Post-Apocalyptic novels can have a myriad of themes, aesthetics and enemies. If you add to this the presence of a zombie threat, then the situation for the heroes is made all the much bloodier and deadlier.

We will be exploring the context of post-apocalyptic themed novels, reviews of which can be found on reputable websites, like Booksiren.com.

Zone One

Written by Colson Whitehead, Zone One showcases the events following a pandemic that has caused devastation on the planet, and has split the remaining humans into infected and uninfected. Events unfold after the main brunt of the infestation has cool downed, and we see the military forces that were stationed in Fort Wonton, Chinatown, begin reclaiming parts of the island located south of Canal Street, this area also known as Zone One. We will see a team of civilian sweeper units attempt to clear out the remaining feral infected from this area, but they will soon find out that there are many scattered all over this region. While the initial outlook seems to be on the increase, soon things take a turn for the worse.

Dust

Dust takes a rather different approach from the regular zombie themed story. More specifically, we will be witnessing the story from the point of view of a zombie. The main character is Jessie, a victim in a car crash from nine years ago, who has arisen from her grave and now lives the life of the living dead. She is not alone however in her night-time adventures. She is in love with another zombie called Joe, and together they enjoy surviving and dancing together. Humans still exist but they stay away from these groups of living dead, and are usually terrified of them.  While initially, things seem to be all well and good, Jessie and her zombie gang stumble upon a creature that is neither living nor dead, and things unfold differently from now on.

The Last Bastion of the Living

An intense, fast-paced zombie novel, featuring a female protagonist, The Last Bastion of the Living sees the adventures of Maria Martinez who participates in an operation to the rid the world of the Inferi Scourge, former humans who now roam the world as living dead. Initially, humanity was restricted to a region behind a mountainous range called The Bastion. The Bastion’s massive gate that protected the entrance into the city has been breached and the Inferi Scourge started pouring in. Maria’s story starts some decades after this event and humanity is in an even worse state than before. Maria finds herself in a city that is overly crowded and faced with a shortage on food, medicine and supplies. Her only choice is to leave this place and risk everything to ensure the survival of humanity.