by Mary Shelley
First published 1998
In the late 21st century, a mysterious plague decimates human civilization, leaving only scattered survivors. Lionel Verney, an English adventurer, chronicles humanity's desperate final decades as nations collapse and populations vanish. As political alliances crumble and technology fails, small groups of survivors fight against increasing isolation and environmental collapse. Across Europe's ruined landscapes, Verney witnesses the gradual extinction of human society, tracking the last remnants of civilization through war, disease, and environmental catastrophe. His personal journey becomes a stark testament to human resilience—and ultimate fragility.
Genres: fiction, science-fiction, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 19th-century, apocalyptic
Vibes: dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: chronicle, last-man, societal-collapse
Period: 19th-Century, Late 21st Century
479 pages · Paperback · Oxford University Press
Content warnings: death, war