Recs if you like Radiant Terminus...

zone: an area or stretch of land having a particular characteristic, purpose, or use, or subject to particular restrictions. A place outside of the 'normal' realm, where the rules are totally different, where it is difficult or impossible to make sense of what the Zone is about. The Zone can be physical or mental. It can exist in reality or in fiction. It cannot really be defined, yet it exists. They are everywhere, and they are different things to different people. What's the Zone to you?

Books discussed on the podcast SFUltra