Dystopian books are some of the best books out there in my opinion. Seeing society on the verge of collapse or a government restricting its citizens makes for some great reading material. That is why we decided to list the ten best dystopian books of all time.
The genre took a leap forward with The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. That has led to lots of modern takes and I am all for it. That does also lead to some bad ones but you have to take the good with the bad. Many dystopian novels are inspired by real fears by the authors. You can check out the list below!
The Ten Best Dystopian Books of All Time
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
- Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Philip K. Dick
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- The Passage by Justin Cronin
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Handmaid’s Tale
Even if you aren’t the biggest fan of books, there is a good chance you read The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. It is taught in most schools across the United States. The brilliant dystopian novel tackles heavy themes which has made it one of the most censored books in the world. Many fans are rediscovering the classic novel because of the recently adapted TV Show.
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
A sci-fi novel that has risen to popularity in modern times is 1984 by George Orwell. When some ideas in this sci-fi and dystopian novel came true, people’s interest in the novel rose. The novel touches on issues such as mass surveillance, a controlling regime, and disinformation. It has become relevant in today’s day and age where technology is everywhere and privacy is something of a luxury for many.
Station Eleven
Emily St. John Mendel’s novel Station Eleven is one of the best dystopian novels ever written. It is about a band of actors and musicians who travel around the Great Lake region in a post-apocalyptic word. But the band runs into trouble when they encounter a self-proclaimed ‘Prophet’ who uses violence to get whatever he desires.
Fahrenheit 451
A classic novel that is taught in schools and worth reading is Fahrenheit 451. It is a dystopian novel that imagines a world where books are outlawed and burned. Guy Montag is a fireman who burns books but ends up questioning the system in place and rebels. This book feels like the perfect book to read as book banning as seeing a surge in recent years.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
One of my favorite books on this list is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. It is a brilliant novel that will have you thinking a lot. It is must read sci-fi and the questions in the novel are more relevant today than ever before. The movie adaptation was given the title The Blade Runner and is considered a classic movie that fans of the novel are sure to love!
Conclusion
Choosing ten dystopian books seems wrong because it doesn’t show the journey of the genre over the years. But most of these are the books that shaped the genre. Some of them like Station Eleven and The Passage are more modern and while they aren’t considered classics or are as read as the other books, they exemplify the best of what dystopian books have to offer.
What do you think of the ten best dystopian books of all time list? What books should have been on the list? Let us know in the comments below!
I don’t see a list of 10….
I’m just happy “The Road” is not on here.
It’s not even good. The Parable of the Sower and The Stand are both much darker and engaging.
Hmm I just noticed. I’ll fix it soon. Weird, that hasn’t happened before
You should consider a recent book by Terry Birdgenaw. Reviewers say the third book in The Antunite Chronicles is destined to be a classic. Antunites Unite is reminiscent of 1984 and Brave New World, but is out of this world!
1984, the only one I like.
Don’t see my all time favorite STARMAN’s Son aka DAYBREAK 2250 AD . Awesomely creative , original,prescient and spell binding from cover to cover !
Where are Tolkien, Hemingway ??
I absolutely didn’t expect fifth season to get pick up as dystopian (it definitely is). Love love love that series.
I will admit that is one series that I keep wanting to read but keep forgetting it when I am choosing my next book. I have too many books to read atm but I will read it soon because of your comment!
I enjoyed the “world made by hand” series from Kuntsler
Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro
Klara and the Sun – Kazuo Ishiguro
The Imperial Radch Trilogy – Anne Leckie
The Dispossessed – Ursula LeGuin (though it’s debatable that it’s a dystopia rather than two competing utopias).
And, some would say, Ender’s Game and many of the sequels (Xenocide, for sure) – Orson Scott Card
where is Kafka
Lord of the Flies is not dystopia, as it examines the possible reality behind our existing social structure.
Paolo Bacigalupi offers 2 excellent and pertinent dystopia futures with The Windup Girl and The Waterknife
I found Marlene Haushofer’s „The Wall‘ absolutely electrifying and cannot understand that this book was not in your list. Shame on you
It was 1979 or 1980 in English class, when my teacher introduced the book, Catcher in the Rye. Once the book was here, we were given assignment to read chapter one for homework. We had one class to discuss chapter. Next day, the books were taken up, he explained why we couldn’t read it. In closing, I saw the movie at a later age. The fowl language wasn’t in movie. I didn’t understand who complained.
Where are Tolkien, Hemingway ?