Last of Us has a pretty interesting story, and if you're watching the show, you probably know already that you can also find a few books out there.

Now, I know what you’re thinking, books are always better than TV shows, but at the end of the day, the storyline is the same. There won't be any major differences, but just some small details here and there.

You already know what’s happening…

If you like Last of Us, I’m about to recommend a few Last of Us books with similar stories and plot twists, but, of course, many more differences.

Here are some of the best books out there if you’re into this kind of action.

What Are The Top Books Like Last of Us?

The Last of Us, by Faith Erin Hicks and Neil Druckmann (2013)

The book is based on the famous game that inspired the TV series too. Everything happens around two decades ago. Back then, a fungal infection turned into a pandemic and killed pretty much everyone.

Obviously, a few people survived, those with no friends or too many interactions, as well as those who looked after themselves.

They all live in quarantine zones now. No one goes in or out. Resources are limited, and these communities live with plenty of limitations.

Now, the story moves on to Ellie. She’s only 13 years old. Obviously, she’s lived her entire life in this apocalyptic world. She has no idea what the world was like before.

Just like any other youngster, she’s curious about what’s outside. What is behind those walls? What’s the outside world like?

She’s a bit of a rebel and has a bad attitude toward the military, so she doesn't have too many friends. But then, she meets Riley.

Riley shares the same curiosity, so the two team up and decide to explore the outside world together.

The Road, by Cormac McCarthy (2006)

This novel takes place somewhere in the future, in a postapocalyptic environment. The world is no longer like we know it today. Forget about civilization, plants, forests, landscapes, and things that define the world today.

Everything has been burned down… Nothing moves, apart from pieces of rubbish moved by the wind here and there. It’s a depressing scenario. Temperatures are in the freezing range. Besides, when it snows, it goes gray, rather than white.

The story follows a kid and his father. They need to reach the coast.

They believe there might be life there, but they have no clue what to expect. There’s no other hope. Everything around them is burned down, so they just hope for the best and keep moving.

The bad news is they don’t have too much. They only have a pistol to keep safe against rebel bands here and there, as well as the clothes they wear.

I won’t get into details, as I don’t want to spoil it. But this is the type of book that will build tension with every new page. And then, at the end… Well, you’ll have to read it to find out what’s going on.

I know it's similar to The Book of Eli, but there's something else to make it stand out.

The Children of Men, by P.D. James (2006)

The Children of Men is full of suspense and action. It offers an insightful characterization of a modern world, and to be honest with you, it’s a bit scary. It’s the type of idea that might actually happen in the future.

Anyway, the idea is pretty simple. People can no longer conceive. There are no more children and obviously no future. Everyone is infertile.

Youngest people in the world are not grownups, and everyone knows humankind will be gone within decades only.

Historian Theodore is aware of it. He also knows that sooner or later, he’ll go as well. Just like everyone else, he’s lost his desire to live because, well, there's not much to do. No one has any dreams or expectations, and there's no hope whatsoever.

But one day, he’s approached by a beautiful woman with a plan. She needs his help. It doesn’t make too much sense at first, but he decides to give her a hand.

At some point, he finds a secret, and this secret might hold the key to a brighter future. It might be the solution to save the world, but it takes a mission to do it.

I know there’s a movie made after this book, but trust me, ditch the movie and go for the book. It’s more suspenseful and adventurous than the movie.

The Girl with All the Gifts, by M.R. Carey (2014)

Melanie is an average student with an average lifestyle. She goes to school on a daily basis, has to eat those disgusting meals in school, and so on… Nothing special so far. But there’s something about her.

Melanie is also a zombie. She's not an aggressive one, and she's not trying to kill everyone around her.

On a different note, the world is about to face a major pandemic turning people into lost husks, all because of a virus.

However, Melanie is not affected, and she may actually have the solution to save the world.

The problem is the school she attends is not a regular school. Instead, it’s a research facility where she’s being studied, along with other zombies. It looks and feels like a school, but it’s not one.

When a bunch of infected people comes over, Melanie and everyone else are endangered. Lots of people are infected or killed, but a few of them manage to survive. The world feels like it's reaching an end, so Melanie and a few other survivors need to find a cure before it's too late.

This is one of those Last of Us books with a similar storyline. You have an infected girl, someone looking after her, and the struggle to save humanity. However, the ending is different and will give you a nice surprise.

Crocodile Fever, by Meghan Tyler (2019)

This is one of those Last of Us books with a different approach, but the idea is pretty much the same. In a postapocalyptic world, violence seems to be the only way forward, especially when infected people or monsters hunt you all the time.

Anyway, let me get into details… The action takes place in the 1980s, somewhere in Ireland.

Alannah has a quiet lifestyle. She deals with the kitchen flooring, and she loves what she does until her quiet lifestyle is shaken by her sister, Fianna.

Fianna has just been released from prison. She's got a few weapons, and she seems to be followed by someone. She's up to reform the sisterly bond, but nothing works according to the plan.

Instead, everything turns into a bloodbath. Violence, blood everywhere, and dead people all over the place. It's just how the two sisters know how to handle their childhood traumas.

The book is definitely not for everyone. There’s plenty of action, but I like to see the meaning behind the lines instead.

It tells us how we respond to violence and how we try to tackle traumas in our lives. Is vengeance the answer? Can violence be justified? Meghan Tyler answers all these questions in a tough thriller with an incredible story.

So Long Been Dreaming, by Nalo Hopkinson and Uppinder Mehan (2004)

If you fell in love with Last of Us, you probably got the idea behind the story. It's all about a future society where the military controls everything, and everyone seems to struggle in fear and poverty.

There are two options out there, facing the outside world filled with zombies or facing an aggressive military. None of these options is good for locals.

This concept is known as speculative fiction.

While this book is not based on Last of Us, it brings in the exact same stories. It’s one of those Last of Us books with a high sense of speculative fiction. And trust me, it can be scary at times.

It's an anthology that collects lots of different stories, and they're all similar. They take place in postcolonial society, and they cover multiple aspects, from deadly pandemics and zombies to different civilizations and perhaps an ending for humankind.

Featuring quality writings from more authors, these stories cover the potential end of the world. They’re about discovering new worlds, but also about dealing with loss and battling technology.

The best part about it? There are lots of different stories, so you can’t really get bored. The bad part? Some of them are so realistic that they might become scary.

Final thoughts on Books Similar To Last of Us

Last of Us has hit hard this year. It's one of the first hits of the year, and it features an impressive story.

We’ve seen similar ideas before, mostly in movies, but an ongoing series hits better.

Take a look at the book behind the story as well. Everything’s based on a game, but the book is simply more detailed and leaves room for imagination. If you love the idea, there are plenty of other Last of Us books with similar storylines and concepts.

Check also our favorite Video Game Fiction Books.

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