Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aftermath | 2006 | James Axler | Buy |
Aftermath is the single anthology volume published under the James Axler name, appearing in 2006 during the period when both Deathlands and Outlanders were actively running. Anthology collections of this kind were a common supplement to the Gold Eagle action lines, offering shorter fiction set in the established universe alongside the monthly novel releases.
For dedicated fans of Deathlands or Outlanders, Aftermath is a supplementary piece, interesting for the additional texture it provides and for the chance to see the universe handled in shorter formats rather than novel length. The post-apocalyptic settings and action-focused approach of both series translate reasonably well to short fiction, where a single encounter or location can carry a complete story without requiring the full world-building scaffolding of a novel.
Readers new to the James Axler universe might find Aftermath a useful way to sample the tone and characters before investing in one of the longer series. It is brief, self-contained, and offers a fair introduction to what the Deathlands and Outlanders books deliver in their full-length form.