Article contributed by Kate Rhoton
HBO Max’s new series The Last of Us has been just as big of a smash hit as the 2013 game it’s adapted from. If you’re a fan of the TV show, the game, or you’re just interested in dark, post-apocalyptic stories, here are ten reading recommendations to check out!
Blindness by José Saramago
Like The Last of Us, José Saramago’s 1995 novel Blindness focuses on how the spread of a new disease can break down society and severely alter the way that humans live and interact with one another. In Blindness, a mass epidemic of blindness begins spreading through a city, affecting nearly everyone. If you’re intrigued by the “found family” relationship between Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us, then Blindness is a great book to check out: it follows a group of people who band together and create their own family unit to help navigate their way through the devastation caused by the epidemic.
The Passage by Justin Cronin
The Passage by Justin Cronin is a post-apocalyptic novel from 2010 that focuses on a world that has been infested with vampires (contrary to The Last of Us’s zombies). There are a lot of similarities between The Passage and The Last of Us, most notably their respective focus on a downtrodden, haunted man protecting a young, orphaned girl who may or may not hold the secret to saving the world.
The Children of Men by P.D. James
The Children of Men by P.D. James presents another take on the “disastrous change to human health greatly alters society” story. In this case, humanity becomes infertile. As in The Last of Us, The Children of Men focuses on a main character (Julian) who finds himself reluctantly working with the one person who may be able to save humanity. If Joel is your favourite The Last of Us character and you admire his story arc, then Julian’s tale in The Children of Men may be a great follow up to read.
The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
If Ellie is your favourite character from The Last of Us, or you enjoy stories about intelligent children overcoming incredible hardships, then The Girl with All the Gifts is the book for you. M.R. Carey’s 2014 novel follows Melanie, a smart and witty young girl making her way through the zombie apocalypse. Melanie has many similarities to Ellie, and both The Last of Us and The Girl with All the Gifts explore the resilience of children in unimaginably difficult times.
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Emily St. John Mandel’s beloved 2014 novel Station Eleven is a great read for those who love the dystopian world of The Last of Us but are looking for something a little more hopeful. While Station Eleven is set in a world decimated by a flu-like virus and hardships abound, there is a sense of hopefulness to be found in this novel, especially through its main characters, a troupe of traveling performers.
World War Z by Max Brooks
If your favourite part of The Last of Us is the examination of human behaviour in a world that’s been flipped upside down, then World War Z is the book for you. Max Brooks’s 2006 horror novel provides a unique perspective on the oft-used zombie trope. Presented as an official chronicle of a fictitious zombie apocalypse, World War Z is told mostly through survivor testimonies and gives a very realistic look at how such an event would impact humanity.
Zone One by Colson Whitehead
The Last of Us is set in a world trying to rebuild after the devastation of a zombie apocalypse. Colson Whitehead’s 2011 novel Zone One follows a similar storyline. If you’re interested in the psychological aspects of the aftermath of great devastation, the struggle for humans to adjust to a brand new world, and the mental anguish that comes with witnessing such devastation, then Zone One is a great follow up to read.
The Reapers Are the Angels by Alden Bell
One of the most interesting aspects of The Last of Us is getting to witness a world torn apart through the eyes of a child who can’t remember a time before the devastation. Alden Bell’s underrated 2010 novel The Reapers Are the Angels also explores this concept. A young girl named Temple must navigate her way through a terrifying world in the hopes of finally finding a sense of peace.
Feed by Mira Grant
Let’s face it: along with zombie apocalypses, there’s usually some sort of corruption. Black market dealings (as in The Last of Us), people profiting off of the devastation, and–as portrayed in Mira Grant’s popular 2010 novel Feed–shady practices that led to the disastrous outbreak. Check out Feed if you want to read about people desperate to see the dark secrets of desolation come to light.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
The Road is for people who like to feel sad. There is not a lot of hope to be found in Cormac McCarthy’s 2006 post-apocalyptic novel about a man and his son making their way through a ravaged America. If you were drawn to The Last of Us because you’re intrigued by stories of ruin and privation and how people survive under these conditions, then The Road is the book for you.
