This is part two of my Apocalyptic blog series. The first part linked here. In this article I’ve discussed
A group of survivors, led by former police officer Rick Grimes, travel in search of a safe and secure home after a mysterious Zombie apocalypse. Based on the comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard.
The Walking Dead (TWD) and Fear The Walking Dead (Fear TWD) start with an incredible apocalypse of zombies that begin to emerge. These two shows are quite popular TV series. But Fear TWD was a twists on the original TWD show. TWD was based in Georgia and mostly in the south while the other started seasons later in Los Angeles and out on the Pacific Coast. In TWD, MC Rick Grimes wakes in a hospital in King County, Georgia and from there 11 seasons press on. Fear TWD begins in Los Angeles where MC Madison Clark and her family survive as civilization collapses around them.
Which one is better? Who knows. But the different environments offer completely different opportunities to tackle survival. While Rick and his group often fight in small towns and the forest, Madison and her group tangle and fight in the larger city, the coastline, underground tunnels, the desert, and on water. These different locations allow the writers to accomplish unexpected drama and for Fear TWD a completely new sense of the show that was already well established by TWD.
Other examples are The Posieden Adventure which takes place on a capsized luxury ship. Perhaps you would see Lord of the Flies by William Goulding as an apocalyptic measure where all adults are gone. This take on society is a perfect breakdown and takes place on the perfectly separated isolated island.
Bird Box by Josh Malarman. Malorie Hayes, with her two children, need to escape unknown entities which push people who look at them to committing suicide. The antagonist seems to take the form of their victims’ worst fears and drive them insane. Blindfolded she attempts to escape to a previously unknown safe location.
While the cover art is tame by comparison of the contents, this original story by Susanne Beck and Okasha Skat’si provided the ultimate in LGBT romance and survivalist after a robotic takeover
An incredible story of two women from different worlds–Washington D.C.and technology meets Indian Native and Shaman–the intimate details and culmination of a post-apocalyptic disaster is still one of my favorite reads today. Koda Rivers, a Lakota veterinarian and shaman who eventually finds Kirsten King, PhD, a brilliant cyber-scientist. Together they find a way to survive, love, and fight against the robots that are mysteriously killing all the men and taking only the women. The two lead others of the remaining United States into a new and wiser world. Personal note: We lost a huge writing influence for LGBT when Susanne died in 2019. RIP. But keep writing until I am in my ultimate personal version of heaven and can read all the books you’ve written to date. Author of Redemption ((Ice & Angel, #1) a prison love story, Driven (my second favorite basketball story).
How does(did) your Main Character (MC) survive, if they do?
It’s often said the main character doesn’t seem to be “the type” to become McGyver-ish and step-forward to become a hero. That’s what interests me in the apocalypse sub-genre. Many times I’ve thought all the main characters should be wearing the proverbial “red shirt” (Star Trek reference to the person that always gets killed first). Again, think of the characters that emerge as leaders or survivors in the worst circumstance? Rick Grimes, a small-town city cop manages to survive a zombie apocalypse and lead his fairly large group out of one massive zombie issue to another using superior strategy, cunning, and leadership. Ralph, the caring boy is chosen leader of others on the island, in Lord of the Flies, and eventually survives only to have lost his childhood innocence. Koda Rivers is a small town Vet, who becomes a mythic battle hardened hero respected by all soldiers and civilians alike, in the fight against robots in The Growing. These three examples of normal people going above and beyond are how this sub-genre becomes even more exciting than the actual event of the apocalypse.
By Stephen King, a viral spread wiping 99% of humanity.
Other examples of main characters survival Armageddon (1998 movie) shows a highly comical group of blue-collar deep-core drillers sent by NASA to drill into an ever closing world threat asteroid. This extinction level event results in Harry Stamper and his drilling crew Chick, Rockhound, Max, Oscar, Bear, Noonan, and A.J and Harry’s left behind daughter, Grace, are able to step forward to become heros in this pre-apocalyptic story.
In The Stand by Stephen King, a viral spread wiping 99% of humanity, is followed by survivors that are made to choose between good and evil in a new social system and engage in confrontation between the two. Stuart “Stu” Redman escaptes being held by NASA and meets sociology professor Glen Bateman and his dog Kojak, a pregnant college student Frances “Frannie” Goldsmith, and overweight teenage nerd Harold Lauder, all immune to the virus. These characters have all dreamed of “Mother Abigal’ and “Randall Flagg”, the imulations of good and evil or god and the devil.
LGBT examples that shine are The Three by Meghan O’Brien. While Meghan continues her sensual reighn of love scenes and yet another wonderful lovers relationship, she introduces an apocalyptic story of unchecked sickness and slaughter. Years since the changes of society have deteriorated, the story shows, Anna meeting and being welcomed into Elin and Kaels family. Through accidents, attacks, and relationship strain, the three characters bond tighter as they form the new normal. An excellent read and the best sex, thanks Meghan.
The Harbinger (Artemis #1) by Mary Eicher. The main characters Artemis Andronikos and Lucy Breem investigate a connection between the deafening strange bell sounds and subsequent deaths shortly after. Artemis has a physical presence, an attorney by trade, and excels in deductive clarity. Lucy has a innate ability to read others and find lies, a reporter by trade. The two globe trot to find answers.
By Aliette de Bodard, this story stems from changed society as the earth is poisoned and beings of nightmares roam the land.
How should it end?
Dragon Age Inquisition (2014), an pre-apocalyptic role playing game. This futuristic magical world is developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts in which a mysterious tear in the sky called the “Breach”, is unleashing dangerous demons upon the world. The main character, the Inquisitor has to travel the world to defeat Corypheus and his dragon, resealing the Breach permanently. The game has an end goal. However, the massive playground has reputation earning points and romance interests and ongoing expansions.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy. The main character and his son are traveling a grueling journey for months along the interstate roads to survive in the aftermath of an extinction event. The father tells his son he is a “good guy” versus all the “bad guys”. The author brings this around into a full circle of life in which the father becomes ill and hopelessly worsens. His young son stays with the body until a family find him and take him in. The new “father” telling him he is one of the “good guys”.
The question here is how do you as a reader prefer to end the story? In this sub-genre we won’t know until the end of the book. The future is unknown. The situations are perilous and the main characters have to figure it out or die. Do they need to be technology smart? Do they need to be common-sense smart? Do they need to dodge bullets like Neo in The Matrix? Are they wearing that “red shirt”? Perhaps the writer takes the book into unknown territory and invents a cure, invents an afterlife, invents a stalemate, kills the main character? These solutions to the problem could be well received if they are done right. Yes, even the last one. Remember The Road?
By Melissa Good, this futuristic book explores Earths status after a volcano erupts causing a nuclear winter and rising waters that leave only disconnected islands and diverse factions.
Additional listings of LGBT apocalyptic books, movies, shows:
Untouchable by Sarah Champion, post-apocalyptic with aliens arriving long after the initial apocalypse took place.
Survival Instincts: A Dystopian Novel by May Dawney – a post-war dystopian world reclaimed by nature, Lynn has to take a trip through the jungle of New York City.
The End and The Resistance(2017,2019) (Books 1 and 2 of the Sanctuary Series) by Cheyne Curry and Roselle Graskey. Book 1 is the beginning of two women who witness an apocalypse destruction of the outside world by camera as they serve in a subterranean data center at Fort Hood. Book 2 add more excitement as combat forces are formed to attack those that orchestrated Day Zero.
The Gate to Women’s Country (1988) by Sheri S. Tepper – a look at two political alternatives: a repressive polygamist sect that is slowly self-destructing through inbreeding and the matriarchal dictatorship called Women’s Country.
In the Vanishers’ Palace by Aliette de Bodard – Earth is poisoned and beings of nightmares roam the land and Yên, a failed scholar, is sold to Vu Côn, one of the last dragons walking the earth to tutor her two children.
Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey – a male that has been involved in a genetic-manipulation performed by the US government for a weapon breeds a daughter Loup.
On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis – a comet is scheduled to hit and the main char is offered a seat aboard a generation ship that’s scheduled to leave Earth behind and colonize new worlds.
Califia’s Daughters by Leigh Richards – bombs fell, and a deadly virus claimed the world’s men. But a small community of women, a few surviving males are guarded by women warriors like Dian.
Book of the Unnamed Midwife (The Road to Nowhere #1) by Meg Ellison – a fever that decimated the earth’s population by killing women and children.
Partners, book 1 and 2 (and book 3 Of Sea and Stars) by Melissa Good. In book 1 a volcanic eruption puts earth into nuclear winter. Due to trust issues, Interforce sends main character Jess Drake, an agent, a new partner who is biologically-created and artificially devised, given knowledge using specialized brain programming techniques. Book 2 offers a continuation as Jess and Dev are sent on increasingly difficult missions. Book 3 shows treachery from the source of Dev’s space station birth home and the brother Jess left behind when she entered Interforce.
Orphan Maker by D. Jordan Redhawk – a devastating plague
After the Fall by Robin Summers
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JL Nich, SFF Author
jlnichauthor.com
