Books like 'The Return'
Readers who enjoyed The Return by H. Beam Piper & John Joseph McGuire also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
sc-fi post-apocalyptic classics
-
The Essential Ellison: A 50 Year Retrospective by Harlan Ellison
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsHarlan Ellison is probably best known as a script writer for sci-fi and fantasy movies and TV series such as the original Outer Limits, The Hunger, Logan's Run, and Babylon Five. But his range is much broader than that, encompassing stories, novels, essays, reviews, reminiscences, plays, even fake autobiographies... -
![Mercy by Tara Ellis, Mike Kraus]()
Mercy by Tara Ellis, Mike Kraus
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAll roads lead to Mercy as survivors from all walks of life, with intentions ranging from good to evil, meet for the final showdown in Flashpoint Book 6. Half of the earth's population has been wiped out... -
![Prepper's Collapse by A.J. Newman]()
Prepper's Collapse by A.J. Newman
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPrepper's Collapse - Book 2 in the Prepper’s Apocalypse series.Prepper Post-Apocalyptic Survival FictionEMP blasts started the apocalypse during Tom and his family's return flight home from vacation. Surviving the crash only caused them to confront the chaos of the apocalypse head-on... -
![The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Volume II A by Ben Bova, C.M. Kornbluth]()
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Volume II A by Ben Bova, C.M. Kornbluth
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsEleven Classic Novellas by the most honored authors of science fiction:This volume is the definitive collection of the best science fiction novellas between 1929 to 1964 and contains eleven great classics. There is no better anthology that captures the birth of science fiction as a literary field... -
-
![Five Great Novels (The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, Martian Time-Slip, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Ubik, A Scanner Darkly) by Philip K. Dick]()
Five Great Novels (The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, Martian Time-Slip, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Ubik, A Scanner Darkly) by Philip K. Dick
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAn omnibus volume of five of the best novels by 'the most consistently brilliant SF writer in the world' (John Brunner). Dick's tales of twisted perceptions and false realities have shaped modern SF and provided the inspiration for numerous blockbuster movies.'For everyone lost in the endlessly multiplicating realities of the modern world, remember: Philip K... -
![The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick 3: Second Variety by Philip K. Dick]()
The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick 3: Second Variety by Philip K. Dick
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsMany thousands of readers consider Philip K. Dick the greatest science fiction mind on any planet. Since his untimely death in 1982, interest in Dick's works has continued to mount and his reputation has been further enhanced by a growing body of critical attention. The Philip K. Dick Award is now given annually to a distinguished work of science fiction, and the Philip K... -
![1984 (SparkNotes Literature Guide Series) by SparkNotes, Brian Phillips]()
1984 (SparkNotes Literature Guide Series) by SparkNotes, Brian Phillips
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsCreated by Harvard students for students everywhere, SparkNotes is a new breed of study guide: smarter, better, faster. Geared to what today's students need to know, SparkNotes provides chapter-by-chapter analysis; explanations of key themes, motifs, and symbols; and a review quiz and essay topics. Lively and accessible, these guides are perfect for late-night studying and writing papers... -
![Layers of Extinction by Tara Ellis, Mike Kraus]()
Layers of Extinction by Tara Ellis, Mike Kraus
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAs the world-wide effects of the apocalyptic scenario continue to develop, tough decisions must be made for the sake of humanity itself.Tired of the usual post-apocalyptic story? Welcome to your new addiction.An underwater explosion devastates a chain of islands.A mysterious illness begins to spring up across the world.Earthquakes shatter the west coast, causing untold damage and loss of life... -
![Brink of Extinction by Tara Ellis, Mike Kraus]()
Brink of Extinction by Tara Ellis, Mike Kraus
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhile Peta's group barely escapes the Yellowstone eruption, Jason is shocked by an unexpected return and a dangerous new turn for the deadly Kra Puru in Book 3 of the Extinction series.Tired of the usual post-apocalyptic story? Welcome to your new addiction.An underwater explosion devastates a chain of islands.A mysterious illness begins to spring up across the world... -
![Spread of Extinction by Tara Ellis, Mike Kraus]()
Spread of Extinction by Tara Ellis, Mike Kraus
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAs the true effects of the Kra Puru are made known across the world, a desperate plan to save the world is put in motion in book 4 of the Extinction series.Tired of the usual post-apocalyptic story? Welcome to your new addiction.An underwater explosion devastates a chain of islands.A mysterious illness begins to spring up across the world... -
![Restitution by Bruno Miller]()
Restitution by Bruno Miller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Post-Apocalyptic EMP Survival seriesWill they ever see home again?Colorado seems farther away than ever for Ben and his crew. Especially when a road block lures them deeper into the Appalachian Mountains.Ambushed and captured, they fall prey to a gang of backwoods moonshiners turned post apocalyptic outlaws. After being led back to camp and locked up, the crew’s morale is at an all time low... -
![Decay by Tara Ellis, Mike Kraus]()
Decay by Tara Ellis, Mike Kraus
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDeath incarnate arrives in Mercy as the death toll rises and the safe haven becomes more vulnerable than ever, in Flashpoint Book 4.... Half of the earth's population has been wiped out. Impossible to predict or stop, the Gamma Ray Burst tore through the Earth like a bullet, its radiation wave killing hundreds of millions and the aftereffects ensuring the deaths of billions more... -
![Endurance by Bruno Miller]()
Endurance by Bruno Miller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Post-Apocalyptic Survival SeriesWould you fight for the ones you love? The struggle for survival in Cloverdale continues as Vince Walker and a small group of survivors find that nothing comes easy in the post-apocalyptic ruins of what was once their town... -
![The Jungles of Alabama by E. William Brown]()
The Jungles of Alabama by E. William Brown
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe System gave everyone on Earth a status screen, the ability to level up, and an endless supply of monsters to fight. To bad it seems to think the whole planet should be covered in adventure zones, and it doesn't believe in holidays or advance warning... -
-
![For a Breath I Tarry by Roger Zelazny]()
For a Breath I Tarry by Roger Zelazny
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsTaking place long after the self-extinction of Man, "For a Breath I Tarry" recounts the tale of Frost, a sentient machine ("...a silver-blue box, 40x40x40 feet,... featured in whatever manner he chose.") Though Man has disappeared, his robotic creations (and their creations in turn) continue to function... -
![Beetle in the Anthill by Arkady Strugatsky, Boris Strugatsky]()
Beetle in the Anthill by Arkady Strugatsky, Boris Strugatsky
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsMaxim Kammerer is given a high-priority assignment as a security officer: track down Lev Abalkin, whose unorthodox, individualistic way of living threatens the status quo... -
![The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Three: Nebula Winners 1965-1969 by Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Silverberg]()
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Three: Nebula Winners 1965-1969 by Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Silverberg
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Nebula Award Winners for Best Novella, Best Novelet, and Best Short Story for the years 1965 - 1969 inclusive... -
![The Art of Star Trek by Judith Reeves-Stevens, Garfield Reeves-Stevens]()
The Art of Star Trek by Judith Reeves-Stevens, Garfield Reeves-Stevens
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom the public's first glimpse of the original Starship "Enterprise" to the brave new worlds explored in Star Trek: Voyager, the never-ending phenomenon that is Star Trek has treated generations of viewers to a dazzling barrage of unforgettable images of the future... -
![Purge by J.J. Pike, Mike Kraus]()
Purge by J.J. Pike, Mike Kraus
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMELT's reign of terror continues unabated as friend and foe alike bow to its unyielding influence. Hope shines on the horizon - but it is distant, faint, and marred by darkness. A new, intensely thrilling series, MELT has received unanimous praise from beta readers and early reviewers alike. Written by JJ Pike and Mike Kraus, MELT examines a part of our world that we often take for granted... -
![Survival by Bruno Miller]()
Survival by Bruno Miller
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Post-Apocalyptic Survival SeriesWould you survive? Vince Walker and the remaining survivors from the town of Cloverdale, Indiana continue to come to terms with their new reality. Accepting the fact that the country has been thrust into nuclear war with an unknown enemy means they must forget their former lives and forge ahead... -
![Present Danger by Justin Bell, Mike Kraus]()
Present Danger by Justin Bell, Mike Kraus
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe United States is in chaos. Fleeing his hometown, Joel accompanies Helen on a dangerous cross-country trip, hoping to reunite her with a mysterious prepper group her grandfather belonged to. Danger lurks around every corner in Chicago as Big T and his companions strengthen their base of operations - but all good things come with a cost in Storm's Fury Book 3... -
![VALIS & Later Novels: A Maze of Death / VALIS / The Divine Invasion / The Transmigration of Timothy Archer by Philip K. Dick]()
VALIS & Later Novels: A Maze of Death / VALIS / The Divine Invasion / The Transmigration of Timothy Archer by Philip K. Dick
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn 2007, Philip K. Dick: Four Novels of the 1960s became the fastest selling title in The Library of America's history. The 2008 companion volume, Five Novels of the1960s & 70s, broke series records for advance sales...Categorized as:
classics post-apocalyptic 20th-century adult anthologies fiction historical literary -
![Destined by Alexandra Moody]()
Destined by Alexandra Moody
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSome destinies are written in the stars, others are forged from the fire.In the dark and stunning conclusion to The ARC Series, Elle finds herself deep in hiding. Battling with the talents she struggles to control, she fights for only one thing: revenge... -
-
![Roadside Picnic / Tale of the Troika by Arkady Strugatsky, Boris Strugatsky]()
Roadside Picnic / Tale of the Troika by Arkady Strugatsky, Boris Strugatsky
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRed Schuhart is a stalker, one of those strange misfits compelled to venture illegally into the Zone and collect the strange artefacts that the alien visitors left scattered there. His whole life, even the nature of his daughter, is determined by the Zone.Tale of the Troika is a sequel to Monday Begins on Saturday and a satire on Soviet bureaucrazy... -
![Sons da Fala by Octavia E. Butler]()
Sons da Fala by Octavia E. Butler
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsExcerto de Bloodchild and Other Stories... -
![Flying Season for the Mis-Recorded by Ann Christy]()
Flying Season for the Mis-Recorded by Ann Christy
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEven in a good silo, life can be hell.Elizabeth the Other, born to the silo and living under the stain of her father's actions, has no one. She is alone, untouchable and unloved. Her only outlet is 25 Drums, the place where teen shadows mix, mingle and find a mate. She will find no life partner there, but she can dance. And tomorrow is her 20th birthday... -
![Deception by Bruno Miller]()
Deception by Bruno Miller
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAre there any decent people left? Having reached his kids in Maryland, Ben is faced with the challenge of crossing the country once more and getting everyone safely home to Colorado. The struggle to survive is the only constant in their otherwise unpredictable lives... -
![Blindness / Seeing by José Saramago]()
Blindness / Seeing by José Saramago
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn Blindness, a city is overcome by an epidemic of blindness that spares only one woman. She becomes a guide for a group of seven strangers and serves as the eyes and ears for the reader in this profound parable of loss and disorientation. We return to the city years later in Saramago’s Seeing, a satirical commentary on government in general and democracy in particular... -
![Escaping Extinction by Tara Ellis, Mike Kraus]()
Escaping Extinction by Tara Ellis, Mike Kraus
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe jungle hides many secrets waiting to be discovered as allies become enemies and the final countdown begins in book 5, the penultimate chapter of the Extinction series.Tired of the usual post-apocalyptic story? Welcome to your new addiction.An underwater explosion devastates a chain of islands.A mysterious illness begins to spring up across the world... -
![The Past Through Tomorrow: Vol. 2 by Robert A. Heinlein]()
The Past Through Tomorrow: Vol. 2 by Robert A. Heinlein
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHere, in volume two of two volumes, are the other half of the stories, novelettes and novellas which make up Heinlein's famous Future History -- the rich, imaginative architecture of Man's destiny that many consider his greatest and most prophetic work. Heinlein wrote most of the Future History stories early in his career, between 1939 and 1941 and between 1945 and 1950... -
![Мечтают ли андроиды об электроовцах? by Philip K. Dick, Филип К. Дик]()
Мечтают ли андроиды об электроовцах? by Philip K. Dick, Филип К. Дик
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratings...Только человечество кое-как справилось с ужасающими последствиями отгрохотавшей ядерной войны, как новая опасность нависла над ним: из космоса тайком на Землю стали прокрадываться андроиды - роботы-убийцы, неотличимые по облику от людей. Охотник за андроидами - такова профессия героя третьего романа в данном сборнике... -
![The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick, Volume 2: Second Variety by Philip K. Dick]()
The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick, Volume 2: Second Variety by Philip K. Dick
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe second volume of the definitive five-book set of the complete collected stories of the twentieth century's greatest sf author includes such masterpieces as the title story, with its endless war being fought by ever more cunning and sophisticated robot weapons, and "Impostor" where a man accused of being an alien spy finds his whole identity called into question... -
![America Falls Collection 2: Books 7-10 by Scott Medbury]()
America Falls Collection 2: Books 7-10 by Scott Medbury
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe epic America Falls series continues in this second mega collection books 7-11 LONE WOLFWhat would it take to turn an all-American teenager into a stone-cold killer?America has fallen to a catastrophic stealth attack and a ground invasion of the continental United States has begun. Sacramento teenager, Jack Monaghan, has just buried his parents and needs to work out what to do... -
-
![The Prepared Prepper by William Stone]()
The Prepared Prepper by William Stone
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen an EMP wipes out the power grid, Stephanie’s world shatters, and survival is no longer a choice. It’s a necessity. A skilled welder who built her life on hard work, she spent years running from her prepper upbringing, determined to give her twin daughters a normal life. But as chaos erupts and danger closes in, the skills she rejected may be the only thing keeping them alive... -
![The Diary of a Space Traveller and other Stories: Puffin Classics by Satyajit Ray, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni]()
The Diary of a Space Traveller and other Stories: Puffin Classics by Satyajit Ray, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt all began with the fall of a meteorite and the crater it made. In its centre was a red notebook, sticking out of the ground—the first (or was it really the last?) of Professor Shonku’s diaries... -
![Ascend by K.A. Riley]()
Ascend by K.A. Riley
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Uprising is gaining ground. But supplies are scarce, and the Aristocracy is more powerful than anyone ever imagined.Ash's fight may be unwinnable...but the affection of a certain young man may just give her the strength she needs to persevere... -
![Arthur C. Clarke: 2001/A Space Odyssey, The City And The Stars, The Deep Range, A Fall Of Moondust, Rendevous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke]()
Arthur C. Clarke: 2001/A Space Odyssey, The City And The Stars, The Deep Range, A Fall Of Moondust, Rendevous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratings... -
![The Star Trek Compendium by Allan Asherman]()
The Star Trek Compendium by Allan Asherman
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHere is the essential fans' guidebook to the Star Trek universe--including material from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. This compendium features a complete show-by-show guide to the original series as well as the movies and animated shows, including plot summaries, fascinating behind-the-scenes information, and credits. 125 photos... -
![Literary Companion Series: One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest by Lawrence Kappel]()
Literary Companion Series: One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest by Lawrence Kappel
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKen Kesey's stream of consciousness description of patients in a mental institution questions the line between sanity and madness. Essays include discussion of the psychological implications in the novel as well as themes and character analysis... -
![Russian Stories/Русские Рассказы: A Dual-Language Book by Gleb Struve]()
Russian Stories/Русские Рассказы: A Dual-Language Book by Gleb Struve
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTwelve superb tales by Chekhov, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Bunin, other masters. Excellent word-for-word English translations on facing pages. Also teaching and practice aids, Russian-English vocabulary, biographical/critical introductions to each selection, study questions, more. Especially helpful are the stress accents in the Russian text, usually found only in primers... -
![UKD1 by Chris Harris]()
UKD1 by Chris Harris
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“What would happen if…?”Many people ask themselves the question, but how many do something about it?Tom lives in Birmingham, England with his family. After asking himself the question and researching what could happen, he decided it wouldn’t do any harm to be a little bit prepared and store some food and equipment.Just in case... -
![Collected Works (Complete Editions: The Metamorphosis, In the Penal Colony, The Trial, ...) by Franz Kafka]()
Collected Works (Complete Editions: The Metamorphosis, In the Penal Colony, The Trial, ...) by Franz Kafka
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThis carefully crafted ebook is formatted with a functional and detailed table of contents.Franz Kafka (3 July 1883 – 3 June 1924) was a German-language writer of novels and short stories, regarded by critics as one of the most influential authors of the 20th century. Kafka strongly influenced genres such as existentialism... -
![Static by James Hunt]()
Static by James Hunt
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe thin thread holding the civilized world together has been severed. Millions of citizens have been thrust into the unknown, breeding fear into the minds and souls of those seeking to survive. Wren Burton, an architect from Chicago, has been engulfed by the chaotic aftermath of an EMP blast. Her family is injured. The enemy is unknown. And help is nowhere to be found... -
-
![Dangerous Visions 2 by Harlan Ellison, Fritz Leiber]()
Dangerous Visions 2 by Harlan Ellison, Fritz Leiber
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNew Introduction (Dangerous Visions 2) • (1969) • essay by Harlan EllisonDangerous Visions 2 • (1974) • interior artwork by Diane Dillon and Leo DillonEutopia • (1967) • novelette by Poul AndersonFaith of Our Fathers • (1967) • novelette by Philip K. DickGonna Roll the Bones • (1967) • novelette by Fritz LeiberIncident in Moderan • (1967) • short story by David R... -
![Going Gone by Susan Kiernan-Lewis]()
Going Gone by Susan Kiernan-Lewis
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsn Going Gone, Book 2 of the dystopian series, The Irish End Game, tragedy strikes the three Americans where they live in Ireland. Sarah Woodson is brutally taken —across the Irish Sea to the pastoral beauty of England’s Cotswold’s—and the horrors of a post-apocalyptic sex slave trade... -
![A Boy and His Dog & "Repent, Harlequin!" said the Ticktockman by Harlan Ellison]()
A Boy and His Dog & "Repent, Harlequin!" said the Ticktockman by Harlan Ellison
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPublished in Harlan Ellison’s 1969 short-story collection, The Beast That Shouted Love at the Heart of the World, "A Boy and His Dog" is one of the author’s own favorite works. Critics also appreciated the story, and it won the 1969 Nebula Award (awarded by Science Fiction Writers of America) for Best Novella... -
![Extincta by Victor Dixen]()
Extincta by Victor Dixen
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsL’ESPÈCE HUMAINE DISPARAÎTRA DANS 255 HEURES.Les pires prédictions climatiques se sont réalisées, le Grand Effondrement a eu lieu et presque toutes les espèces animales se sont éteintes. Les Derniers Humains se sont réfugiés dans les Dernières Terres : un archipel rocailleux surgi des glaces, où ils survivent dans des cités-royaumes éparses... -
![The Hopkins Manuscript: A Novel by R.C. Sherriff]()
The Hopkins Manuscript: A Novel by R.C. Sherriff
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFor fans of the popular and award-winning Netflix movie Don’t Look Up, a prescient, rediscovered speculative novel about how a small English village prepares for the end of the world. Edgar Hopkins is a retired math teacher in his mid-fifties with a strong sense of self-importance, whose greatest pride in life is winning poultry breeding contests... -
![The Beast That Shouted Love at the Heart of the World by Harlan Ellison]()
The Beast That Shouted Love at the Heart of the World by Harlan Ellison
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratings"It crouches near the center of creation. There is no night where it waits. Only the riddle of which terrible dream will set it loose. It beheaded mercy to take possession of that place. It feasts on darkness from the minds of men. No one has ever seen its eyeless face. When it sleeps we know a few moments of peace. But when it breathes again we go down in fire and mate with jackals...Categorized as:
classics post-apocalyptic 20th-century adult anthologies apocalyptic dystopia fiction
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.
