this post was submitted on 31 Mar 2025
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I just read Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel , and it's living rent free in my brain.

It was such a powerful book in so many ways. I loved the way the different storylines and characters were tied together, some intricately and some just loosely, as well as the multiple perspectives, timelines, and storylines.

I believe it was originally suggested to me as a book similar to the TV show LOST(2004-2010) and it did satisfy that quite well.

Other books that I have read and enjoyed in a similar vein include:

  • The Silo trilogy by High Howey ( Wool, Shift, and Dust)
  • Wayward Pines series by Blake Crouch (Pines, Wayward, and The Last Town)
  • Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
  • MaddAddam Trilogy by Margaret Atwood (Oryx & Crake, the Year of the Flood, and MaddAddam)

Does anyone have any book suggestions for something similar I should look for?

Thanks!

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I loooovveeeed Station Eleven it's one of my favourite post apocalyptic books. You have excellent taste!

I'm reading the Willow Falls trilogy atm. It's post apocalyptic and has some weeved narratives. It's on kindle unlimited and I'm absolutely gripped by them, best books I've read in years.

Other post apocalyptic book that's excellent is Lockdown the first couple are great. Sadly they go off the rails.

Oh and if you haven't already read it then Day of the Triffids is a classic and excellent.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

These look like great recommendations, thank you!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Np I love post apocalyptic so if you want anymore hit me up and I'll dig some out for you

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

It looks like I have a long list of books to get through, but i'm always open to recommendations! ☺️

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

If you haven’t read it, Emily St John Mandel’s last novel, Sea of Tranquility, is excellent and tackles some of the themes if Station Eleven. It’s a time-travelling SF novel mixed with autofiction and ties in with some of her earlier writing. Super-recommended.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen

The Fifth Sacred Thing by Starhawk

Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven

Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice

Lilith's Brood series by Octavia Butler

The Lightest Object in the Universe by Kimi Eisele

The Postman by David Brin

The Last One by Alexandra Oliva

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

"How Few Remain" by Harry Turtledove. Alternate history where the South won the Civil war and now the North is coming for payback. Numerous characters interacting. warning - this book is a standalone, but it leads into a multi-book series where the two nations go through WW1, the Depression, and WW2.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I am intrigued! Thank you for the suggestion.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

Be warned. Turtledove write A LOT of books. I have read many of his books, but it's like watching the first episode of Dragonball or Star Trek. Be warned!!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson is an alternate history about if a plague had wiped out 90% of the European population before the renaissance and how the would could have shaken out instead, focusing primarily on Arabic and Chinese culture.

It follows a small group of people who are reincarnating through the ages, all the way up to modern times. It's an amazing novel, and very approachable if you're even vaguely into history.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Ooh, this one definitely sounds like it's right up my alley. I love alternate history, and reincarnation stories. Thank you very much!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

I hope you like it! KSR's whole collection is worth a read; he's my favorite living author.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

Try other books by Emily St. John Mandel! Sea of Tranqulity and The Glass Hotel have a similar structure :)

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

I cannot recommend The Dog Stars (https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/dbff7c12-aff3-4b55-ae20-9b2d0051c92d) enough. It has a peculiar style to it and, admittedly, it took me a couple starts until I got hooked. I am so glad I stuck with it. A very literary post-apocalyptic fiction story with more action than Station Eleven, but a similarly compelling character study.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

One of my favourite books is World Made By Hand by James Kunstler. It’s a lot like Station Eleven in its a post apocalyptic setting, and how the people that are left are getting by with what they have. Apparently it’s a series of books now too, I just discovered that when I looked it up to get the authors name right, so now I’ve got more to read in that world, yay!

Thanks for asking this question, I’ve added a bunch to my reading list!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

That sounds perfect, thank you!

I'm glad my question has helpful for you too! I have had so many amazing replies, I am excited to get ahold of a few of these books.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

Could I suggest the sci Fi of Cordwainer Smith? Different era and genre, but a similar kind of human beauty.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Maybe annihilation by Jeff vandermeer or Blindsight by Peter watts. Both of them have an ominous unknown quality. Lots of the suggestions listed are good but I don't think many capture the tone you seem to be going for.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

These all look like fantastic suggestions, thank you!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

I loved the way the different storylines and characters were tied together, some intricately and some just loosely, as well as the multiple perspectives, timelines, and storylines.

Try The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
  • One Day by David Nicholls because it uses overlapping narratives and different perspectives to tell one story
  • The Dog Stars by Peter Heller because it uses a post apocalyptic backdrop to take you on an emotional journey with the characters
  • This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud because its overlapping narratives over decades continually recolor events and motivations and outcomes
  • Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin because its three protagonists have their own stories to tell, but they are intertwined and dependent. -Same Bed, Different Dreams by Ed Park because the complex story structure lends itself to a powerful emotional journey for the protagonist and the reader
[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Amazing list, thank you! I have not read any of these yet.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

Oh you’re in for a treat! I love all these books

If I had to pick, I’d go with Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Tomorrow first. It’s very accessible and very good

Same Bed, Different Dreams is a treat, but it can be a little confusing. Especially if you don’t have much context with the history of the Korean Peninsula

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

@KanadrAllegria

As far as pandemic themed books, "The Stand" by Stephen King wears the crown.

"The Andromeda Strain" by Michael Crichton isn't bad, either.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

I haven't read either, but I've heard good things. I will check them out, thanks!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Ohhhh, if you like pandemic themed books too, my all-time favorite book is Blindness by Jose Saramago (skip the sequel, I haven't read it but I heard it's trash in comparison).

If your interest in pandemics extends into zombies, I also just read the Newsflesh series by Mira Grant which I also thought was really cool.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

Awesome, thanks! Honestly I haven't really read a lot of pandemic flavoured books, but I'm willing to try a few and see how I like them.

Blindness was on my "to read" list so I'll move it up! And I'll take a look at Newshflesh too.

Thanks again!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

@KanadrAllegria

I'm a huge fan of King's early stuff and had read the 800p "The Stand" half a dozen times before the 1200p version was released. I didn't notice anything in the long form that added to the story. I say his editors were right to cut it the first time.

This is an unpopular opinion, but I really think you can skip 400 pages without losing anything.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I also read Station Eleven recently! The only thing I can think of that is similar is maybe Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. It's also a movie, if you're into that :)

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Ooh, I did also read Cloud Atlas and enjoyed that one too!

Is Station Eleven living rent free in your brain too?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

To be completely honest, no. I did really like the ending, but my brain mostly dumps everything once I get into a new book series!

Oh! I actually just thought of one more that has multiple characters with multiple perspectives with intertwining stories from different eras - The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton. I read it a long time ago but I still think about it on occasion :)

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Ooh, I'll add that to my list too, thank you!

Usually my brain dumps the books right away too, but this one stuck with me.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

Let me know if you like it!