A group of British boys are stranded on an uninhabited island after their plane crashes during wartime. Initially, they attempt to establish order, creating rules and electing a leader. However, as time passes, their civility erodes, and they descend into savagery and chaos. The struggle for power intensifies, leading to violence and death. The novel explores themes of innocence, the inherent evil in mankind, and the thin veneer of civilization.

An aging Cuban fisherman struggles with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream, isolated from the world and from human help. For days, he fights the marlin alone, admiring its strength, dignity, and faithfulness to its identity—its destiny is as true as his as a fisherman. He finally kills the marlin, but sharks attack and devour it before he can return to the shore. The fisherman returns home empty-handed but remains undefeated, having proven his abilities to himself.

This book tells the story of a domesticated dog named Buck who is stolen from his home in California and sold into service as a sled dog in Alaska. As he faces harsh conditions and brutal treatment, Buck must learn to adapt to the wild and harsh environment, ultimately reverting to his ancestral instincts in order to survive. The book explores themes of nature versus nurture, civilization versus wilderness, and the struggle for dominance.

This novel follows a group of rabbits as they flee their warren due to a foreseen catastrophe. The rabbits, led by Hazel and his psychic brother Fiver, face numerous challenges and adventures as they search for a new home. They encounter predators, hostile rabbit communities, and human threats. The book explores themes of leadership, survival, and freedom, all set within the natural world and its inherent dangers.

This post-apocalyptic horror/fantasy novel presents a world devastated by a deadly plague, killing 99% of the population. The survivors, drawn together by dreams of a charismatic and benevolent figure, gather in Boulder, Colorado to form a new society. However, a malevolent figure also emerges, attracting a following of his own and setting the stage for a classic battle between good and evil. The story delves into themes of community, morality, and the capacity for both destruction and regeneration within humanity.

In a post-apocalyptic world, a father and his young son journey through a desolate landscape, struggling to survive. They face numerous threats including starvation, extreme weather, and dangerous encounters with other survivors. The father, who is terminally ill, is driven by his love and concern for his son, and is determined to protect him at all costs. The story is a haunting exploration of the depths of human resilience, the power of love, and the instinct to survive against all odds.

A young Indian boy named Pi Patel survives a shipwreck and finds himself adrift in the Pacific Ocean on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Over the course of 227 days, Pi uses his knowledge of animal behavior and survival skills to coexist with the tiger, ultimately leading to an unusual and deeply spiritual journey. The story explores themes of faith, survival, and the interpretation of reality.

In this post-apocalyptic novel, the majority of the world's population is blinded by a comet shower, leaving society vulnerable to the Triffids - venomous, mobile plants that were previously farmed for their oil. The protagonist, who retains his sight after being hospitalized during the comet shower, must navigate this new world, dealing with the Triffids and the desperate remnants of humanity. The novel explores themes of survival, adaptation, and the inherent fragility of civilization.

The novel is a post-apocalyptic horror story that centers around a solitary man who may be the last human alive on earth after a pandemic has turned the rest of humanity into vampire-like creatures. He spends his days fortifying his home, hunting for food, and killing these creatures while they sleep. At night, he is tormented by their attempts to break into his home and kill him. His isolation drives him to the brink of insanity, and the novel explores themes of loneliness, survival, and the human capacity for hope in the face of utter despair.

The novel tells the story of a wolf-dog hybrid named White Fang, who endures harsh conditions in the Yukon during the 19th-century Klondike Gold Rush. The narrative follows White Fang's journey from a life in the wild to domestication. He experiences cruelty and brutality from both nature and humans, but eventually finds kindness and compassion with a man who rescues him from a dog-fighting ring. The book explores themes of survival, nature versus nurture, and redemption.

Four friends from Atlanta embark on a canoe trip in the remote wilderness of Georgia, expecting a fun, adventurous weekend. However, their journey quickly turns into a nightmare when they are brutally attacked by a pair of backwoods locals. The friends are forced to kill their attackers in self-defense, leading to a harrowing escape down the river and through the woods, pursued by vengeful locals. The experience forever changes their lives, leaving them with deep physical and psychological scars.

A young prodigy is enlisted into a military academy in space, where he is trained through complex war games to combat an impending alien invasion. Despite his initial struggles with isolation and manipulation by the academy's leaders, he rises through the ranks due to his strategic genius and leadership skills. The protagonist grapples with the moral implications of war and the cost of his own humanity, as he is groomed to be the Earth's ultimate weapon against the alien threat.

Set in a dystopian future, the novel revolves around a teenager named Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a post-apocalyptic nation where the government, in order to maintain control, forces each of its twelve districts to send a boy and girl to participate in a televised annual event. This event, known as the Hunger Games, is a fight to the death. When Katniss's younger sister is selected to participate, Katniss volunteers to take her place. The book follows her struggle for survival in the cruel game, against the backdrop of a brewing rebellion against the oppressive regime.

This novel tells the story of four Westerners who are kidnapped and taken to the mysterious Shangri-La, a utopian lamasery high in the mountains of Tibet. As they get to know their captors and the peaceful way of life in the lamasery, they must each decide whether or not they want to stay in this idyllic paradise that seemingly offers immortality, or try to escape back to their former lives. The story explores themes of time, happiness, and the often complex choice between the familiar and the unknown.

In this dystopian novel, an unexplained epidemic of "white blindness" sweeps through an unnamed city, causing chaos and panic. The government responds by quarantining the afflicted in an abandoned mental hospital, where conditions quickly deteriorate into violence and squalor. Amid the despair, one woman mysteriously retains her sight and guides a small band of the blind, including her husband, through the harrowing ordeal. The novel explores themes of loss, human nature, and the fragility of civilization.

This book follows the story of a young boy who is falsely accused of stealing a pair of sneakers and is sent to a juvenile detention center in the middle of a desert. Here, the boys are made to dig holes every day as a form of punishment. As the protagonist digs, he discovers the truth about the warden's obsession with the holes, the mystery of a hidden treasure, and a curse that has been haunting his family for generations. The story is a blend of adventure, mystery, and coming-of-age themes.

In the aftermath of a nuclear war that devastates the United States, a group of survivors, including a professional wrestler, a young girl with mystical powers, and a bag lady, embark on a journey across a ravaged America. They must navigate the horrors of a post-apocalyptic world and battle a malevolent force known as the Man with the Scarlet Eye, who seeks to claim the wasteland as his own. Throughout their journey, they discover the power of hope, community, and resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship.

"Earth Abides" is a post-apocalyptic novel that follows the story of a geography student who returns from a solo trip in the mountains to find that most of humanity has been wiped out by a deadly plague. As one of the few survivors, he navigates through the deserted world, eventually forming a small community with other survivors. The novel explores themes of survival, the fragility of civilization, and the importance of community in the face of adversity.

Set in the aftermath of a devastating nuclear war, the novel follows a group of survivors who find refuge in a medieval castle named Malevil. The survivors, led by the protagonist, must navigate the challenges of rebuilding their lives in a drastically altered world. They grapple with issues of survival, community, morality, and leadership as they encounter other groups of survivors with different philosophies and intentions. The story is a gripping exploration of human resilience, the will to maintain civilization, and the complexities of interpersonal relationships in a post-apocalyptic setting.

The book is a profound exploration of isolation and survival, following a woman who finds herself unexpectedly cut off from the rest of the world by an invisible, impenetrable wall. With the rest of humanity seemingly vanished, she must come to terms with her solitary existence in a remote forested area, accompanied only by a few animals. As she adapts to her new reality, tending to the land and the creatures that become her companions, the narrative delves into themes of self-reliance, the intrinsic connection between humans and nature, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable circumstances. Through her introspective journey, the protagonist examines the essence of her being and the meaning of life when stripped of society and its constructs.

Set during the turmoil of World War II, the novel follows the intersecting lives of a blind French girl and a German boy. The girl, living in occupied France, seeks solace in the world of books and the imagination, while the boy, a member of Hitler Youth, is a radio operator for the German forces. Their paths cross in the walled city of Saint-Malo, with the narrative exploring themes of survival, morality, and the human spirit.

A gripping tale of survival and resilience, this book follows the story of an astronaut left stranded on Mars by his crew who believed him dead after a fierce storm. With limited supplies, he must utilize his ingenuity, wit, and spirit to survive and signal to Earth that he is alive. The narrative is a thrilling testament to human willpower and the relentless fight for survival against all odds.

"The Mosquito Coast" is a gripping and thought-provoking novel that follows the eccentric and idealistic inventor, Allie Fox, as he uproots his family from suburban America to create a utopian society in the jungles of Honduras. As they face numerous challenges and dangers, Allie's obsession with his vision becomes increasingly destructive, leading to a thrilling and tragic climax that explores themes of disillusionment, the clash of cultures, and the consequences of unchecked ambition.

The novel centers on a naval officer who, after his ship is torpedoed during wartime, finds himself struggling to survive on an isolated rock in the North Atlantic. As he battles the elements and the limits of human endurance, the narrative delves into his past, revealing the nature of his character through flashbacks and hallucinations. The protagonist's fight for survival becomes not only a physical battle but also a psychological journey, exploring themes of isolation, identity, and the human will to live. The story takes a metaphysical turn, culminating in a twist that challenges the reader's perception of reality and the protagonist's true fate.

This novel tells the story of a group of reformatory school boys evacuated to a remote mountain village in wartime. The boys are treated harshly by the villagers, who view them as little more than animals. When a plague breaks out, the villagers flee, leaving the boys behind to fend for themselves. The boys attempt to create their own society, but when the villagers return, they are once again treated as outcasts. The book is a powerful exploration of the themes of isolation, rejection, and the struggle for survival.