, and how good The Riyria Revelations series is. A must-buy for all fantasy lovers.” — The Founding Fields on Rise of Empire“Heir of Novron is the conclusion to the Riyria Revelations, cementing it in a position as a new classic of modern fantasy: traditional in setting, but extremely unconventional in, well, everything else.” — Drying Ink on Heir of Novron“Snappy banter, desperate stakes, pulse pounding sword play, and good old fashioned heroics are all on full display here.” — 52 Book Reviews on The Crown Tower“The Rose and the Thorn is full of mystery, adventure, betrayal and just plain awesome.” — Fantasy Faction on The Rose and the Thorn“This is social science fiction that H.G. Wells or Isaac Asimov could have written, with the cultural touchstones of today. A modernized classic, Hollow World is the perfect novel for both new and nostalgic science fiction readers.” — Staffer’s Book Reviews on Hollow World
Ten Simple Tips for Surviving the Apocalypse
Cari Z. - 2015
Those of us who survived the subsequent wars that decimated the world as we know it, throwing us back into a pre-industrial era are the lucky ones. Those of us who survived are the lucky ones.Except… Some of us are different. Some of us are changing. Some say the virus mutated. Some say it is a result of genetic warfare. All I know is that I can see better in the dark, I can hear from further away and I am stronger now than I ever have been before. And I have claws.We may not be the lucky ones after all.Photo Description: A person stares out at you, someone clearly no longer human. His hair is white, his skin is dusky purple, and his eyes are the color of honey. He’s scarred, a cut spanning his face from cheek to cheek, and he’s looking at you like you might be lunch.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story. This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.