It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.
Welcome once again to Sci-Friday, a game I play every week where 20-some writers on Substack team up to publish something related to science fiction on the same day. We generally give you some kind of recommendation by way of a list, and that’s what I’ll do today. I’ll link to some of those other lists I’ve made below, at the end of this article.
For this week’s piece, I wanted to do something a little special: a short list of just three books in a subgenre of sci-fi I’m just calling “apocalyptic.” These are end-of-the-world type scenarios, but told predominantly through a rational lens (although there is an element of fantasy in all of these).
I wanted to stretch the boundaries a bit by going way back.
Theologus Autodidactus
I said “way back”, but I bet you didn’t think we’d go this far back.
Theologus Autodidactus was written in the 13th century by Ibn al-Nafis, one of a great many Arabic polymaths out there during this time period. It is one of the first Arabic novels ever written, and while it’s not a “pure” work of science fiction, it incorporates elements that resonate with modern readers familiar with sci-fi tropes.
Theologus begins with a feral teenager (Kamil) who suddenly finds himself stranded on a deserted island. Kamil begins teaching himself about the island and everything on it, using a proto-scientific approach of discovery, like dissecting animals to see how they work.
Rather than relying solely on divine intervention or mystical elements, Theologus employs a logical lens to describe the apocalypse. It depicts the end of the world as a sort of divine algorithm, wherein the consequences of human actions and natural events lead to a rational, predetermined end.
The Time Machine
If Ibn al-Nafis’s piece makes the reader curious about the role science might play in the future, H.G. Wells tries to warn us about the double-edged nature of technology.
Our protagonist uses his invention to leap ahead into the future, landing in a world that seems utopian. However, humanity has bifurcated into two distinct species—the Eloi and the Morlocks—both products of social inequality exacerbated by technology.
Let’s pause for a moment. While Wells was witnessing his own industrial revolution, so are we today. 130 years ago, he clearly saw that technology could be an accelerant toward inequality. This is among the most important things to consider today—one of our central problems.
This complex relationship with technology really sets The Time Machine apart.
The apocalyptic elements in "The Time Machine" come not in the form of divine reckoning or natural disaster but from the slow degradation of society through the lens of technological and social evolution. It's a grim warning to its contemporary readers, and one that still echoes today. Where Theologus Autodidactus offers a divine algorithm for the end times, The Time Machine shows us that humans are perfectly capable of our own societal collapse, thank you very much.
The Stand
Fast forwarding a century (give or take a decade), Stephen King's The Stand remains one of my favorite apocalyptic tales of all time, regardless of genre. An infectious disease rapidly spreads and begins to threaten human existence. Modern readers might be tempted to protest, “too soon!”
The covid pandemic caused a lot of deaths and chaos worldwide, and it continues to be the third leading cause of death in the US. Nevertheless, this is but nothing compared to “Captain Trips”, the deadly pathogen in The Stand.
Side note: I was proud of myself in 9th grade when I finished reading this book. It was more than 1000 pages long, like Stephen King’s It, so it felt significant to me.
King is a great writer. I grew up being told he wasn’t, or at least that was the sense I got from the literary establishment back then, but I think that has evolved a great deal over the last few decades. Good for King.
One of the complex things he touches on is the thorny set of issues that goes along with building a society in the first place. Tough decisions have to be made, and things can quickly spiral out of control, and we get to see a lot of this tension in both of the camps represented. Like in The Time Machine, society has bifurcated into two distinct groups.
Unlike either of the two previous works mentioned, the apocalypse is more of a starting point. It’s all about what happens next.
Whether you’re new to the genre of apocalyptic sci-fi, or a grizzled veteran, I hope these books give you an idea of the fascinating scope of the human imagination. These are cautionary stories of things to avoid, snapshots of human nature, and exhilarating rides.
While the world continues to change, the fundamental questions about human nature and society seem to remain consistent.
If you’re interested in reading more recommendations about sci-fi to watch, read, or otherwise check out, I highly recommend taking a look at what these folks are up to today. As a community, we have continued to support one another’s sci-fi recommendations, and I continue to be grateful for the opportunity to connect with these folks:
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and .If you want to go back and check out some of my previous sci-fi recommendations, here are how important Transformers: The Movie (1986) was for me, Time Travel Paradoxes, Five Great Sci-Fi Reads, Five Dystopian Future Films, Five Sci-Fi Comedies, and my Favorite Sci-Fi Shows ever.
What are some of your favorite works of apocalyptic fiction, sci-fi or not? Let me know by joining the discussion in the comments.
I'm weighing in a little late here, but post-apocalyptic fiction is one of my favorite genres. There's a few I'd like to mention. In terms of oldies, Mary Shelley wrote a post-apocalyptic novel called "The Last Man." I find it tedious, but it is one of the first in the genre.
In terms of classics, the quintessential post-apocalyptic novel is Walter M. Miller, Jr.'s "A Canticle for Leibovitz." If you haven't read it, do.
Nevil Shute's 1957 novel "On the Beach" deserves a mention; it's been made into movies twice.
There's also Harlan Ellison's "A Boy a His Dog" which was also made into a movie starring a young Don Johnson!
In terms of "The Stand" I felt the edited version released in 1978 was far better than the unedited 1990 version; whoever edited it was right, the 1990 version is paced terribly. But King can get away with self-indulgence because he's so famous....
Will do a different "end of the world" - on Ishtar.