The Amtrak Wars

The Amtrak Wars are series of books written by Patrick Tilley. The series are post-apocalyptic science fiction with some fantasy elements such as magic. The series is based towards the end of the 3rd millenium and follows Steve Brickman as he discovers the truth about the corrupt Amtrak Federation, a underground nation based in Texas and the surrounding states decended from the survivors from a military bunker. The nation is despotic regime ran solely by the inbreeding First Family, very few not in the first family live beyond 30 in this world due to 'high radiation levels' which were actually created by the family as a means of controlling their populace. Other methods of control the Family uses is its on going war against the Plainsfolk Mutes- mutant tribes decended from survivors of the apocolypse. The Family purposefully keeps high technology out of reach of its citizens i.e. the Federation's air force uses planes not much better than pre-WW2 models however the family's own special forces units have planes which would perform well in the modern era.

The series consists of- Cloud Warrior (1983)
First Family (1985)
Iron Master (1987)
Blood River (1988)
Death-Bringer (1989)
Earth-Thunder (1990)
There is also a rare guide to the Amtrak Wars world.