Endings, beginnings, and the people we fight for.
If The Last of Us wrecked you in all the right ways—with its haunting landscapes, found family dynamics, and emotional gut punches—these books are for you. They explore the fragility of civilization, the resilience of the human spirit, and what it means to survive in a world that’s lost almost everything. Some are bleak, some are beautiful, all of them ask the same question: What do we hold on to when everything else is gone?
The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
A young girl with a monstrous secret. A world overrun by a fungal plague. This book echoes The Last of Us so closely it’s almost eerie—but with a twist that challenges everything you thought you knew about humanity.
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Long after a pandemic wipes out most of the population, a traveling theater troupe performs Shakespeare across the ruins of North America. Quietly devastating and deeply hopeful, it’s about art, memory, and the connections that endure.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
A father and son walk through a burned America, searching for safety. Sparse, harrowing, and unforgettable, this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel captures the raw emotional core of The Last of Us—love as the last light in a collapsing world.
The Stand by Stephen King
After a superflu decimates the global population, the survivors are drawn into a battle between good and evil. Epic in scope and deeply human, King’s classic explores survival, morality, and the strange hope that follows devastation.
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
The last man on Earth struggles to stay alive in a city full of monsters—and questions what “monster” even means. A foundational work of apocalyptic fiction, it influenced everything from zombie movies to The Last of Us itself.
Feed by Mira Grant
In a post-zombie-apocalypse world, bloggers are the new journalists of truth—and survival is all about staying informed. Fast-paced and thought-provoking, this one offers action, conspiracy, and commentary on the role of media in a broken world.
Earth Abides by George R. Stewart
One of the earliest post-apocalyptic novels, this quiet, philosophical story follows a man navigating a drastically depopulated world. It’s about rebuilding—not just physically, but emotionally and culturally—after everything collapses.
The End of the World Is Just the Beginning
These books are for the readers who like their stories with equal parts heartbreak and hope. They’ll take you through ruined cities, desolate highways, and unexpected friendships—and remind you that even in the darkest worlds, there’s still something worth saving.
