Fans pick 81 books like Undead Ultra

By Camille Picott,

Here are 81 books that Undead Ultra fans have personally recommended if you like Undead Ultra. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Book cover of The First Days

Baileigh Higgins Author Of Last Another Day

From my list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have long been a fan of zombie apocalypse scenarios. The first movie I watched was the classic Dawn of the Dead remake. Shocked and fascinated, I wanted more, devouring anything I could find on the topic. It wasn’t long before I stumbled across my first zombie apocalypse book, and I was hooked. It became an obsession for a while, and I spent my free time reading one zombie book after another. Finally, I reached a point where I wanted to write my own story and version of the apocalypse, and I did. Fast-forward several years, and I’m now a full-time author with numerous completed series, most of them zombie. 

Baileigh's book list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines

Baileigh Higgins Why did Baileigh love this book?

This book's opening scene is one of the most visceral and shocking I have ever read. Incredibly tragic, it hits you in the gut with the force of a hammer blow before sweeping you along on an adventure of epic proportions. Once I started reading, I was unable to stop.

I just had to know what happened next and what lay in store for the main protagonists, Kati and Jenni. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with them, and I will never forget the hours I spent by their side. My only regret is that the story ended, though I’ve heard rumors of a possible continuation. If that’s true, it will be a dream come true!

By Rhiannon Frater,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The First Days as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Rhiannon Frater's As the World Dies trilogy is an internet sensation. The first two books, The First Days and Fighting to Survive, have won the Dead Letter Award for Best Novel from Mail Order Zombie. The First Days was named one of the Best Zombie Books of the Decade by the Harrisburg Book Examiner. AmericanHorrorBlog calls Rhiannon Frater "a writer to watch."

The morning that the world ends, Katie is getting ready for court and housewife Jenni is taking care of her family. Less than two hours later, they are fleeing for their lives from a zombie horde.

Thrown together…


Book cover of The Library at Mount Char

Kell Shaw Author Of Final Night: The Revenant Records, Book One

From my list on hard-edged urban fantasy that explores identity.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love how urban fantasy mixes magic and the real world, and I’m obsessed with stories that explore identity, especially when life throws you a curve ball and you need to recalibrate your existence around questions like “Who am I? Where am I going?” These books are set in contemporary fantasy universes and explore the themes of identity in different ways. Their worlds are bleak, which makes the spots of humor shine brighter and the protagonists’ triumphs all that more satisfying. As Ursula LeGuin said, “There must be darkness to see the stars.”

Kell's book list on hard-edged urban fantasy that explores identity

Kell Shaw Why did Kell love this book?

I love how weird and dark this book is. Carolyn and her siblings were raised by their abusive, adopted father, who trained them each in a single portfolio of magic.

When their father goes missing, Carolyn and her allies explore the truth of his disappearance. I was with Carolyn every step of the way of her journey to claw back her identity from her abusive past. And I can’t stop thinking about the explosive ending, even years after I first read the book.

By Scott Hawkins,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Library at Mount Char as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Wholly original . . . the work of the newest major talent in fantasy.”—The Wall Street Journal

“Freakishly compelling . . . through heart-thumping acts of violence and laugh-out-loud moments, this book practically dares you to keep reading.”—Atlanta Magazine

A missing God.
A library with the secrets to the universe. 
A woman too busy to notice her heart slipping away.
 
Carolyn's not so different from the other people around her. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. Clothes are a bit tricky, but everyone says nice things about her outfit with the Christmas…


Book cover of Tapping the Dream Tree

A.M. Geever Author Of Love in an Undead Age

From my list on science fiction, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write action-packed post-apocalyptic and dystopian adventures—with a dash of romance. An avid reader of science fiction and fantasy from an early age, the only job I ever wanted—besides being a writer—was to be a Star Fleet Officer. I owe my love of all things zombie to my older brothers, whose influence in books, music, and film continues to this day, although my tolerance for puns and movies that are "so bad they're good" is a whole lot lower than theirs. The idea of becoming a zombie because my car runs out of gas gets me to the gas station when I'd rather not bother.

A.M.'s book list on science fiction, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic

A.M. Geever Why did A.M. love this book?

Charles de Lint is one of my favorite authors, and this book of short stories is set in Newford, his fictional city. It’s a fully-formed universe where there's always more to discover. You can read any of his books at any time; there’s no order they must be read in. I guarantee that the more you learn of his worlds—and especially Newford—the more you’ll want. I read Pixel Pixies (my favorite short story of all time) to my mom and dad when my mom was dying of cancer. I could barely read the last paragraph for wanting to cry; not because the story is sad, but because it's so beautiful, so hopeful, so abso-freaking-lutely wonderful. I still get teary-eyed thinking about that evening of reading that story to my mom and dad.

That’s what de Lint does. He transports you not only to a world, but indelibly marks the feelings…

By Charles de Lint,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Tapping the Dream Tree as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

World Fantasy Award-winning author of The Onion Girl

The city of Newford could be any contemporary North American city...except that magic lurks in its music, in its art, in the shadows of its grittiest streets, where mythic beings walk disguised. And its people are like you and me, each looking for a bit of magic to shape their lives and transform their fate.

Here are a bluesman hiding from the devil; a Buffalo Man at the edge of death; a murderous ghost looking for revenge; a wolf man on his first blind date; and many more. We're reunited with Jilly,…


If you love Undead Ultra...

Ad

Book cover of The Nightmarchers

The Nightmarchers By J. Lincoln Fenn,

In 1939, on a remote Pacific island, botanical researcher Irene Greer plunged off a waterfall to her death, leaving behind a legacy shrouded in secrets. Her great-niece Julia, a struggling journalist recovering from a divorce, seeks answers decades later.

Tasked with retrieving Dr. Greer’s discovery–a flower that could have world-changing…

Book cover of Retribution Falls

A.M. Geever Author Of Love in an Undead Age

From my list on science fiction, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write action-packed post-apocalyptic and dystopian adventures—with a dash of romance. An avid reader of science fiction and fantasy from an early age, the only job I ever wanted—besides being a writer—was to be a Star Fleet Officer. I owe my love of all things zombie to my older brothers, whose influence in books, music, and film continues to this day, although my tolerance for puns and movies that are "so bad they're good" is a whole lot lower than theirs. The idea of becoming a zombie because my car runs out of gas gets me to the gas station when I'd rather not bother.

A.M.'s book list on science fiction, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic

A.M. Geever Why did A.M. love this book?

This steampunk sci-fi fantasy is exciting, hilarious, dangerous, full of twists, turns, break-neck action, daring escapes, and chock-a-block with outrageously fun and memorable characters in a fully realized and unique universe. Retribution Falls follows the crew of the airship Ketty Jay and its incredibly rag-tag crew captained by two-bit smuggler/cargo hauler/wanna-be pirate Darien Frey, and hoo boy! When presented with a job that Frey’s instincts tell him is too good to be true but offers riches, he plunges his crew into several worlds' worth of trouble. Their escapades as they try to dig themselves out are exciting, unpredictable, and laugh-out-loud funny.

If you like Firefly but want something original rather than a cheap knock-off, you’ll love this book. And if you don’t like Firefly, you’ve got more going on than I can help you with! ;-)

By Chris Wooding,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Retribution Falls as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Frey is the captain of the Ketty Jay, leader of a small and highly dysfunctional band of layabouts. An inveterate womaniser and rogue, he and his gang make a living on the wrong side of the law, avoiding the heavily armed flying frigates of the Coalition Navy. With their trio of ragged fighter craft, they run contraband, rob airships and generally make a nuisance of themselves. So a hot tip on a cargo freighter loaded with valuables seems like a great prospect for an easy heist and a fast buck. Until the heist goes wrong, and the freighter explodes. Suddenly…


Book cover of Tinker

A.M. Geever Author Of Love in an Undead Age

From my list on science fiction, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write action-packed post-apocalyptic and dystopian adventures—with a dash of romance. An avid reader of science fiction and fantasy from an early age, the only job I ever wanted—besides being a writer—was to be a Star Fleet Officer. I owe my love of all things zombie to my older brothers, whose influence in books, music, and film continues to this day, although my tolerance for puns and movies that are "so bad they're good" is a whole lot lower than theirs. The idea of becoming a zombie because my car runs out of gas gets me to the gas station when I'd rather not bother.

A.M.'s book list on science fiction, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic

A.M. Geever Why did A.M. love this book?

Tinker is an inventive, imaginative, and fun fantasy story. The eponymous main character—a girl genius who works at a scrap yard—is unconventional and incredibly sympathetic; I rooted for her from the start. The intersection of magic, elves, parallel worlds, the setting of the disrupted, and dying on the vine rust-belt city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (my hometown—yay!) is exceptionally well done. This story is original from start to finish. Spencer's writing is crisp, engaging, and there’s no filler. Every word in this book moves the story forward. If you like fantasy, read Tinker (and the entire Elfhome series). Don’t be put off by (in my humble opinion) the incredibly terrible cover.

My copy—a dog eared and read several times over paperback—has a much better one. The pages in between are what counts, and the story is amazing!

By Wen Spencer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Tinker as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Inventor, girl genius Tinker lives in a near-future Pittsburgh which now exists mostly in the land of the elves. She runs her salvage business, pays her taxes, and tries to keep the local ambient level of magic down with gadgets of her own design. When a


Book cover of Odium I: The Dead Saga

Baileigh Higgins Author Of Last Another Day

From my list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have long been a fan of zombie apocalypse scenarios. The first movie I watched was the classic Dawn of the Dead remake. Shocked and fascinated, I wanted more, devouring anything I could find on the topic. It wasn’t long before I stumbled across my first zombie apocalypse book, and I was hooked. It became an obsession for a while, and I spent my free time reading one zombie book after another. Finally, I reached a point where I wanted to write my own story and version of the apocalypse, and I did. Fast-forward several years, and I’m now a full-time author with numerous completed series, most of them zombie. 

Baileigh's book list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines

Baileigh Higgins Why did Baileigh love this book?

This one was one of the first Zombie Apocalypse books I read, and it still sticks with me to this day. The main character, Nina, is both realistic and relatable. She can be hard to like at times, hiding her inner self behind a wall of snark and attitude. There were moments when I wanted to wring her neck, but she always won me over again with her bravery and selflessness.

A thrill ride from beginning to end, this remains one of my favorites, and I eagerly devour each new book in the series as they’re released. 

By Claire C. Riley, Amy Jackson (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Odium I as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From USA Today Bestselling Author Claire C. Riley comes the first book in the intense post-apocalyptic series, ODIUM. Bringing life, love & survival together for one thrilling read. ODIUM I The Dead Saga.

The infection came.
Humanity fell.
And the world everyone knew ended.

But one woman’s unwavering determination to live, against all the odds, might just be the only thing to survive this bleak new existence.

When the fate of a young girl hangs in the balance, Nina sacrifices herself and leaves the barricaded city she’s living in. Despite this act of selflessness, Nina isn’t the same woman she…


If you love Camille Picott...

Ad

Book cover of Draakensky: A Supernatural Tale of Magick and Romance

Draakensky By Paula Cappa,

A murder. A wind sorcerer. A dark spirit.

On Draakensky Windmill Estate, magick and mystery rule. Sketch artist Charlotte Knight is hired to live on the estate while illustrating poetry under the direction of the reclusive spinster, and wind witch, Jaa Morland—who believes in ghosts. Charlotte quickly encounters the voice…

Book cover of Nurse Alissa vs. the Zombies

Baileigh Higgins Author Of Last Another Day

From my list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have long been a fan of zombie apocalypse scenarios. The first movie I watched was the classic Dawn of the Dead remake. Shocked and fascinated, I wanted more, devouring anything I could find on the topic. It wasn’t long before I stumbled across my first zombie apocalypse book, and I was hooked. It became an obsession for a while, and I spent my free time reading one zombie book after another. Finally, I reached a point where I wanted to write my own story and version of the apocalypse, and I did. Fast-forward several years, and I’m now a full-time author with numerous completed series, most of them zombie. 

Baileigh's book list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines

Baileigh Higgins Why did Baileigh love this book?

I absolutely loved this book from the start. Alissa was such a force of nature that I couldn’t help but read in awe as she maneuvered through her former workspace, a hospital filled with the undead.

Faced with colleagues and friends turned into monsters, she refused to give up or sink into despair. Instead, she fought for survival and tried to save others. Filled with gore, this is a high-octane tale of death and danger that might leave you with a phobia for hospitals. Nosocomephobia. 

By Scott M. Baker,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Nurse Alissa vs. the Zombies as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

One day can change a person’s life forever.Alissa anticipated a normal shift at Mass General Hospital until the zombie outbreak spread through Boston like wildfire. When patients and staff in the ER begin to die, reanimate, and attack the living, Alissa must fight her way to safety to avoid becoming one of the ravenous hordes. To survive, Alissa must develop instincts and skills she did not realize she had and overcome fears no human were meant to face. Escaping the hospital will be tough enough, but can Alissa survive the nightmare gripping Boston and make it out of the city…


Book cover of Green Fields: Incubation

Baileigh Higgins Author Of Last Another Day

From my list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have long been a fan of zombie apocalypse scenarios. The first movie I watched was the classic Dawn of the Dead remake. Shocked and fascinated, I wanted more, devouring anything I could find on the topic. It wasn’t long before I stumbled across my first zombie apocalypse book, and I was hooked. It became an obsession for a while, and I spent my free time reading one zombie book after another. Finally, I reached a point where I wanted to write my own story and version of the apocalypse, and I did. Fast-forward several years, and I’m now a full-time author with numerous completed series, most of them zombie. 

Baileigh's book list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines

Baileigh Higgins Why did Baileigh love this book?

This is one of those books that starts off slow and gradually pulls you into its embrace until you’re hooked. As an adrenalin junkie, I was uncertain at first. Could this story keep me entertained until the action kicked off? The answer is yes.

Not only did I grow to like and admire the main protagonist, Brianna, but I soon became engrossed in her adventures. She’s smart. Almost too smart. A nerd with little practical knowledge or expertise of the real world and its dangers, especially when the apocalypse kicks off. Her odds of survival are on par with my own. Not good. And that’s what makes her so relatable. That and her sense of humor.

Imagine my delight when I found out this was only the first book in a very long series. Time to dust off the lazy boy and prepare for an epic binge-read!

By Adrienne Lecter,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Green Fields as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

If the zombie apocalypse happens tomorrow—how would you spend your last day?

All Dr. Brianna Lewis wants is a cup of coffee.

Coffee, to make slaving away in her cell culture lab at Green Fields Biotech a little more bearable on a Friday afternoon when everyone is home already.

What she doesn’t count on is a group of terrorists blowing up all the entrances to the building and taking her and a select few others hostage. Bree soon finds herself conflicted. Not only does she know their charismatic leader. She also starts to suspect that there is a lot more…


Book cover of Love in an Undead Age

Taylor Ellwood Author Of The Zombie Apocalypse Call Center

From my list on if you want to survive a zombie apocalypse.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love zombie apocalypse fiction and movies and games. There’s something fascinating about survival and post-apocalyptic fiction, where you see the real character and desire of humanity to survive no matter what. I also like the morbid humor that shows up. I started writing the zombie apocalypse call center series as a way to poke fun at my customer support center experiences and mix it in with my own fascination with zombie apocalypses.

Taylor's book list on if you want to survive a zombie apocalypse

Taylor Ellwood Why did Taylor love this book?

Miranda Tucci is looking for love during a zombie apocalypse but finding love is hard when the majority of available partners are either zombies or psychopaths.

On top of that Miranda has a lead on a cure for the virus, but the government is trying to control it. Can she get the cure and save civilization?

I enjoyed the character development, especially around trying to find love and surviving the zombie apocalypse.

By A.M. Geever,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Love in an Undead Age as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Surviving the zombie apocalypse was hard…

...but finding true love might be fatal.

Urban farmer Miranda Tucci is lucky to be alive in what's left of California's Silicon Valley, despite a love life that's dead on arrival. Then an old flame turns up and she wonders…

...does her DOA love life have a pulse?

Or will the ghosts of her past collide with the present?

A ruthless governing council controls the cure for the zombie virus. If Miranda joins a plot to steal it, will the vaccine be used for political advantage, or can she survive long enough to usher…


If you love Undead Ultra...

Ad

Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor By FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan. The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced, it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run the…

Book cover of Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse: First Aid Kit Building and Mini Med School for Preppers

Steven J. Kirsh Author Of Parenting in the Zombie Apocalypse: The Psychology of Raising Children in a Time of Horror

From my list on surviving a zombie apocalypse.

Why am I passionate about this?

Like many of my generation, my formal introduction to the zombie genre started with George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead. Stories of the zombie apocalypse, and the arterial sprays, dismemberments, and eviscerations that accompanied it, have fascinated me ever since. But, I'm also a psychology professor. Although I was initially captivated by the carnage of the undead, I quickly found that the mindsets of the survivors were equally fascinating. More than anything, I love seeing how fictional worlds represent real-world psychological concepts.

Steven's book list on surviving a zombie apocalypse

Steven J. Kirsh Why did Steven love this book?

When the dead roam, this book will function as a med-school, first responder, and training physician all rolled into one. That's a good thing, for medical professionals will be at ground zero for the zombie apocalypse. And most won't survive the first few days of the dead, as preserving life will seem more paramount than preserving death. And by the time staff figure out that both are equally important, it will be too late. Nevertheless, those who survive the apocalypse's initial stages will eventually need medical care. Even a minor wound could prove deadly if poorly cleaned. I found the information and practical advice in the book fascinating and potentially helpful under dire circumstances.

By Ryan Chamberlin,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THIS IS YOUR BOOK OF SECRETS The one ensuring your survival! If you've been afraid of what's coming, rest easy, those days are over! By cutting the extra and expanding the essential, we've combined the most important sections from our Survival Medicine series, The Prepper Pages, & created this Mini Med School - just for preppers. An apocalypse is inevitable, because the term "Zombie Apocalypse" is a metaphor for expecting the unexpected. By covering hundreds of conditions known to occur frequently in disasters, this book is going to leave you confident with the way you'll react in medical emergencies. It's…


Book cover of The First Days
Book cover of The Library at Mount Char
Book cover of Tapping the Dream Tree

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,588

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in the zombie apocalypse, zombies, and long-distance running?

Zombies 139 books