OK, so Lord Voldemort has taken over the world, or The Change is underway, or the zombies really are treating humanity as that jubilee buffet – and you are stuck in some underground safe haven until the worst of it can pass by. You took advantage of the opportunity to ransack a library before being sealed in the belly of a mountain, what were the 10 books you managed to grab?

For myself, I am going to say that I have a rational grip on reality and I know that power supplies are going to be very limited in this rock warren, so I grabbed paper books.

Herodotus – Pretty heavy, but should keep me entertained for years, as he did lots of traveling on foot in the ancient world and wrote it all down.

Jacqueline Carey – Kushiel’s Dart – I love this book. In fact, my current copy is falling apart form having been read too often.

N. K. Jemisin – Any book from her first trilogy as they stand alone and each is fascinating.

Ken Follett – The Pillars of the Earth – A great historical fiction set in England, centered around building a cathedral.

Neal Stephenson – Cryptonomicon – Another thick historical fiction book, and one I could read multiple times before getting everything out of it.

Brandon Sanderson – The Way of Kings – So far my favorite book by him and the first I ever read.

Professional Gunsmithing – Just in case I want to repair some weapons or learn the basics of making ammunition, ya know, in case we get the chance to reclaim the Earth’ surface.

Neil Gaiman – American Gods – We could make a play based on this book and keep kids and adults entertained for a long time.

National Geographic Complete Survival Manual – Seems too practical to pass by and there are pictures, so even I would understand some of it.

Terry Pratchett – Wee Free Men – This is the first book in the Tiffany Aching series, which takes place in Discworld, and it still makes me laugh so hard I cry and nearly piss myself.

OMG, I can’t believe I forgot to pack my other favorites! Why did I hesitate over trilogies and prequels! I should have just grabbed one of each – Patrick Rothfuss, Karin Lowachee, Guy Gavriel Kay, Alan Dean Foster, Walter Jon Williams, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Mary Renault, and so many more.

So what would you grab and maybe we can share?