10 Gripping Books About The Zombie Apocalypse

10 Gripping Books About The Zombie Apocalypse

Common Zombie Tropes

There are plenty of fresh and original takes on zombies out there, but there are still a lot of tried-and-true themes, characters, and plot devices that writers come back to again and again. Here are a few of the most popular tropes used in zombie stories:

• The apocalypse
• Destroying the brain or decapitating the zombies
• An army of the dead
• Ragtag group of survivors
• Zombies being slow and stupid
• A virus that infects the world

8 Great Zombie Movies

1. Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
2. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
3. World War Z (2013)
4. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
5. 28 Days Later (2002)
6. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
7. Warm Bodies (2013)
8. Dead Snow (2009)

Could We Survive a Zombie Apocalypse?

In Depth

Stories that revolve around deadly viruses that turn people all around the world into shambling, decaying cannibals always offer a lot of horrifyingly gory action. These novels often feature protagonists living in harsh zombie-infested worlds where even fellow humans can be a threat, and they show the extreme lengths that people are willing to go to in order to survive. With that said, here are ten gripping books about the zombie apocalypse, listed in no particular order.

First up, at #1, we have "Grace Lost" by M. Lauryl Lewis. Zoe Kate and her lifelong friend Adam Boggs escape their rural hometown after they're attacked by a strange old man. As they head towards the Cascade Mountain Range, the pair run into two other survivors, Gus and Emilie. Together, the four of them have to overcome numerous adversaries, both living and dead, as they make their way to safety. Along the way, Zoe finds out that she's infected, which causes her to develop a telepathic link with the undead.

Next, at #2, is "The Hordes" by Douglas Owen. Steve lives in a rural town north of Toronto. After the zombie apocalypse broke out, everyone in his small community started looking to him for help. Over time, he makes several new friends, but he also gains the ire of a biker gang that blames him for everything bad that's happened to them. Now, he and his girlfriend, Mindy, have to rally their allies in order to fight off the bikers and survive in this hostile world.

Over time, he makes several new friends, but he also gains the ire of a biker gang that blames him for everything bad that's happened to them.

At #3 is "Eve Brenner: Zombie Girl" by A. Giacomi. While exploring a restricted area in an archaeological site in Egypt, the eponymous heroine is bitten by a horrifying creature. She soon begins exhibiting strange symptoms, such as increased strength and a sudden desire to devour human flesh. Realizing that she's been infected with an ancient virus, she scrambles to find a cure before the monster inside her takes over.

Next up, at #4, we have "900 Miles" by S. Johnathan Davis. When the zombie apocalypse breaks out, businessman John finds himself trapped in New York. All that he can think about is his wife, who's hundreds of miles away. Now, as society quickly collapses, he has to get out of the city. Along the way, he rescues a pilot named Kyle, and they encounter a man who claims that there's an underground stronghold that's supposedly safe from the undead.

Next, at #5, is "Lament for the Living" by David Nicol. Set three years after a cataclysmic zombie outbreak, it revolves around a community of survivors known as Sanctuary and the problems that they face in this dystopian world. In order to survive, they choose to live in seclusion, with only a select few hunters being allowed to travel and search for supplies. One day, a group of hostile nomads sets up camp nearby, threatening the peace and order that the people of Sanctuary have worked so hard to maintain.

One day, a group of hostile nomads sets up camp nearby, threatening the peace and order that the people of Sanctuary have worked so hard to maintain.

At #6 is "Alice in Deadland." Written by Mainak Dhar, it's the first entry of his eponymous series. In this twisted retelling of "Alice in Wonderland," the titular heroine has spent her entire life in the barren wastelands known only as the Deadland, where she learned to defend herself against the deadly Biters. Her life is changed forever when she follows a zombie down a rabbit hole, where she encounters an undead queen who tells her the truth about humanity's fall and the origin of the Biters.

Next up, at #7, we have "Ain't No Grave" by S.A. Softley. The story starts with the unnamed protagonist waking up naked in a hospital located in an abandoned Canadian town. With no memory of what happened to him, he has to learn how to survive alone in the cold Canadian winter in the midst of a zombie outbreak, piecing together bits of his past and the town's tragic history along the way.

At #8 is "Zombie, Indiana" by Scott Kenemore. Set in the city of Indianapolis, the book is about three different survivors with intertwining storylines. When Governor Hank Burleson's daughter, who may hold the key to stopping the undead plague, suddenly goes missing, IMPD Special Sergeant James Nolan is sent to find her. Elsewhere in the city, a girl named Kesha struggles to survive amidst all the chaos, especially after attracting the attention of a dangerous biker gang.

When Governor Hank Burleson's daughter, who may hold the key to stopping the undead plague, suddenly goes missing, IMPD Special Sergeant James Nolan is sent to find her.

Next, at #9, is "Dawn of Zombie Haiku" by Ryan Mecum. Told entirely in haiku, the story follows a young poetry-loving girl named Dawn as she and her father escape the zombie apocalypse by making their way to the Statue of Liberty. Their plan eventually fails, and Dawn ends up succumbing to the virus. Despite her condition, she still manages to document her gruesome adventures and reflect on her new life as one of the undead.

Finally, at #10, we have "Twisted World" by Kate L. Mary. Twenty years after the world was ravaged by a deadly virus that turned people into monsters, survivor Megan James realizes that the walled city of Atlanta isn't as safe as she originally thought. With her father missing and her mother going insane, she's forced to find a job at the entertainment district, where she befriends a man named Donaghy. Together, they try to unravel the truth behind their corrupt government's intentions and, hopefully, figure out why Megan's parents have been acting strangely.