World Literature

This week marks the release of, the debut novel by adventure writer Peter Heller, a stunning, hope-riddled end-of-the-world story about a man and his dog nine years after almost everyone else on earth has been eradicated. We think this novel is bound to become a classic, and it got us thinking about a few of the greatest apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic novels of all time. Click through to check out the books that — to our minds — make up the best of the best in end of the world lit. And as ever, if we’ve left off your own personal favorite, add to our list in the comments!

Considered by some to be Stephen King’s best novel, topic be damned, this 1978 tour de force still rings totally current — and terrifying — today. After all, a superflu that kills 99.4% of the world’s population? Didn’t we just hear that Captain Trips Swine Flu is back? Unlike zombies (probably), this kind of thing could totally happen, and soon, which has us shaking slightly in our sanitary gloves. Plus: good versus evil! The power of fate! The wavering compass of humanity! Can’t beat it.