Exploring Empty Towns

[Kathryn]

Can anyone recommend a book about people exploring an empty town? Perhaps something with unknown technology or post apocalyptic?

[Liralen]

Maybe too young, but there's Whisper of Death.

[Feliks]

the beginning of 'The Andromeda Strain' is memorable for this.

[Charlene]

Oh my gosh, I loved The Andromeda Strain. One of the best books I've ever read.

[Feliks]

You have good taste. It was a landmark book and movie, both.

[Charlene]

It's rare that a movie meets the expectations of someone who read the book. The movie was dead-on-point with the integrity and excitement of the book.

[Feliks]

Yep. That's probably because Robert Wise was directing it. Wise was a veteran, a thorough professional. He rarely made a mistake. No matter what genre he tried his hand at, it usually came out well.

(SF) 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'; (period-piece) 'The Sand Pebbles'; (musical) 'The Sound of Music' & 'West Side Story';...

If memory serves me a-rightly, he was the assistant to Greg Tobin during 'Citizen Kane'.

[Lauren]

is an excellent empty town horror book.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

The Road although there don't seem to be many buildings left (except some houses), it's mostly rural decimated landscape.

[Andy Phillips]

These are all (post) apocalyptic and feature some elements of abandoned towns. Some are more relevant than others, so read the reviews and see if they sound like your sort of thing.
The Postman
Vault of the Ages
The Quiet Place
I Am Legend
One
By the Waters of Babylon
Plague
The Purple Cloud
Two Journeys
Then
Eternity Road
The Day of the Triffids
Emergence
Metro 2033

[Kathryn]

It looks like I need to read The Andromeda Strain right away!

I really appreciate all the ideas. I have added a huge amount to my Amazon wish list!

[Michele]

Andy beat me to "By the Waters of Babylon," but you might also try The Stand. The entire country is left pretty much empty, so it qualifies there. The Girl Who Owned a City may be too young for you, but it's quite a strong story. After London: or, Wild England is about England reverting to nature after a catastrophe. Warday is not quite empty cities, but they are certainly depopulated to some degree. And of course there's always the classic Planet of the Apes (the book is not the same as the movie). Ende: A Diary Of The Third World War is about the cities emptying due to nuclear war, while City is about cities dying a natural death. Both A Canticle for Leibowitz and Breed to Come are set in the far future and feature far-future beings being puzzled by 20th century oddities.

[Kathryn]

I love The Stand. Don't know how many times I've read it at this point.

Thanks so much for all the incredible ideas!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

The Drowned World.

[Kathryn]

This is perfect!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

This happens in Blue Labyrinth but it's not more than one or two chapters of the whole book.

[Rainbowheart]

Creed
Abandon

[Robert]

Since you mentioned unknown technology: if your definition of "town" includes spaceships and colonies, than I'd definitely recommend Rendezvous with Rama, and maybe Aliens.
Other stories that include exploring abandoned things are At the Mountains of Madness, Ringworld and The Engines of God

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

A small part of Leave the World Behind is like this.

[Rainbowheart]

Gone-Away Lake