What are your thoughts on post apocalyptic stories?

[abhishek7081]

well, i like imagination getting wings of fire and letting it free to fly in the sky when i close my eyes , and so is the genre "post apocalyptic". It is based upon what you see when you close your eyes and imagine the world going through a disaster, how interesting it is, to let your brain create some tiles out of the thoughts and to see it. i love this...

[Corvac]

It is a genre with such a massive amount of potential, and that tends to be the problem. There are a few fantastic novels that are post-apocalyptic (A handmaid’s tale jumps to mind), however there is also a lot of rubbish in the genre.

[Scerakor]

I have been on a apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic binge lately and it has forced me to re-think why I like the genre so much. I think that it is interesting seeing everyone's different perspectives on how they think the world is going, what will be the cause of our downfall, and the respective aftermath of it all. I also think that there is an element of hubris to it as well. A good post-apocalyptic/apocalyptic story often has an arm-in-arm link with a survival story and a reader often NEEDS to see themselves as being able to make it among the elite few who have survived the end of days.

Will there be a complete collapse of society? I don't think that any one event will see the end (or partial end) of the human race, but I do think that isolated incidents have the potential to cause massive amounts of destruction in isolated geographies.

[Aimy]

I think we are moving towards destruction. Our environment is destroying. Our societies are becoming more and more intolerant. We are accumulating loads of weapons to destroy humans.

[CarrieMe]

I enjoy this genre sometimes, but it can be really hit or miss for me. If the book is really well-written and has excellent characters, I can enjoy even the most bleak and hopeless scenario. However, if the book isn't super engaging, I get frustrated very quickly, more so than with other genres.

[Dh_]

I really enjoy reading books in this genre, but I have to admit that they make me think about the possibility of the world coming to an end. I think that it's very likely that some type of disaster will occur in the- hopefully very distant- future, but for the time being it's great to see the possible scenarios that authors come up with.

[The Researcher]

I generally don't like this genre but the stimulating discussions on this book have compelled me to reconsider my stand. It is a food for thought that what will and how will the civilization end?

[Heidi M Simone]

I LOVE post-apocalyptic stories! The Walking Dead, The Postman, The 100, even things like Mad Max... they highlight how differently people would act when law and order are things of the past and we have more to fear than boredom and missing a rent payment. They DO require great characters though, as that's what really makes or breaks a post-apocalyptic story.

As for whether it'll happen, I think it's inevitable to some extent. Whether it's a world war that changes life, some terrible natural disaster or just running out of enough natural resources to continue the way we are, eventually I think it has to happen. I'm sure I won't see it in my lifetime, though, which I'm happy about!

I have very similar feelings. Love this genre, but it needs strong characters in order to make it a worthwhile read.

Also, I can see the running out of resources scenario happening eventually, but it's hard to really say and definitely something I don't like to think about! But, I also don't think I will see it in my lifetime, and I'm good that!

[Amagine]

Yes, I do think that civilization will collapse one day but I am sick and tired of reading about it. Most people are obsessed with this genre and I feel like it is too over done. So, I'm not really a fan of apocalyptic stories.

[Kourtney Bradley]

I've always been a fan of this genre, which is a bit strange for me since the thought totally altered my childhood. I remember watching a documentary on the sun exploding when I was really young and just being totally freaked out to ever be away from home. This lasted for at least a whole summer. Strange that I now enjoy reading this type of book.

[katiesquilts]

I can't say I'm much of a fan... Sometimes I can't follow the author's train of thought as to how the world changed and created something new. I'd much rather be told that it's a completely different universe/timeline than to be told that our lives can change that much in xx number of years. It's a tough subject to wrap my head around.

[Mark Johnson]

I like the fact the genre challenges conventional thinking. It makes you ask yourself what would you do in the same situation. They are almost like dystopian 'what if' type of books without the oppressive ruling government, but with an oppressive post-apocalyptic environment. The genre is limitless, I do like post-apocalyptic books with near future aspects and sci-fi/fantasy elements to them.

[Acwoolet]

I'm Not typically a fan of the genre, but there is the rare book that can grab my attention. I think that collapse in some ways is possible, although I don't think it would involve the entire world necessarily. It's definitely something to consider though.

[Kb3ck]

Some of the stories can be interesting but I feel the genre is getting worn out the way vampire stories have been worn out. There are not many new stories that can be made about the topic.

[matildajay]

The post- apocalyptic genre is much like playing an instrument; sure anyone can pound out a few notes and follow the tune, but it is much more difficult to create a new and intriguing piece.
Regarding end of civilization, I reckon it will happen eventually unless there are some major environmental changes. Not in our life times, but maybe a few generations down the road I think pollution and climate change will inevitably get the best of us. Of course that's decades away, and a lot of positive environmental and technological advances could happen before hand, so who really knows.