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Corinna
3,331 books | 249 friends

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Chris Dietzel

Goodreads Author


Born
in The United States
Website

Twitter

Genre

Influences

Member Since
April 2013

URL


Chris graduated from Western Maryland College (McDaniel College). He currently lives in Florida. His dream is to write the same kind of stories that have inspired him over the years.

Sign up for his mailing list to receive updates on future projects and some neat freebies: http://chrisdietzel.com/mailing_list/

In his free time, Chris volunteers for a Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) program for feral cats. (If you would like more information on how best to care for abandoned and feral cats in your neighborhood, please check out the Alley Cat Allies website at: http://www.alleycat.org/)

Dietzel is a huge fan of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) and mixed martial arts (MMA). He trained in BJJ for ten years, earning the rank of brown belt, and went 2-0 in amate
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Popular Answered Questions

Chris Dietzel Thanks for the question!
5. Slaughterhouse-Five - Vonnegut's humor and cynicism are executed masterfully. I aim for the same blend of sci fi and litera…more
Thanks for the question!
5. Slaughterhouse-Five - Vonnegut's humor and cynicism are executed masterfully. I aim for the same blend of sci fi and literary in my writing.
4. The Catcher in the Rye - Love the casual voice and the feeling of the narrator against the world. I attempt to make my writing as accessible to readers.
3. Disgrace - Amazingly stripped down writing and a brutal story that is told so well you feel sick to your stomach. Coetzee taught me that a book doesn't have to be a certain length; it can be done when the story has been told.
2. The Road - I was blown away by McCarthy's vision of a bleak end for mankind. I love his 'less-is-more' approach to dialogue.
1. East of Eden - Just a perfect book in every way and my favorite book of all time. Steinbeck said it took all of his tools as a writer to produce this masterpiece and you can see that in the story. A great blend of morals, epic story-telling, and making the reader feel like they are learning about life as they read.(less)
Chris Dietzel Hi Tracey, thanks for the question, and thanks for recommending my book to others. Two things inspired the world of the Great De-evolution. The first …moreHi Tracey, thanks for the question, and thanks for recommending my book to others. Two things inspired the world of the Great De-evolution. The first was constantly being flooded with apocalyptic stories where the few survivors ended up fighting each other or zombies instead of just doing their best to survive. I wanted an end of mankind that was quiet and reflective. The second influence was seeing stories on the news a couple nights in a row on the increase of autism rates. It got me to thinking what would happen if the rate kept increasing until it was 100% of all children born. The two ideas came together and the Great De-evolution was born. (less)
Average rating: 3.73 · 4,830 ratings · 798 reviews · 25 distinct worksSimilar authors
The Man Who Watched the Wor...

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The Green Knight (Space Lor...

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A Different Alchemy (The Gr...

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The Hauntings of Playing Go...

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The Theta Prophecy

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The Last Teacher (The Great...

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The Last Astronaut

3.85 avg rating — 256 ratings — published 2017 — 5 editions
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The Theta Timeline

3.55 avg rating — 146 ratings — published 2014 — 4 editions
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The Theta Patient: A Time T...

3.68 avg rating — 81 ratings — published 2015 — 3 editions
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The Faulty Process of Elect...

3.69 avg rating — 72 ratings2 editions
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More books by Chris Dietzel…

Best Fiction I Read In 2025

My annual list of the best Fiction I read can be found here

Let me know what you think of the list. If you read any great books in 2025 and think I would like them definitely give me a shout.
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Published on December 30, 2025 07:25 Tags: best-of, boyne, charles-yu, coelho, coetzee, galchen, interior-chinatown, rooney
The Man Who Watched the Wor... A Different Alchemy The Hauntings of Playing God The Great De-evolution: The... The Last Teacher The Last Astronaut The Last Voter
(7 books)
by
3.64 avg rating — 2,742 ratings

The Green Knight The Excalibur The Round Table The Space Lore Boxed Set: S... Lancelot: The Sword in the Stone: Spa... Avalon
(8 books)
by
3.84 avg rating — 613 ratings

The Theta Timeline The Theta Prophecy The Theta Patient: A Time T...
(3 books)
by
3.67 avg rating — 589 ratings

Survivor Song
Chris Dietzel is currently reading
by Paul Tremblay (Goodreads Author)
bookshelves: currently-reading
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The Crazy Iris an...
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Chris’s Recent Updates

Chris Dietzel rated a book liked it
The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough
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I love disaster nonfiction and also loved McCullough's biography of John Adams, but I found this book to be largely disappointing, based against how much I should have liked it. The best disaster nonfiction turns the story's participants into living, ...more
Chris Dietzel rated a book really liked it
The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay
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This was the first story of Tremblay's that I've read, and after finishing it I'll definitely be reading anything else I can find by him. The psychological suspense in this story was perfectly executed, with Tremblay doing a great job of constantly g ...more
Chris Dietzel rated a book liked it
How to Write a Dynamite Scene Using the Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson
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Do you want to read a dynamite review?
I bet you do.
In fact, I know you do!
Are you ready then?

But in all seriousness, this book started started off rough and had me rolling my eyes A LOT, but it got much better as it went on. The later sections had so
...more
Chris Dietzel rated a book really liked it
Welcoming the Unwelcome by Pema Chödrön
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I liked Chodron's When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times more than this, but this was still good. She has a way of being very relatable and easy to understand, which is nice for novices such as myself. I'd recommend 'When Things Fal ...more
Chris Dietzel rated a book really liked it
What If? 2 by Robert Cowley
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I enjoyed this every bit as much as the first volume. I really liked that each essay spends about half of the time telling you what actually happened and then the second half explaining theoreticals as to what would have happened instead if the key h ...more
Chris Dietzel rated a book it was ok
Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart
Vera, or Faith
by Gary Shteyngart (Goodreads Author)
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This is the second of Shteyngart's novels that I've read and in both he does two things that make it really hard to enjoy the book:

1) He writes about wealthy people and their wealthy-people problems. Good characters should be sympathetic in some fash
...more
Chris Dietzel rated a book it was amazing
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
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I am shocked by how much I liked this book. Shocked because:

- It received a ton of hype, which usually makes it impossible for a book to live up to expectations. However, this is one of those rare books, like The Goldfinch, that manages to live up to
...more
Chris Dietzel rated a book liked it
Lock In by John Scalzi
Lock In (Lock In, #1)
by John Scalzi (Goodreads Author)
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Michael Crichton's earlier sci-fi was focused on the plausibility of advanced science and the danger of overreach. They were written as procedurals in which the story is just told, reliant on a great premise. In contrast, Crichton's later books were ...more
Chris Dietzel rated a book really liked it
A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne
A Ladder to the Sky
by John Boyne (Goodreads Author)
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This was great because everything Boyne writes is great. In particular, this book was a masterpiece of depicting a manipulative character. Maurice is at times manipulative through words and sometimes through actions, sometimes with incredible subtlet ...more
Chris Dietzel rated a book it was ok
Goliath by Tochi Onyebuchi
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This has an amazing dystopian premise, and the best parts of the book occur when Onyebuchi leans into that premise. The problem is that most of the book abandons the premise entirely to simply recount what life used to be like (during what is today's ...more
More of Chris's books…
Quotes by Chris Dietzel  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“Anything said is gone as soon as it leaves my lips. Things written down at least have a chance to leave a soft echo of what had been.”
Chris Dietzel, The Man Who Watched the World End

“Maybe that’s why I get frustrated sometimes, because there’s no one to blame for how our lives have turned out. I wouldn’t change any of the things I’ve done, but at the same time I wish things were different than they are. I have no regrets, but there’s also no satisfaction in where I am.”
Chris Dietzel, The Man Who Watched the World End

“Scared people don’t really mean what they say, they’re just looking for ways to rationalize everything so they have someone or something to blame. They need to have a reason for what’s happening because when they have that they can take comfort in knowing it’s out of their control.”
Chris Dietzel, The Man Who Watched the World End

Polls

[POLL NOW CLOSED]

RUNOFF POLL! Please vote for a book you'd like to read for a bonus mid-October book, written by a member of the Apocalypse Whenever group! This is poll #2, a runoff of the first poll. Happy voting!



Ain't No Grave by S.A. Softley
2015, 260 pages
Kindle $2.99 (on sale from Sept 20 to Oct 1 for 99¢), print $15.99

"A man is struck by an unknown illness high over northern Canada. The plane is forced to make an emergency landing in an isolated northern town. When he awakens, he finds himself naked and cold in an empty hospital. He soon discovers that the town is deserted and all its people missing. Alone in the unforgiving winter, he must struggle to survive and uncover the truth. Nothing can prepare him for what he finds."
 
  9 votes, 47.4%



Rocky Mountain Locust: Opus I, Trio by M.I. Lastman
2014, 323 pages
Kindle $6.78, print $17.86

Review: "The storyline is fast-paced, and thrilling, the commentary a sensitive and thoughtful discourse on 21st century life and times. Read it and weep.” Susan Koswan, KW Record. “This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. . . the story riveting and the characters believable, . . . it is also terrifyingly plausible, and maybe even inevitable. This is a MUST READ for every adult. . ."
 
  4 votes, 21.1%



The Hauntings of Playing God by Chris Dietzel
2014, 225 pages
$3.99 Kindle, paperback from $7.97

"Everyone is dead. All that remains is an old woman and a gymnasium full of unresponsive bodies. Each day, another storm approaches, threatening to destroy the building they call home. Each night, a series of nightmares leaves the woman screaming for help. Alone and overwhelmed, will the final member of the human race be thought of as a caretaker or as a monster?

A Great De-evolution Story."
 
  2 votes, 10.5%



The Last of the Ageless: A Post-Apocalyptic Adventure by Traci Loudin
2015, 410 pages
$4.99 Kindle, $14.99 print
CreateSpace has a $4 off coupon: SQ9T5GUG

No zombies, no romance, just an adventure through the apocalypse.

"After the end of the world, every survivor must choose who to become... Victim? Or villain?"
 
  2 votes, 10.5%




After the Storm by Don Chase
2012, 204 pages
99¢ Kindle, cheap used paperback

"After the Storm is a post apocalyptic novel set five years after a meteor wipes out 95% of the population. A group of survivors in Boston have to find ways to survive and contend with a reemerging government that wants to take back control after deserting them for years... Hilarity ensues."
 
  1 vote, 5.3%



Devastation Point -5 Years Post Viral Apocalypse by Paul Kirk
2014, 568 pages
Kindle $2.99, Print $18.97

"The world collapsed after the spread of the hyper-aggressive H5N1 Avian plague and several airborne mutations. By simply breathing the air, billions around the world died in less than a few months' time. Airborne Special Forces Colonel Connor MacMillen survives the dark and dangerous times. DEVASTATION POINT begins with Connor Mac's exploits in the fifth year of the New Dark Ages as he encounters a strange and changed America turned upside down by the "Cuckoo Flu". "
 
  1 vote, 5.3%



Blank: Mind the Gap by Matt Eaton
2015, 300ish pages
$3.99 on Kindle and iBooks

"The oceans of the world rise five metres without warning on the heels of a massive solar event."
 
  0 votes, 0.0%

More...
“Anything said is gone as soon as it leaves my lips. Things written down at least have a chance to leave a soft echo of what had been.”
Chris Dietzel, The Man Who Watched the World End

“This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.”
T.S. Eliot

“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”
Henry David Thoreau, Walden or, Life in the Woods

“At this moment, many people have stopped living. They do not become angry, nor cry out; they merely wait for time to pass. They did not accept the challenges of life, so life no longer challenges them”
Paulo Coelho, The Fifth Mountain

“Maybe that’s why I get frustrated sometimes, because there’s no one to blame for how our lives have turned out. I wouldn’t change any of the things I’ve done, but at the same time I wish things were different than they are. I have no regrets, but there’s also no satisfaction in where I am.”
Chris Dietzel, The Man Who Watched the World End

967 Apocalypse Whenever — 14108 members — last activity 22 minutes ago
The most active group for apocalyptic and dystopian stories! Join a monthly book discussion, get recommendations, or just tell us if you like canned p ...more
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Are you searching for the NEXT best book? Are you willing to kiss all your spare cash goodbye? Are you easily distracted by independent bookshops, bi ...more
Comments (showing 1-45)    post a comment »
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message 45: by Erin

Erin Thanks for the friend request.


message 44: by Jim

Jim Pomeroy Chris wrote: "Jim wrote: "Chris - really struck by your latest batch of "want to read." If you have not read Canticle or postman, I am very glad to see that you are planning to. Both rather old books, and certai..."

Chris wrote: "Jim wrote: "Chris - really struck by your latest batch of "want to read." If you have not read Canticle or postman, I am very glad to see that you are planning to. Both rather old books, and certai..."

I agree - my TR pile is so out of control that I have given up on much of it. It is this pile of snow and every time I take a shovel full off the bottom it snow two more on top! - woes me - I guess if the worst problem I have is to many books to read I'm pretty well off!! As to the books - both are fantastic, and and both stuck with me for a long time. One similarity is that both books take place a bit of time after the actual disaster, and what caused the disaster is not discussed that much. The postman is rather different than other Post-apocalyptic books in that it really posits a path out of hell. It is by far the easiest and breezier read, and the author is actually one of my all time favorite authors - if you haven't read his uplift series you must add it to your list. Canticle is not as easy a read, but sticks with you for much longer. Without spoiling too much, it really deals with the whole "history repeating itself" adage. Being raised Catholic i also could see a lot of things that I could connect with that many non-catholics would not. Enjoy!😁


message 43: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Jim wrote: "Chris - really struck by your latest batch of "want to read." If you have not read Canticle or postman, I am very glad to see that you are planning to. Both rather old books, and certainly are date..."

Hi Jim, I haven't read either of them (so many books, so little time) but I'm excited to do so. My stack of to-read books is out of control these days. Which did you enjoy more between the two?


message 42: by Jim

Jim Pomeroy Chris - really struck by your latest batch of "want to read." If you have not read Canticle or postman, I am very glad to see that you are planning to. Both rather old books, and certainly are dated in spots, but are also must read books for any sf fn.


message 41: by Yodamom

Yodamom Thanks for the friend-vite. Star Wars fans rule the world :D I hope we can chat books soon


message 40: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Thanks, Martin. When you read it, I'd love to hear what you think.


message 39: by Martin

Martin Thanks for the friend invite Chris. I found your book on here when looking for suggestions for the Dystopian reading group I attend. I put it forward but wasn't at the meeting to argue in its favor so it didn't get selected this time, but I will put it forward next time we take a vote. I plan to read it before then though as it sounds pretty good, and seems to have some good feedback in the comments on here.


message 38: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Thanks, Pamela! I'm glad you're enjoying it so much. And thank you for the support.


message 37: by Pamela

Pamela Thank you for the friend request Chris. It's been awhile since a book as grabbed my attention from the very beginning and even longer since I have read something that feels completely original (funny note; the last one was about the end of the world.) Thank you for that and I look forward to jumping into more of your books.


message 36: by Willie

Willie Hey Chris, thanks for the invite, enjoying The Hauntings of Playing God


message 35: by Midu

Midu Hadi Thanks for the invite!


message 34: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Hi Samu, that's wonderful! Thank you for the support. When you do read it, I'd love to hear what you think.


message 33: by Samu

Samu Hey Chris! I actually just ordered The Man Who Watched the World End and can't wait to read it!


message 32: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Thanks, John! Not just for the support, but the encouragement with the cats. I can't wait to hear what you think of my book when you're done. And I completely agree: writing is the easy part.


message 31: by John

John Wiltshire Hi, Chris, happy to be a friend and more than happy to give an apocalypse novel a go from a fellow Goodreads Author. I've read pretty much all the great and good with mixed feelings about some of them. I don't know about you but I find writing relatively easy; getting anyone to actually read the books after is the hard part. I'll post a review when I've read it. Good luck with the cats, by the way. Great project. John Wiltshire.


message 30: by Louise

Louise  Tessier Hi Chris! thanks for the invite friend.Loking forward to read your books:)


message 29: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Yes, Steinberg and his classic, "The Winter of Our Disconterg." : )


message 28: by Matt

Matt Nice new profile photo, Chris. And in good company too! I can make out Vonnegut, McCarthy, Coetzee, Steinberg :)


message 27: by Joanne

Joanne I didn't realize you were the author. I'm looking forward to reading it! Thanks.


message 26: by Katrina

Katrina Just saw you graduated from WMC/McDaniel.
Go Green Terrors!!
Katrina, a fellow alum


message 25: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Katrina wrote: "Thanks for the friend invite. Looking forward to reading your book."

Thanks Katrina. I can't wait to hear what you think of it. Thanks for the support.


message 24: by Katrina

Katrina Thanks for the friend invite. Looking forward to reading your book.


message 23: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Charlotte wrote: "looking forward to reading your books."

Thanks, Charlotte. I hope you enjoy them. Definitely let me know what you thought after you finish.


Charlotte looking forward to reading your books.


message 21: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Pepperpots wrote: "Thanks for the request :) I have it on my kindle ready to read as soon as I've finished 'The Rice Paper Diaries' (it's the book my local book club has chosen).

EDIT: I will read 'The Man Who Watch..."


Great! I can't wait to hear what you think of them. Definitely keep me updated with your thoughts. I always like to hear if there are specific parts readers particularly like or dislike as they read my books.


message 20: by Pepperpots (last edited Feb 01, 2014 12:32PM)

Pepperpots Thanks for the request :) I have it on my kindle ready to read as soon as I've finished 'The Rice Paper Diaries' (it's the book my local book club has chosen).

EDIT: I will read 'The Man Who Watched The World End' first.


message 19: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Thanks Robyn, I hope you enjoy it. After you read it, let me know what you thought.


message 18: by Robyn

Robyn Andersson Chris, thank you for the friend invite :) I just ordered your book online and I'm very much looking forward to reading it!


message 17: by Dale

Dale Thele Chris, thanx for accepting my friend request :)


message 16: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Caio wrote: "Hey Chris! Your book is quite interesting! I'm a Brazilian translator, if you need help to translate your book into portuguese I could gladly do it."

Very cool, Caio! If I ever have translations done, I'll definitely let you know.


message 15: by Caio

Caio Sossolote Hey Chris! Your book is quite interesting! I'm a Brazilian translator, if you need help to translate your book into portuguese I could gladly do it.


message 14: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Karen wrote: "Hi Chris, Thanks for the friend request! I am sure I will enjoy your novel, sadly I will not likely get to it soon though."

I definitely understand. My to-read list is out of control as well. Whenever you do get around to it, I hope you enjoy it.


message 13: by Karen

Karen Hi Chris, Thanks for the friend request! I am sure I will enjoy your novel, sadly I will not likely get to it soon though.


message 12: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Thanks Ahmad. I can't wait to hear what you think of it.


message 11: by Ahmad

Ahmad Thanks for the invite, Chris. Just ordered "The Man Who Watched The World End". Can't wait to read it.


message 10: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Thanks Ketty. Whenever you do get around to reading it, definitely let me know what you think.


Ouroboros Thanks for the invite! I'm looking forward to starting The Man Who Watched the World End. Sadly, it won't be soon, but I'll get there!


message 8: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Stephen wrote: "Hi Chris,

Thanks for the invite. I'm finding your book, The Man Who Watched the Word End, to be tremendously entertaining. I'm very thankful to Mack for the recommendation."

Thanks Stephen, I appreciate the support. I'm really glad you enjoyed it.


Stephen Campbell Hi Chris,

Thanks for the invite. I'm finding your book, The Man Who Watched the Word End, to be tremendously entertaining. I'm very thankful to Mack for the recommendation.


message 6: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Alexandra wrote: "Hi, Chris.
Thanks for the 'friend' invite!"

Hi Alexnadra, thanks for stopping by. It's always great to meet new people and discuss great books with them.


Alexandra Bogdanovic Hi, Chris.
Thanks for the 'friend' invite!


message 4: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Thanks CJ, I appreciate the support. If you read it, definitely let me know what you think.

I have to say, I'm in awe of the fact that you have 5 works already published and your average rating is a PERFECT 5.0. That's amazing. You are obviously doing something right. Great job.


message 3: by C.J.

C.J. Heck C.J. Heck C.J. Heck

Hello Chris,

It's such a pleasure having you for a friend. I am looking forward to reading your work! Thank you and best wishes to you.

Warmest regards,
CJ


message 2: by Chris

Chris Dietzel Thanks Roxanna, same here.


Roxanna Rose Hi Chris,

Thank you for the friend invite. I look forward to learning more about your work.

Roxanna


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