Apocalyptic Short Stories

The first collection by writer Matthew Hughes, and the perfect companion to his acclaimed novel Black Brillion, The Gist Hunter and Other Stories features nine stories taking place in the universe of The Archonate, as well as four non-series stories. The stories of Henghis Hapthorn, Old Earth's "foremost freelance discriminator", combine mystery and science fantasy while simultaneously recalling the arch irony of Gene Wolfe and the sly fancies of Jack Vance.

Before you start. I wrote this science fiction adventure in the hopes of leading young people into the joys of sci-fi possibilities and fun. But it's not limited to youth. I've encountered many older readers that felt the memories of their younger years. So, don't exclude yourself because it's about a genetically altered youth and his struggles in a world that's unique, yet troubled just as is our own. In a mutant sci-fi world, the rebellious son of surface trader Captain Radoon Gydlin, endures dreams of places he hasn’t seen and disasters that haven’t happened. When he visits Below, a ...

To be born underground, in the dark, never to see the surface. That seemed to be Loreto’s fate. Born nearly half a century after the world had been destroyed by total, global, nuclear war one young man must find his destiny. He must learn what it means to be himself. Destined to become a Topsider, will he walk upon the surface? Will he be one of the brave few who work to usher humanity back to Earth’s population? Find out in Loreto: An Earth Has Fallen Short Story. See Loreto Rucker’s humble beginnings as he grows into the young man we will meet in Servidio’s Earth Has Fallen Post-...

In this debut collection of body-horror fairy tales and mid-apocalyptic Catholic cyberpunk, memory and myth, loss and age, these are the tools of storyteller Jarboe, a talent in the field of queer fabulism. Bodily autonomy and transformation, the importance of negative emotions, unhealthy relationships, and bad situations amidst the staggering and urgent question of how build and nurture meaning, love, and safety in a larger world/society that might not be "fixable."

The first three episodes of best-selling author Joe Nobody's highly regarded serial, Apocalypse Trails, begins the story of Commander Jack Cisco and his harrowing journey to reunite with his family.

An all-apocalyptic volume of Twisted Tales! Four short stories that delve into the troubled minds of the doomed, the damned, and the desperate. The end times have never been more destructive, diseased, or dementedly depraved... WARNING: These stories contain violent scenes and naughty words.

It’s the hottest winter on record, but Raymond’s demanding, bedridden mother doesn’t mind. She likes it warm. Lately, however, control over the thermostat has become a nasty struggle. And each morning that she’s still alive is a suffocating new challenge for Raymond. How high can the mercury climb before he boils over?

Following the events of Planet of the Dead, survivors of the expanding outbreak take shelter in homes and bunkers and apartment complexes. Across the world, armed police and military struggle to maintain safety. Tensions mount as the worst imaginable comes to pass when nuclear weapons are used on civilian populations overrun with the living dead.

When hell claws its way up from the dark depths of the Earth, and the dead begin to walk again, for several people the zombie apocalypse doesn't just mean the end of the world as they know it, it is also the beginning of a brave new life for them. For some it offers freedom, for others a deeper torment and unforgiving life than they ever thought possible. The coward, the street rat, the hero, and the lovers, everyone has their place. What really decides their fate in this new existence, nature, or nurture?

Welcome to Tisaia - the last hub of modern civilization, in a world left scorched by the nuclear fires of the Biomass Wars. Surrounded by a fortress of steel walls, and protected by a fierce and loyal Council of Royal Knights, Tisaia seems relatively safe to the average State worker and citizen. A plentiful supply of Biomass powers the cities, and food is abundant, but security has come at a terrible cost.

Brace yourself for a heart-stopping journey as Dr. Allison Hayes battles an ancient evil disguised in the most innocent of melodies. Your pulse will race. Your skin will crawl. Reality itself will warp around you as you plunge headfirst into a world where every whispered note could spell doom. This cosmic horror will infect your mind, leaving you breathless, exhilarated, and forever changed. Forget everything you thought you knew about the power of music.

When Captain Jade Rhodes returns from a 50-year space mission, she expects a hero’s welcome. Instead, she finds a world she no longer recognizes—where history has been rewritten, space exploration outlawed, and humanity crushed under an iron-fisted regime. Branded a liar and traitor, Jade is thrust into the heart of a brutal rebellion led by Rax, a hardened freedom fighter with secrets of his own. Together, they must ignite hope in a society ruled by fear. But as the enemy closes in, Jade discovers that the resistance's survival depends on more than courage—it hinges on her lost ...

A leaderless, exhausted federal government is pulling out of Texas, leaving nine million survivors of the apocalypse to fend for themselves. In an attempt to fill the void, the Alliance of West Texas prepares to step in. The ruling council establishes five directives; Energy, Agriculture, Transportation, Communications and Security.

Matthew found Marie, now can he get her to safety? After what seemed like an eternity, Matthew's finally saved Marie. In the time since she saw him last he's been through Hell. Not only that, but he's killed a lot more people than he ever thought he would. He's ready for some reprieve. On the other hand, Marie's been held against her will and has been forced to patch up the same Fulcrum soldiers who kidnapped her. Now two parties stand between them and their sought-after safety. The Fulcrum want to hunt them down and take revenge. The invading alien Beets are just willing to take whatever ...

A boy and his father walk on the shore of an ocean filled with bloody spears cast off from a war between gods. A father travels back in time over and over, unable to rescue the mother of his child. A mischievous satyr lurking in a dungeon has a field day with trespassing adventurers. These tales and more are in Resurrections, a compilation of short stories written by Chris Philbrook.

A man and a dog walk through a ruined world, fighting monsters. Is everything as it seems?

A collection of (mostly) previously unpublished stories by award-winning journalist and cult horror author Ryan C. Thomas. From zombies to monsters to ghosts and more, Thomas weaves unique tales that will send a chill up your spine.

Undead Tales: Fifteen Thrilling Zombie Stories is the audio version of the new zombie anthology, published by the best-selling authors, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon. Get it now and start listening!

Earth is quickly becoming an undead wasteland, that much is for sure. What isn't certain is the fate of her three children, as their desperate bid to find safety at their family cabin is cut off by the revelation of world-altering proportions. What seems like a lifetime ago, the secret battle to be the first superpower to perfect the perfect bioweapon has been corrupted into a scourge now headed straight for them. Suddenly Abby's past becomes just as unclear as her future.

Here are eight of World Fantasy Award winner S.P. Somtow’s most controversial stories, including three previously uncollected ones. Each deals with a “sacred cow” of the Judaeo-Christian tradition and subjects it to the pitiless scrutiny of historian, mythographer, and fantasist. Violent, sometimes kinky, these stories nevertheless reach surprising epiphanies about faith and redemption. A curiously sympathetic Antichrist hunts down the next messiah with the aid of a unicorn. St Paul ponders about whether, in order to make his miraculous new religion work, he needs to get rid of an ...