Picked by As the World Dies fans

Here are 8 books that As the World Dies fans have personally recommended once you finish the As the World Dies series. Book DNA is a community of authors and super-readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

Book cover of Green Fields: Incubation

Baileigh Higgins Author Of Last Another Day

From my list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have long been a fan of zombie apocalypse scenarios. The first movie I watched was the classic Dawn of the Dead remake. Shocked and fascinated, I wanted more, devouring anything I could find on the topic. It wasn’t long before I stumbled across my first zombie apocalypse book, and I was hooked. It became an obsession for a while, and I spent my free time reading one zombie book after another. Finally, I reached a point where I wanted to write my own story and version of the apocalypse, and I did. Fast-forward several years, and I’m now a full-time author with numerous completed series, most of them zombie. 

Baileigh's book list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines

Baileigh Higgins Why Baileigh loves this book

This is one of those books that starts off slow and gradually pulls you into its embrace until you’re hooked. As an adrenalin junkie, I was uncertain at first. Could this story keep me entertained until the action kicked off? The answer is yes.

Not only did I grow to like and admire the main protagonist, Brianna, but I soon became engrossed in her adventures. She’s smart. Almost too smart. A nerd with little practical knowledge or expertise of the real world and its dangers, especially when the apocalypse kicks off. Her odds of survival are on par with my own. Not good. And that’s what makes her so relatable. That and her sense of humor.

Imagine my delight when I found out this was only the first book in a very long series. Time to dust off the lazy boy and prepare for an epic binge-read!

By Adrienne Lecter ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Green Fields as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

If the zombie apocalypse happens tomorrow—how would you spend your last day?

All Dr. Brianna Lewis wants is a cup of coffee.

Coffee, to make slaving away in her cell culture lab at Green Fields Biotech a little more bearable on a Friday afternoon when everyone is home already.

What she doesn’t count on is a group of terrorists blowing up all the entrances to the building and taking her and a select few others hostage. Bree soon finds herself conflicted. Not only does she know their charismatic leader. She also starts to suspect that there is a lot more…


Book cover of Nurse Alissa vs. the Zombies

Baileigh Higgins Author Of Last Another Day

From my list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have long been a fan of zombie apocalypse scenarios. The first movie I watched was the classic Dawn of the Dead remake. Shocked and fascinated, I wanted more, devouring anything I could find on the topic. It wasn’t long before I stumbled across my first zombie apocalypse book, and I was hooked. It became an obsession for a while, and I spent my free time reading one zombie book after another. Finally, I reached a point where I wanted to write my own story and version of the apocalypse, and I did. Fast-forward several years, and I’m now a full-time author with numerous completed series, most of them zombie. 

Baileigh's book list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines

Baileigh Higgins Why Baileigh loves this book

I absolutely loved this book from the start. Alissa was such a force of nature that I couldn’t help but read in awe as she maneuvered through her former workspace, a hospital filled with the undead.

Faced with colleagues and friends turned into monsters, she refused to give up or sink into despair. Instead, she fought for survival and tried to save others. Filled with gore, this is a high-octane tale of death and danger that might leave you with a phobia for hospitals. Nosocomephobia. 

By Scott M. Baker ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Nurse Alissa vs. the Zombies as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

One day can change a person’s life forever.Alissa anticipated a normal shift at Mass General Hospital until the zombie outbreak spread through Boston like wildfire. When patients and staff in the ER begin to die, reanimate, and attack the living, Alissa must fight her way to safety to avoid becoming one of the ravenous hordes. To survive, Alissa must develop instincts and skills she did not realize she had and overcome fears no human were meant to face. Escaping the hospital will be tough enough, but can Alissa survive the nightmare gripping Boston and make it out of the city…


Book cover of Odium I: The Dead Saga

Baileigh Higgins Author Of Last Another Day

From my list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have long been a fan of zombie apocalypse scenarios. The first movie I watched was the classic Dawn of the Dead remake. Shocked and fascinated, I wanted more, devouring anything I could find on the topic. It wasn’t long before I stumbled across my first zombie apocalypse book, and I was hooked. It became an obsession for a while, and I spent my free time reading one zombie book after another. Finally, I reached a point where I wanted to write my own story and version of the apocalypse, and I did. Fast-forward several years, and I’m now a full-time author with numerous completed series, most of them zombie. 

Baileigh's book list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines

Baileigh Higgins Why Baileigh loves this book

This one was one of the first Zombie Apocalypse books I read, and it still sticks with me to this day. The main character, Nina, is both realistic and relatable. She can be hard to like at times, hiding her inner self behind a wall of snark and attitude. There were moments when I wanted to wring her neck, but she always won me over again with her bravery and selflessness.

A thrill ride from beginning to end, this remains one of my favorites, and I eagerly devour each new book in the series as they’re released. 

By Claire C. Riley , Amy Jackson (editor) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Odium I as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From USA Today Bestselling Author Claire C. Riley comes the first book in the intense post-apocalyptic series, ODIUM. Bringing life, love & survival together for one thrilling read. ODIUM I The Dead Saga.

The infection came.
Humanity fell.
And the world everyone knew ended.

But one woman’s unwavering determination to live, against all the odds, might just be the only thing to survive this bleak new existence.

When the fate of a young girl hangs in the balance, Nina sacrifices herself and leaves the barricaded city she’s living in. Despite this act of selflessness, Nina isn’t the same woman she…


Book cover of Undead Ultra

Baileigh Higgins Author Of Last Another Day

From my list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have long been a fan of zombie apocalypse scenarios. The first movie I watched was the classic Dawn of the Dead remake. Shocked and fascinated, I wanted more, devouring anything I could find on the topic. It wasn’t long before I stumbled across my first zombie apocalypse book, and I was hooked. It became an obsession for a while, and I spent my free time reading one zombie book after another. Finally, I reached a point where I wanted to write my own story and version of the apocalypse, and I did. Fast-forward several years, and I’m now a full-time author with numerous completed series, most of them zombie. 

Baileigh's book list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines

Baileigh Higgins Why Baileigh loves this book

This book was a surprise to me in many ways. While I love Zombie Apocalypse books, they can become a bit samey after a while, and that’s why I’m always on the lookout for something fresh and unique. Boy, did I get that in spades with this book!

Not only was I introduced to the fascinating world of long-distance running, but I also loved the characters, especially the main character, Kate. She’s both strong and vulnerable. A woman who would fight to the death for her loved ones but cry in secret for her lost husband.

I became so engrossed in this story that I even contemplated taking up long-distance running, a feat of epic proportions, considering I’ve never run anywhere in my life. 

By Camille Picott ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Undead Ultra as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A deadly outbreak. A long-distance runner.

Can one woman outrun the zombie apocalypse?

Kate’s love for running turned into a coping mechanism after her husband died. But when a lethal zombie virus breaks out, it becomes her only means of survival.

As the infection spreads like wildfire, Kate receives a desperate call from her son, Carter. Trapped in a dorm room with no way out, it falls on Kate to rescue him.

But cars have become a liability in the apocalypse—and standing between Kate and Carter are 200 miles of impassable, zombie-infested roadways.

Kate already lost her husband. Determined not…


Book cover of Swan Song

Daniel Cotton Author Of Life Among The Dead

From my list on the end of the world and being the last person on earth.

Why am I passionate about this?

What would I do if I was the last person on Earth? I have wondered this since I was a child after watching apocalyptic movies; Damnation Alley, Night of the Comet, and of course the Romero Living Dead movies. Would I be able to make it? Could I not only survive but contend with whatever menaces there were to face be they aliens, monsters, the living dead, or the actual living. My imagination would run loose, putting myself in the shoes of the characters to see how I’d fare, what would I do differently. These little escapes grew and matured into my own stories.

Daniel's book list on the end of the world and being the last person on earth

Daniel Cotton Why Daniel loves this book

Saving the best for last. This was published after and said to be inspired by Stephen King’s The Stand, but I feel it far surpasses it. This book has the same scenario of a desolate end of everything with the remaining humans in a fight of good versus evil, but in this book, I feel the characters are more believable. The evil ones are despicable, and the good ones are likable. Especially Swan, whose innocence shines from the page.

By Robert McCammon ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Swan Song as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

New York Times Bestseller: A young girl’s visions offer the last hope in a postapocalyptic wasteland in this “grand and disturbing adventure” (Dean Koontz).

A PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick
 
Swan is a nine-year-old Kansas girl following her struggling mother from one trailer park to the next when she receives visions of doom—something far wider than the narrow scope of her own beleaguered life. In a blinding flash, nuclear bombs annihilate civilization, leaving only a few buried survivors to crawl onto a scorched landscape that was once America.
 
In Manhattan, a homeless woman stumbles from the sewers, guided…


Book cover of Memoirs and Misinformation

Ryan Uytdewilligen Author Of He's No Angel

From my list on satire and parody on Hollywood to make you laugh.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a classic Hollywood fanatic. I can name you every Best Picture Oscar Winner on command. I’ve written screenplays and seen the industry firsthand, but if I had my choice, I’d go live through the Hollywood Golden Age. I've published numerous non-fiction film history books and have a whole lot more classic-film-inspired novels coming. And I do it all simply for the single reason that writing a book is the closest thing to time travel that I can find. Immersing myself in this world with actors that have lived, and even a few that I’ve made up, is pure heaven that transports me back to the days of the silver screen. 

Ryan's book list on satire and parody on Hollywood to make you laugh

Ryan Uytdewilligen Why Ryan loves this book

Anything to do with Jim Carrey, I’m in. In fact, when teachers would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d reply “Be Jim Carrey.” As a longtime fan, I was excited to learn that he would finally be charting his life in an autobiography. As it turns out, the book was mostly wild fiction. What’s so engaging about this book is how he blends real-life occurrences like his body of film work and relationship with Renee Zellweger with completely off-the-wall fantasy like mentor Rodney Dangerfield returning as a Rhino, Kelsey Grammar leading a cult, and Carrey struggling with his career as his entire essence goes virtual. It’s extremely experimental, but the inclusion of celebrities will leave you grinning.     

By Jim Carrey , Dana Vachon ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Memoirs and Misinformation as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • "None of this is real and all of it is true." —Jim Carrey

Meet Jim Carrey. Sure, he's an insanely successful and beloved movie star drowning in wealth and privilege—but he's also lonely. Maybe past his prime. Maybe even ... getting fat? He's tried diets, gurus, and cuddling with his military-grade Israeli guard dogs, but nothing seems to lift the cloud of emptiness and ennui. Even the sage advice of his best friend, actor and dinosaur skull collector Nicolas Cage, isn't enough to pull Carrey out of his slump.

But then Jim meets Georgie: ruthless…


Book cover of '48

Daniel Cotton Author Of Life Among The Dead

From my list on the end of the world and being the last person on earth.

Why am I passionate about this?

What would I do if I was the last person on Earth? I have wondered this since I was a child after watching apocalyptic movies; Damnation Alley, Night of the Comet, and of course the Romero Living Dead movies. Would I be able to make it? Could I not only survive but contend with whatever menaces there were to face be they aliens, monsters, the living dead, or the actual living. My imagination would run loose, putting myself in the shoes of the characters to see how I’d fare, what would I do differently. These little escapes grew and matured into my own stories.

Daniel's book list on the end of the world and being the last person on earth

Daniel Cotton Why Daniel loves this book

It’s been a while since I have read this one but it has always been one of my favorites. An American pilot is stranded in post World War 2 Britain. In this reality, moments before defeat, Adolf Hitler released a biological weapon that decimated the population. A hemorrhagic virus that attacks certain blood types, those not killed initially are slowly dying and desperate for a cure that they think is in the main character's blood since he is unaffected. The action in this book is some of the best I have ever read as the ‘Black Shirts’ chase our hero through the war-torn city.

By James Herbert ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked '48 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'48 by international bestseller and Master of Horror, James Herbert, explores a horrifying alternative end to the Second World War.

In 1945, Hitler unleashed the Blood Death on Britain as his final act of vengeance.

Those who died at once were the lucky ones. The really unfortunate took years. The survivors - people like me, who had the blood group that kept us safe from the disease - were now targets for those who believed our blood could save them.

I survived for three years. I lived alone, spending my days avoiding the fascist Blackshirts who wanted my blood for…


Book cover of I Am Legend

Stefan Bogdanski Author Of All the Shadows

From my list on apocalypse being dark times, but it‘s not the end (and might be fun, too).

Why am I passionate about this?

I‘ve been thinking about the forces that drive humanity together and pull us apart at the same time since my late teens; back then, I started reading the classical dystopian tales. The (perceived) end of time always speaks to me, because I think it‘s in those moments of existential dread that we learn who we really are. That‘s why I like reading (and reviewing) books, and also why those topics are an undertone in my own writings. I do hope you enjoy these 5 books as much as I have.

Stefan's book list on apocalypse being dark times, but it‘s not the end (and might be fun, too)

Stefan Bogdanski Why Stefan loves this book

I‘ve always been fascinated by the dividing line between human and monster. Because, what is a monster?

I know, this kind of question will usually get a quick answer, but I have been thinking about this particular question for quite some time now. I am Legend revolves around this question, and I love it for that. I also love it for the somewhat unexpected twist in the end, and that one can be interpreted as an answer.

Anyway, for me, this book got me thinking about morale and ethics and other stuff. I just like it when a book gets me to that point where I think: wait a moment, but what if…?

By Richard Matheson ,

Why should I read it?

18 authors picked I Am Legend as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An acclaimed SF novel about vampires. The last man on earth is not alone ...Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth ...but he is not alone. Every other man, woman and child on the planet has become a vampire, and they are hungry for Neville's blood. By day he is the hunter, stalking the undead through the ruins of civilisation. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for the dawn. How long can one man survive like this?