Started re-reading Patriots: surviving the coming collapse by J. W. Rawles. The first time through I had a hard time putting it down. It is not the best literary work I've read, but it is good. The story doesn't flow that smoothly and the characters could be developed a bit more. But it is very believable. Not sure about the ending though, but who knows. Still lots of great info in the book. I highly recommend it.

I'd love to read Unintended Consequences but I just can't read it on the computer. Makes my eyes bleed. When I try to read it on my phone I get real tired of dragging the screen right and left so that doesn't work. I'd like to have a copy but have you seen what they want for it lately? HOLY CRAP!
I've read Patriots and Lights Out of course. Really liked both of those.
The last 2 weeks (vacation) I've read-
Apocalypse Law, John Grit (father and son story that kinda pulled at the heartstrings)
The Birth of the Peacekeepers, Ricky Sides (cheesy... but whatev.. it was a summer read, ya know?)
The Walk (quick read)
The Jakarta Pandemic, Steven Konkoly (actually still working on this one)
The Raggedy Edge (lots of flaws but entertaining)

I'm hooked on reading on my Kindle for iphone. Man... it's the only way to go! Dr's office, waiting on the kids, in bed, lunch? I ALWAYS have a book to read! It's excellent.

Just picked up Patriots and One Second After...

Having a very hard time putting Patriots down.... But just enough will power to post to ARFCOM

Reading Patriots at the moment, really enjoying it.

Don't know if its been mentioned already, I'm not going through 8 pages of reading lists, but I just finished the "American Apocalypse" series by Nova. Its pretty good, gets a little hokey toward the end of the second book, but its entertaining.

Not to mention the fact that the rest of the book reads more like a SHTF grocery list than an actual story.

I read this book four years ago and this SHTF shopping list was exactly what I needed at the time.
Now four yrs later, and having prepped for the same amount of time, I still use Patriots as a reference source.
Not only a good read but a very practical one for newbies.

Some very good and cheap kindle reads are the SHTF fiction by Jacqueline Druga. Its perhaps more chic-lit friendly. Less wooden characters. Fewer ex-green berets (although some, of course).

Also, while I mention it, whats up with SHTF fiction having a protagonist who is ex-special forces or military intelligence? Its ridiculous how many of these stories involve uber-soldiers or american ninjas. I think there is a weird niche for SHTF fiction a la Robinson Crusoe... something that focuses on survival in terms of food, not scavenging. Something that doesn't have its climax a battle between the ninja delta force agent and his motley friends versus the mutant zombies bikers. And while I'm feeling critical, its very odd to me that many stories start from a place of sincere adulation for the constitution and downright libertarian ideals... and up in a communitarian at best, dictatorial feudalism at worst (with aforementioned spec forces ninja drafted to be the president-for-life george washington of the survivors). Not of lot of democracy at the end of the world, I guess. Realistic, but it still seems odd.

Part of the appeal of the SHTF genre, if such a thing exists, is that its a return of the halcyon pioneer days. I dunno, our rural roots, fewer people and the challenge to be industrious. But the focus of stories is always on the shoot em up western.

Just finished 77 days in september. Really good read.

Been on a reading spree as of late, figured I'd add to this thread. Finished the following.

77 Days in September –– good read, just enough action to keep you going, much less than other books. Author does a good job of looking at what Joe Average would go through, compared to the former military/Tier 1 operators in a lot of other books, see below. Also, a good discussion of how a lot of what we know, or are used to, will be challenged and beliefs put to the test. The

Earth Abides - interesting premise, but I only made it about half way through. The book becomes a philosophical examination of everything from education to over population. I usually read after the kids go to bed and by this time of night, I really don't want to slog through philosophy 101 again.

Lucifer's Hammer - takes a while to set the stage, but a great read. Interesting take on what a community could do to survive and how people could quickly revert to previous fuedal forms of government, arranged marriages, etc.

One Second After - good take on an EMP. I liked Lights Out better, however. The hero here was retired military, which is crucial to the plot line. Another good examination of how a community will have to drastically change and revert back to previous forms of governing to survive.

Holding Their Own - overall a good book. Not as well written as some of the other books. The plot line goes from zero to TEOTWAWKI and leaves a lot out. The main character is high speed, low drag and manages to always come out on top and just happens to have the proper tool/weapon stored in the back of his truck - need a smoke grenade, it just happens to be hangin' on to his uber tactical vest.

I've previously read Alas Babylon, probably one of the best (a long w/ Lucifer's Hammer) written, Deep Winter, Cold Camp, and at the other end of the writing spectrum Rawle's book Patriots.

I have loaded in my kindle account the follow up to Holding Their Own and am currently reading New World: Chaos.

I just finished Mountain Man by Keith Blackmore.

Overall it was an enjoyable read and hard to put down. I finished it in roughly 4 hours on my kindle.
It is a Zombie book but they seem to be more of a side thing once the story really develops.
I liked it for many things but it touched on some of the topics we regularly discuss/dbate. Alcohol, depression, toilet paper, floss, etc.

I'm loading up Safari - Book Two

Check out Shawn Chesser's Surviving the zombie apocalypse series: Trudge, Soldier on, and In Harms way. Pretty good read IMO, the 4th in the series is due out this fall sometime.

I read it, long but good. I hear they are doing another, a prequel maybe?