OT: your favorite apocalyptic book, story, movie
No particular reason, just curious what apocalyptic stories you like. For variety, we may as well open it up to dystopian fiction as well.
The Stand of course is going to be discussed, as well as The Road. 1984, Handmaid's Tale. These are all famous works that most of us will be familiar with, but what are your personal recommendations?
I recently read Alas, Babylon and really loved it. Depressing and frightening, but a landmark for the genre. On the Beach is on my reading list, and I've heard it's great. I'd love to hear yours.
2020
March 13th, 2020 at 12:50 AM ^
...The Death of Sports
“2020” Nice!
I recommend The Omega Man. Biowarfare creates a virus that gets out of control and kills just about everyone except for none other than Charlton Heston who manages to take the only vaccine in development just in time; and some mutants that cheated death only to live as zombies out for revenge. Apparently this is the movie that started the Zombie genre.
the revelation of st. john.
incidentally, the greek word we use as apocalypse means 'revelation'.
That is actually some freaky reading. And in that vein, I would consider The Last Battle to also be a good read in this genre.
March 12th, 2020 at 10:18 PM ^
Doesn't need to be freaky. Depends upon which category of characters one is in.
March 12th, 2020 at 10:34 PM ^
Freaky wasn't the right word. Alarming, maybe? That is some serious business going on in John's Revelation. The various interpretations are fascinating too. Some have speculated that "giant locusts" could be a reference to grasshoppers, 9/11 may have been foreshadowed. There's some incredible stuff.
March 12th, 2020 at 10:46 PM ^
i would suggest it is best understood as being cyclical and symbolic, excepting the first 3 chapters and the last few, too, as it relates to the cyclical nature.
March 12th, 2020 at 10:52 PM ^
That's exactly how my dad told me to look at it. There will be many antichrists and many tribulations. I think that makes the most sense.
Did you use a literary agent to get published or self publish?
March 12th, 2020 at 11:02 PM ^
(not the place for this, but I disagree significantly)
March 12th, 2020 at 11:09 PM ^
and would love someday to have that discussion. but as you say, not the forum for that.
March 12th, 2020 at 11:32 PM ^
Can we schedule a meet up over coffee to discuss? I'd enjoy this debate and apparently I'm not traveling for a while.
i have had the pleasure of meeting SRJK in person, but he lives over in duluth so getting all parties together is difficult. whereabouts are you, mi93?
Let’s make or find a forum!
Count me in.
Tom Clancy, The Sum of All Fears
Bible. Spoiler, we win.
March 13th, 2020 at 12:55 PM ^
Doesn't that depend on your definition of, "we?"
"We" as in, humanity. Life over death.
We who believe and are justified through the person and work of Jesus Christ who died for our sins and rose again, yes.
the road is great (the book, but the movie is also pretty good), in a horrible, soul crushing sort of way. on a lighter note, zombieland was pretty solid
March 12th, 2020 at 10:44 PM ^
Loved The Road in book form. Very disappointed by the movie. Both Zombielands are excellent. The cast has a great chemistry and the style is unique.
March 13th, 2020 at 11:02 AM ^
I read and really liked the book, but didn't watch the movie. Unknowingly, i made a habit a long time ago to never watch a movie if I've read the book, and vice versa.
March 13th, 2020 at 12:34 PM ^
I would also moderately recommend Zombieland: Double Tap (the sequel). It's maybe a little worse in that you already know the premise, but if you liked the style of the first you'll like the style of the second.
The Stand. Swan Song is good. I guess I’m a Stephen King fan. I have heard Earth Abides is good
ABSOLUTELY! The Stand is my favorite fiction book of all time. I've just never read a book with such character development. Plus it kkkiiinnddddaaa seems like what's going on, minus the massive amount of death.
March 13th, 2020 at 11:06 AM ^
Ironically, I decided to start working through Stephen King books in publication order at the start of this year. I've got through Carrie, Salem's Lot, The Shinning, and was even to about to find a copy of Rage. I'm a little over half way thought the uncut version of The Stand right now.
Outbreak.
too soon?
March 12th, 2020 at 10:06 PM ^
It's playing on Netflix right now.
March 12th, 2020 at 10:28 PM ^
I'd say "not soon enough".
Parable of the Sower. Well written, unique and terrifying.
March 12th, 2020 at 10:00 PM ^
In the Mouth of Madness
March 12th, 2020 at 10:03 PM ^
Book: Station 11 is really good. Not a fan of Atwood's stuff, though.
Movie: 28 Days/Weeks Later can't be beat.
March 13th, 2020 at 11:16 AM ^
Just read that a couple months ago. Really enjoyed it. The Fever is another good one that's on the newer side. Heard the Twelve is good too.
For TV, can't really beat the early seasons of Walking Dead, although I had to check out on that show a long time ago.
March 13th, 2020 at 11:48 AM ^
The Passage is the first book of the trilogy and is really great, I couldn't put it down. The Twelve and the City of Mirrors, which complete the trilogy, weren't as good.
March 12th, 2020 at 10:06 PM ^
Dawn of the Dead (2004 version)
Shaun of the Dead
Mad Max Franchise (but especially The Road Warrior)
The Big Short (book or movie)
Apocalypse Now (Redux version)
Any YouTube video of Walmart opening door on Black Friday
March 12th, 2020 at 10:46 PM ^
Shaun of the Dead is very good. Not sure how Apocalypse Now fits the theme except the name but great movie nonetheless
March 12th, 2020 at 10:12 PM ^
these are technically post apocalyptic, but here are mine. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book about the actual apocalypse.
Book: The Road.
Movie: Mad Max: Fury Road.
March 13th, 2020 at 12:23 AM ^
Fury Road was so freaking good. I wish I could see that in theaters again.
Mine: my Twitter timeline
March 13th, 2020 at 10:37 AM ^
Upvote for Fury Road.
PA Books: I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, which of course was the inspiration for Charlton Heston's Omega Man and Will Smith's movie with the same name. If you read the novella, you find out what I Am Legend really means, or originally meant, at any rate.
Canticle for Leibowitz is memorable.
Justin Cronin's The Passage.
F. Paul Wilson has a book, The Virgin, that doesn't just talk about a Christian second coming and dick around with prophecies and preparations and hypotheticals and then dodge out at the end. End is not to everyone's tastes, but it doesn't chicken out/Notre Dame.
March 12th, 2020 at 10:13 PM ^
12 monkeys
March 12th, 2020 at 10:20 PM ^
So good
Great flick, but the title is misleading.
March 12th, 2020 at 10:18 PM ^
The Plague by Camus might be good right about now.
March 12th, 2020 at 10:18 PM ^
War of the Worlds was pretty good.
A Quiet Place.
March 13th, 2020 at 11:09 AM ^
A Quiet Place is one of my all time favorites. It is on Hulu now if anyone is interested.
Silence, while a lesser netflix movie thats pretty damn similar, was a great book.
Bird Box, also a netflix movie, is also really good.
Bird Box the book is really good. And it was written by a Michigan writer, so it allegedly takes place in SE Michigan. I can just picture trying to get to the Huron River while blindfolded.