4 Oh No, Zombies!

Many of our cherished works of science fiction posit that one day—perhaps very soon—a sudden, global-scale disaster could disrupt the industrial backbone of the civilized world, unraveling the fabric of society and leaving scattered bands of survivors who have to fend for themselves in the smoldering ruins of our cities and towns.

Such literary themes are far older than one might expect; of course, apocalyptic predictions play a central role in many ancient religious texts, but they have a surprisingly rich history in decidedly less metaphysical contexts too. The satirical Greek novel A True Story, penned by Lucian of Samosata ...

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