Julia N. WhitePost-apocalyptical fiction can be a sticky genre. Set after the collapse of a nation or even the world, violence and grit can dominate the page. But amongst stacks of gory novels, there are rare gems that wow us with their depth and power. Let’s start with a tried and true series first.
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.
Most of us have at least heard the premise. In a world where the government divides the nation into districts, children are forced to fight in an area every year to the death. If you look beyond the surface, this secular-written novel has redeeming Christian qualities. Katniss, our heroine, volunteers to take her sister’s place in the deadly Hunger Games. She thinks not of herself but of her defenseless sister and gives up everything, possibly even her life, to defend her.
Pita, our male lead, does the same in his own way. He does everything he can to make Katniss appealing to sponsors and humbles himself constantly to ensure her safety.
Most if not all violence is committed behind closed doors while continuing to ramp up the tension. Romantic interests are no more than crushes in this first book and therefore no excessive ‘spice’. At every turn, friends sacrifice themselves and what they have so others can make it out alive.
Here is the score for this classic.
Scoresheet:
Violence: Low/behind closed doors
Romance: No spice!
Worldview: Secular with good morals
Morals: Grayed but mostly stay on the good side.
Overall, five out of five Mocking Jays.
Up next is another classic.
The Giver, by Lois Lowry.
What if you didn’t have to live with crippling memories of war and death? What if you could control your emotions with a simple injection? Then you had to give up this life by becoming a Receiver and live with the knowledge of all the evil the world has forgotten?
This book is shorter than most post-apocalyptic novels but packs a powerful punch. Society as a whole has become numb to death, destruction, and murder. Healthy babies are killed if they can’t keep their weight up. Children are replaced if they die unexpectedly and are never mourned. The aging are put away in homes and deemed useless after they finish raising a generation. Families are formed by the government and no more than two children are allowed per home.
Jonas is happy with his predetermined life, that is until he is selected as the Receiver. His new job is to sort through the good and wicked memories he receives from the Giver. Memories of Christmas’ come and gone. Memories of famine and death. His eyes are slowly opened and he begins to wonder. Can he live in this world? Or will he do something to change it?
A thought prover like this deserves high praise.
Scoresheet:
Violence: Low/almost none
Romance: No spice!
Worldview: Secular with good morals
Morals: Clean
Overall, five out of five Elephants.
Third on the list is Beyond these Gates, by Erin Howard is a new twist on the Hunger Games style of storytelling.
At only seventeen, Renna has been the Speaker for her colony for three years. Her family is designated as bakers to feed the town. On the surfice they always seem to follow the law and do as they are told, until secrets unravel.
Renna makes a grave mistake that costs her everything. She gets trapped outside the gates and thus leaves the city without a Speaker to read the rules for each day. She runs into a young boy named Miles who will change her life forever. He shows her his camp and how life can thrive outside the gates. Despite an offer to stay, Renna refuses. She must get back to her family before it’s too late.
Miles agrees to take her back but is met with present mistakes and his dark past. They are soon found out and hunted down by the local government. Renna will discover how heartless and cruel the government she once served can be.
Scoresheet:
Violence: Mild, within reason
Romance: No spice! Some flirty remarks and handholding
Worldview: Hinted Christian worldview
Morals: Healthy/ good.
Overall, five out of five Speakers
Last but not least we have our own Storyteller Squad member Sharon Renee and her series Divine Destiny Chronicles. There are already two amazing blogs about her work posted here so I will keep it short.
A group of young Christians are framed and forced to go on the run when the government is out to get them. They must discover the power of forgiveness and true faith in their journey to freedom.
Scoresheet:
Violence: Mild, only when necessary
Romance: Handholding/light kissing
Worldview: Christian worldview
Morals: Good/strong
Overall, five out of five mooing cows!
Now if you don’t own a copy of any of these novels don’t worry. It’s not the end of the world. You can find each of them on amazon!
Candice Yamnitz
Michelle Kaderly Welsh
Tracy Popolizio
The Giver was my first introduction to this genre, and it will go down in time as my favorite! I love how this genre makes us ask the question “what if…” and explores the consequences of those actions. Great recommendations! Thanks!
Thanks! The Hunger Games was my first exposure. It not my favorite like fantasy absolutely is BUT it is growing on me. Everything my husband reads is post-apocalyptic so it’s rubbing off on me!