First published 2015
This collection assembles twenty-two stories from speculative fiction authors exploring life after total societal collapse. The tales span different apocalyptic scenarios: nuclear war, ecological disaster, and cosmic catastrophe. Characters scavenge for food in empty cities, rebuild communities from scratch, and defend themselves against transformed humans and hostile survivors. Stephen King contributes a story about civilization's final days. Paolo Bacigalupi imagines people adapted to a poisoned world. George R.R. Martin takes readers underground after the bombs fall. Octavia Butler explores communication breakdown in a shattered society. The stories examine whether humanity can preserve its values when everything familiar disappears. Some protagonists work to restore what was lost. Others simply fight to see another day. Editor John Joseph Adams has gathered voices that probe the psychological and philosophical challenges of starting over. These are stories about what remains when the familiar world vanishes.
Genres: fiction, short-stories, science-fiction, apocalyptic
Vibes: dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, survival
592 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Titan Books
Content warnings: death, graphic-violence