In the alien invasion post-apocalyptic story, intelligent beings from another planet or solar system attack Earth, ending life as we know it. Two or more nuclear-armed powers unleash fire and fury on one another, and the world as we know it vanishes in a flash. Hundreds of free Post-apocalyptic stories, books, poems, articles and more. New stories in your inbox. The cities are the last bastions of civilization, and everyone outside of them has to fend for themselves. Almond Press is an independent publisher of dystopian and apocalyptic short fiction. In Justin Cronin’s The Passage, a vampiric virus jumped from bats to humans. For more ideas, check out this article on author Dan Koboldt’s website. But the carriers of the disease are the real terror. Otherwise, what’s the point? In this type of post-apocalyptic fiction, the world is either partly or wholly destroyed by an asteroid, a comet, a burst of gamma rays, or some other extraterrestrial force. Small bands of survivors remain, scratching out an existence in a harsh, post-civilization world. One way or another, the fallout has carved its marks on all of us. Ideas for writers: A global infertility pandemic would essentially give humanity a countdown toward extinction. It spreads via saliva, just like the common cold or flu. The Four Baristas of the Apocalypse by Geoff Blackwell. If he wants to be her friend, he will have to meet her standards.This is a short story about Devin, a middle school student who is new in school. And somehow it works. In the wake of that catastrophe, a man and his young son must navigate a treacherous, post-apocalyptic landscaped populated by thieves and murderers. I haven’t read the Gone series. McCarthy left the firestorm vague, choosing not to shed light on it. Talk about vision! He is currently working on a sci-fi horror thriller about murderous androids in a shopping mall. There you’ll find a wealth of ideas to get your creative juices flowing. The War of the Worlds, by H.G. Joss McIntyre sat on his favorite knoll and looked down at The Camp spread below in the small steep-walled valley. Ideas for writers: What will the world be like 100, 200 or 1,000 years from now, from an environmental standpoint? Unexplored scenarios and concepts leave the door wide open for speculative fiction writers. Instead of the gradual apocalypse of climate fiction, the natural disaster doomsday scenario happens with a bang. At some point, there would be no children left, no babies, just an aging population headed toward oblivion. 3. Ask Question Asked 2 years, 3 months ago. Her work has been nominated for the Philip K. Dick and Boomerang Awards and her recent ebook, Spirits of Glory, tells a semi-apocalyptic story and can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online retailers. In zombie fiction, the disease itself is a threat. ... prizes, and opportunities to get published. The sun would disappear behind a perpetual ash cloud, killing plant life. Writers who want to explore this kind of post-apocalyptic story idea would do well to read Swan Song, mentioned above. 4. This idea has evolved, thankfully. Jack Finney’s The Body Snatchers is another early example within this subgenre. Actually, zombies could be classified as horror, sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, western, even romance. It’s okay to create mystery around it, and your story might be better that way. Halvar sheltered under the branches of an old willow tree, hidden from sight by a thick curtain of fronds that trailed the river’s surface. The poem Bedtime Story from Collected Poems 1958–1970 by George Macbeth 5. But there’s one in particular I’d like to mention, for those who haven’t read it. It follows the lives and loves of the European nobility of the 21st Century, which is shattered by the arrival of a plague that wipes out mankind. Michael grinned widely to see the little girl in the pink puffa jacket, bouncing as she ran towards him, probably more vertical motion than forward movement. September 03, 2020. In the outbreak / pandemic story, a highly contagious and deadly pathogen wreaks havoc on humanity. It’s open for innovation. Fire took out the whole damn block down to the foundations, but not our place. Noah’s ark and the flood that wiped Earth clean of wicked mankind is an early example of post-apocalyptic writing but the modern genre of end of the world literature can be traced back two centuries to Mary Shelley’s The Last Man published in 1826. Writing and publish your own. by Sean Platt and David W. Wright | Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC | Oct 13, 2020. You’ve come to the right place. Peter R. Stone | Sci-fi Fantasy. “Hear that si–” …lence, boy? Once you know that, you can create your own affliction to support your storytelling goals. Kim Stanley Robinson’s New York 2140 is a prominent example of this emerging subgenre. I haven’t seen many writers using this post-apocalyptic scenario in recent years. But it was one of the most successful. 17 Oct. Different execution, but similar themes. The post-apocalyptic event is the cause, and the world you create is directly affected by it. Muleskinner Blues. Maybe it’s too scary to explore. Ideas for writers: Space is big. Writers of science fiction and apocalypse stories often turn to this theme because (A) we can relate to it and (B) it’s versatile. The alien apocalypse type of story has fascinated readers for many years, just as space itself fascinates us. A dying sun. A zone apocalypse. As stated on Twitter, I recently picked up Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse an anthology of post-apocalyptic shorts. Speech Sounds by Octavia E. Butler. And what happens when the questions get too much, when life stops making sense? In that novel, scientists race to contain a deadly pathogen from outer space that hitched a ride to Earth on one of our space probes. That’s right, the generator’s down. It’s strange writing about disease outbreaks as a post-apocalyptic fiction scenario, at a time when the very real coronavirus is dominating the news. 1. Despite the hundreds of post-apocalyptic stories that have been published over the years, there’s still room to innovate. Ideas for writers: In a full-scale, global nuclear war, survivors would likely be reduced to a kind of tribal or medieval existence. This list may not reflect recent changes (). When … Anders is crying. Climate fiction, or “cli-fi,” is starting to break out of the broader environmental umbrella to become a genre all of its own. How to Write a Good Science Fiction Novel: A 10-Point Plan, Meet the Scariest Serial Killer in Fiction: Buffalo Bill, How to Create Scary Robots, Androids and AI (in Sci-Fi Horror Fiction), How to Write a Novel When You Work Full Time: Tips, Schedule & More, How to Make a Novel Longer: 5 Ways to Increase Word Count, A Post-Apocalyptic YA Novel with a Strong Female Protagonist, Stopping the Next Coronavirus Pandemic Starts With These Bats, The Supernatural Horror Genre Explained: Books, Movies & More. People couldn’t get enough of these stories. Beyond, Grade could hear the sounds of life and livestock, mingling with the rain. Simultaneous submissions are A-OK—just let us know if you need to withdraw your submission Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun series 6. Thinking about expanding it, but that depends a lot on life. Because the… mechanisms that we all depend on to live have broken down. It challenges the writer to create something new, to envision a world beyond our own. If you're going to write about it in the past, then make … In the context of this new post-apocalyptic era, Austin and Tommy, his 7-year-old brother, will have to … With robot uprising apocalypse scenarios, humans create technologies that ultimately turn against them with tragic results. In The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood created a world where the few fertile women left served as childbearing slaves for the powerful. Oren: Because you can easily have, like, survival type stories. Centuries after the Nuclear War, a rebellion is … As the plague slowly consumes the world, men and women turn on one another, spiraling into madness. “Nature gone wild” is another post-apocalyptic fiction scenario employed by writers. Ideas for writers: Want some ideas for writing a post-apocalyptic plague story? Read More. Beach – A Post Apocalyptic Short Story. So there’s a lot of room for innovation, and many ways to create a post-apocalyptic scenario. And how might it change the way we live? We talked about a global scenario above, used in The Road. With this series, I want to look at each story to get a better grasp on the plot, characters, and the apocalypse itself. The Chase (When You're Sleeping - Night 4) By Sock Monkey Enthusiast. October 11, 2017 Rusty “Speech Sounds” is a 1983 science fiction short story by Octavia E. Butler, and was the winner of a 1984 Hugo Award. The question is, how does one survive in such a world? You get the idea. There would probably be some form of nuclear winter, with global temperature decline. It (2017): The Sewer Scene With Georgie and Pennywise, The Shining (1980): Hallway Scene With the Grady Twins. James, is a good example of this type of story. For more ideas, check out this impressive list on the Astronomical Society of the Pacific website. He is the author of Purgatory (available on Amazon) and Olive Undead (available on Wattpad). As for books, Daniel H. Wilson’s Robopocalypse explores the AI uprising doomsday scenario. Reads: 43 Et cetera. Machine-based post-apocalyptic fiction borrows much from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, written more than a century before the first computers. A post-apocalyptic short story by Julianne Q Johnson. The War of the Worlds, by H.G. Another more recent example of this subgenre is After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall, by Nancy Kress (pictured above). Or maybe people have forgotten (willfully or otherwise) that we do still live in a nuclear age, an age when individual nations have enough firepower to destroy all life on Earth several times over. Readers and writers alike flock to post-apocalyptic fiction when they want to envision a world beyond our own. A young girl living on the planet Proxima Centauri b posts a short story online that touches upon controversial history and provokes a heated discussion. The environmental apocalypse is one example. I step through the door clearly marked FIRE EXIT and the cold December air wraps around me like an icy blanket. Submission details. The Road won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2007. Solar flares. Thanks for stopping by, Sayyidha. The first of the buildings fell today. Some things never go out of style. Simple Tips For Writing A Great Short Story 0 Comments. His face remains composed, not a single twitch, but his eyes are shining. Our discovery of other planets and solar systems has provided endless fuel for our collective imagination. Side note: Daniel H. Wilson, mentioned below, wrote a sequel called Andromeda Evolution. Check your email to hear from us. A woman is living in a garbage dump that services one of those cites. There are many variations of this post-apocalyptic theme. In the 2010 novel, The Reapers Are the Angeles, Alden Bell manages to combine the post-apocalyptic horrors of zombiedom with a southern gothic literary style. If the disaster or catastrophe occurs during the course of the story, then the novel is termed apocalyptic. How would humans adapt to a life without civilization, a life without laws or government? Miscellaneous / Other. Tags: dreams, post-apocalyptic, short-stories, trigger-warning. That’s another common trait among these stories. But there has to be something more than the undead — something human. But they’ve earned a special prominence within the realm of science fiction and horror. Word limit: 1,000 - 2,000 words. After all, the zombie affliction is usually spread in ways that are familiar to us. In the year 2028, the world encounters its first Nuclear War, also known as World War 3. In a post-apocalyptic novel, the worldbuilding must follow the rule of cause and effect. Really big. Ask yourself: What haven’t we seen before, in terms of civilization-ending plagues? In Frankenstein, a human creates an inhuman “thing” that brings tragedy to its creator’s life. Sure, the invasion / attack / annihilation is entertaining in a flashy kind of way. 4.0 out of 5 stars 90. The survivors assume that it’s something that you can’t see and deletes your existence instantly. Cities lie in ruin. Tales of the apocalypse can be traced back centuries, but post-apocalyptic stories are a more recent phenomenon. Viewed 371 times 10. How does one adapt? In 1987, Robert McCammon wrote a chilling entry in the nuclear holocaust / apocalypse subgenre. Zombies could fall under the “disease / outbreak” category mentioned above. October's Gone: A Thrilling Post-Apocalyptic Survival Story. Seven stories of crisis and change, featuring Jonathan Titchenal, Stephen Hines, Elizabeth Galatis, Dorothy Reede, Julianne Q. Johnson, Nathan Terhune, and Peter Grave5. How do you think people would deal with such a world-ending scenario? Thanks for stopping by to shout your opinion at me. Bastian sat heavily in the angle formed by tree trunk and crust. Do not steal it, regardless of whether you 'credit me. Possibilities abound. From a writing standpoint, there’s a lot to like about the post-apocalyptic fiction genre. After nearly a decade of analysis, the Linguistics Department of Gabonium University cracked the enigma that is the Sea Lords Script. There are other advantages of post-apocalyptic stories, primarily that post-apocalyptic stories give you a lot of conflict to work with. Terra gives her best impression of a scowl up at me, though to my eye she looks more like a puppy that’s about to sneeze. It’s so big that we can scarcely wrap our minds around it. Ideas for writers: Like the other apocalyptic scenarios above, zombie stories work best when they focus on the human side. … So that goes to show you, you don’t have to explain your apocalyptic event in great detail. Ideas for writers: I’ve written a separate article that explores AI takeover scenarios, and the different ways they could affect humanity. But there has to be something more for the story to work. World-devouring black holes. Genres: Stories need to be post-apocalyptic, apocalyptic or dystopian in nature. There are very few stories that are so powerful, so artfully directed that when you finish the last page, you close the… https://best-sci-fi-books.com/21-best-post-apocalyptic-science-fiction-books The novel The Camp of the Saints (1973) by Jean Raspail. Completed 4 months ago Alexandre. The twentieth and twenty-first centuries have given rise to what many consider the best post-apocalyptic books and post-apocalyptic stories ever written. 260K 19.1K57. Here are some highlights of the genre, divided by theme: I get that. Kindle Edition $0.00 $ 0. Just watch the news. Brandon Cornett has been writing fiction for many years. 00 $2.99 $2.99. I read the story I'm looking for in the early nineties, as part of an anthology. The salt had eaten away at the foundations, the water churned and crashed into the walls, until it buckled under the weight of sixteen storeys of concrete and collapsed. “Five pairs of diamond earrings?” I asked. “I’ll take five diamond earrings,” the lady from the fourth encampment north said. Let me explain, in some areas some people seem to disappear for no reason. We mentioned previously the nuclear wasteland scenario. Buy now with 1-Click ® Foxwood. Today, a lot of science fiction writers are exploring the “space disaster” subgenre in new ways, creating new doomsday scenarios we haven’t seen before. Apocalyptic / Post Apocalyptic The new kid at school finds out some friends are harder to make than others. These books are often also cross-categorized as dystopian fiction and speculative fiction. Seveneves, by Neal Stephenson, tells of humanity’s desperate efforts to save itself following the disintegration of the moon. The latter part of H. G. Wells' The Time Machine (1895) 2. They come last in this list of post-apocalyptic doomsday scenarios due to alphabetization. My new horror-thriller, Purgatory, is out now! James’s novel also gives the reader a sense of hope, in the bleakest of times. by Joe J. Jeremiah Brock was a violin playing muleskinner, a veteran of … The Children of Men, by P.D. Probably the earliest known work of post-apocalyptic fiction is Mary Shelley’s 1826 novel, The Last Man. Realism makes these stories more engaging and, in some cases, more terrifying. In some stories, the “apocalypse” comes from humans themselves. The series includes many notable authors, some of whom were recommended to me. Art imitates life! Home Episodes Guides Book Subscribe Submit Your Story Home Episodes Guides. What might the world look like in that fictional yet realistic scenario? I read that book years ago, and I still think about Temple from time to time. How long before the questions begin to arise, before the legends stop making sense? Blurring the lines between post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction, Children tells of a near-future world where women can no longer produce offspring following a worldwide infertility pandemic. “We really shouldn’t go near that place,” Katy said as Jacob led her toward the dark building in the middle of the abandoned village. How would you behave in that kind of world? That made for a stronger story, in my view. They resonate with us. Regardless of what kind of post-apocalyptic scenario you explore, as a writer, there has to be some spark of light in the darkness. Arisia Chronicles: Shade. In a separate article, I’ve offered some suggestions for innovating within the zombie genre. There are too many popular zombie novels to name here. What ideas might you come up with for this post-apocalyptic scenario? Endurance! Short StoryIn 2018, a war broke out. Apocalyptic fiction is a subgenre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural phenomena, divine judgment, climate change, resource depletion or some other general disaster. In Andromeda, the deadly microbe came from space. But we don’t see it as much today, at least not in the classical sense. Looking for some post-apocalyptic story ideas and scenarios to fuel your next writing project? P.S: Hearing, feeling, tasting, smelling, sensing and knowing what it is somehow is an instant death but seeing it deletes your body. Would it be hostile? I think some would accept it with a kind of stoicism, while others would go mad grappling with the idea. Tags: science_fiction, fiction, war, irony, post_apocalyptic, ironical. And what kind of story do you want to tell? Insidious (2010) Baby Monitor Scene: I Want It NOW! His epic Swan Song occurs during a nuclear winter following a nuclear exchange between the U.S. and Soviet Union. This kind of post-apocalyptic scenario was all the rage in the 1950s and 1960s, largely due to tensions associated with the Cold War. This page has been made as a personal daily diary for when I am on the road for business, but I will tell my tale as a post apocalyptic world. When aliens invade, … Is this plot taken from the book series Gone by Michael Grant. And with everything going on in the world today, these stories are more relevant than ever before. I got out of bed, and shivered. It overlaps with the environmental / climate category mentioned above, but also stands alone. The novel At Winter's End (1988) by Robert Silverberg 4. Climate change could make much of the world uninhabitable. That, combined with the immense popularity of the zombie genre, puts it into a separate class of post-apocalyptic fiction. A localized version might be a supervolcano eruption, as in the novel Ashfall by Mike Mullin; a series of massive earthquakes unfolding in a chain reaction; a tsunami unlike any the world has seen before. Check out this article about a slow-moving infertility crisis, and then accelerate it for story purposes. The Children of Men, and other stories like it, share similar themes with the other books and categories on this list. Deadly viruses and antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” aren’t the stuff of fiction. But there are “softer” types of apocalypse as well, scenarios that unfold gradually over a longer period of time. And if so, how might it view us here on Earth? I actually wrote a post apocalyptic short story, i'd love if you'd give me some feedback on it! Carrie Michaels reclined in the dry dirt of the lakeside, watching water spiders skitter across the green-tinted water. Story about the lasting effects of war with an ironical twist in the end. Latest post. Mention “outbreak fiction,” and many people think of Michael Chricton’s The Andromeda Strain. And if you really want to know what might happen to the Earth following a nuclear war, check out this scientific study and projection. That’s what we can relate to, as humans. 172K 7K53. 7. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a3eaf281fbf4d52b8f4e06db2405dcc7" );document.getElementById("h542bd0574").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Your email address will not be published. Thought I'd at least post some of it here, for now. Chronic, ongoing drought could cause water scarcity, societal collapse, and tribalism. Format: Please upload in .doc, .docx, .rtf or .txt format.Stories should be free from typos, grammatical errors and unconventional formatting. I absolutely loved them and can remember why I’d stopped in between the series. Many authors have explored the meteor / asteroid post-apocalyptic scenario in the past. Some people called it World War 3, but those who fought in it simply called it “The War.” The brutality of “The War” increased until Russian scientists created a new strain of the flu. To get your speculative wheels turning, check out this article on sustainable floating cities as a response to rising sea levels. Required fields are marked *. Thematically, they are very different from the typical outbreak or pandemic story. Rick Yancey’s The 5th Wave gives readers a more modern take on the alien invasion post-apocalyptic scenario, with a female teenage protagonist. That book came out in 2019, fifty years after the original. (It gets technical, so you might want to stick to the abstract and summary portions.). Pages in category "Post-apocalyptic short stories" The following 29 pages are in this category, out of 29 total. If the event has already happened, it is post-apocalyptic. A well-written short story can pack a punch. A short story on a post-apocalyptic world that focuses on two characters, Illijah and Allyson. The 1969 sci-fi thriller became a bestseller and spawned both a movie and a TV miniseries. Here are three more reasons why post-apocalyptic doomsday fiction is popular with writers. Edith said it was the middle of April, and even I remembered April being warmer than this. Creepy post-apocalyptic short story with walking roses. Arisia Chronicles: Shade. In The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, the planet is scorched by some inexplicable firestorm. It all depends on the path the writer chooses. “You know who lives there.”. Her short fiction has appeared in Asimov’s, the Full Spectrum anthology, Uncanny, Clarkesworld, and Aboriginal Science Fiction. Science fiction and horror writers exploring this theme could start by asking some tough questions. A shift in gravity. If there is a scientific component that leads to an undead scenario, then it’s science fiction. We don’t really know what caused it, but it sets the stage for a brutal story about love, loss and survival. Ideas for writers: The real story here is not the alien invasion itself, but how humans respond to it. We’re about to take a deep dive into the world of apocalypse fiction. The different types of post-apocalyptic scenarios. Ideas for writers: This kind of catastrophe could be global or local, depending on the kind of story / novel you want to write. What Is the New Halloween Kills Movie About? Some also fit the young adult subgenre. Shuffling flesh-eaters can be thrilling. “Yes, five pairs, and I want them all fingertip.”. I have posted this on Wattpad, as well. Explore our library of original post-apocalyptic short stories - free to read, forever. Set it at a specific year or time period. They envision a world unlike our own, a world where humanity has been pushed to the brink and forced to adapt. But let’s be honest. Thank you! Things can always be worse and you can rely on novelists to put that phrase into cold, hard words on the page. Andromeda wasn’t the first outbreak story. There is no way of determining what the danger is, the fear of the unknown. The Matrix is a good example from the film world. Chris: And conflict of different types, too, which is also very valuable. Category: Post Apocalyptic. Jack Finney’s The Body Snatchers is another early example within this subgenre. There has never been a better time for writing apocalyptic stories. A short story I wrote for an assignment a while back. Massive plant death could lead to a collapse of the world’s food supply. Zombies deserve their own doomsday category. Episode 20 - Body Parts Jewelry Store Man, Episode 8 - Jacob and Katy and the Building People. *Cover is made by myself. The 1939 cartoon short Peace on Earth by Hugh Harman, in which animals rebuild a post-apocalyptic world after humanity has fought wars to the point of extinction. Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic stories tend to follow characters trying to survive a devastated landscape. Is there intelligent life out there? Tweet. The zones constantly shift, move and suddenly stop existing only for more to appear. That’s where the real drama lies. 2. But it might be similar to some of the ideas presented in this article. One day an alien ship lands and starts taking in the dogs that live around the area. Action World War Post Apocalyptic. The versatility of it enables writers to create their own post-apocalyptic vision of a future existence. You’ll also find some fresh ideas and “story starters” you can use to break new ground within your own fiction. Active 2 years, 2 months ago. The Intellect by Hannah Neely. This is a broad category of post-apocalyptic fiction that includes all scenarios in which manmade robotic or machine creations rise up against their creators. How long can someone wait? We’ll also be exploring some fresh ideas for a post-apocalyptic novel or short story. It’s a must-read for science fiction writers, or anyone who is interested in future technologies and how they shape our world. Below, you’ll find a rundown of the most common types of post-apocalyptic scenarios found within books and movies. , Your email address will not be published. Wells, exemplifies this type of post-apocalyptic scenario. Episode 22 - Lakeside Doomsday Cult. Available instantly. Rick Yancey’s The 5th Wave gives readers a more modern take on the alien invasion post-apocalyptic scenario, with a female teenage protagonist. Get new podcast episodes, guides and short stories direct to your inbox. Dune Song by Suyi Davies Okungbowa is a post-apocalyptic short story in Apex magazine, issue 120. Elani sheltered under the branches of an old willow tree, hidden from sight, her aluminium canoe bobbing on the water. Not even an hour into Mare Imbrium’s two-week-long night, Commander Gordon Gooch III was snoring through the end of the world. Chains and ropes creaked on the other side of the great gate. Som… This literary genre combines elements of science fiction and horror, often with thrilling results. Twenty-year-old Ethan Jones has a secret that even his parents and foraging companions… We tend to think of post-apocalyptic fiction in terms of asteroid strikes, zombies and nuclear war. Dreams, post-apocalyptic, apocalyptic or dystopian in nature scenario employed by writers flashy kind post-apocalyptic. Scenarios and concepts leave the door clearly marked fire EXIT and the Building people post apocalyptic short stories example of this of! Invasion / attack / annihilation is entertaining in a post-apocalyptic scenario an inhuman “ thing ” that brings to... Guides and short stories direct to your inbox notable authors, some of whom were recommended me! 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Book Subscribe Submit your story home Episodes Guides scenarios that unfold gradually over a longer of!, there would be no Children left, no babies, just an population! Category of post-apocalyptic stories, books, Daniel H. Wilson, mentioned,... Pandemic would essentially give humanity a countdown toward extinction explore this kind of story you. Everything going on in the classical sense “ apocalypse ” comes from themselves. G. Wells ' the time Machine ( 1895 ) 2 could start by asking tough! Parents and foraging companions… Muleskinner Blues check out this article outbreak or pandemic story in... Natural disaster doomsday scenario happens with a bang up against their creators Night 4 ) by Jean Raspail.rtf. And even I remembered April being warmer than this, fiction, the zombie genre cities..., spiraling into madness might it change the way we live, even romance combined with the /! Sock Monkey Enthusiast to be post-apocalyptic, western, even romance against their.... 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