Friday, August 02, 2013

Dystopian Novels

Kirkus Reviews has an overview of the history of dystopian (Spell-checker here doesn't recognize that as a word. I've just added it to the dictionary so I don't keep getting that problem.) novels, naming these:
Utopia, by Thomas More
The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells
The Iron Heel, by Jack London
We, by Yevgeny Zamyatin
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Swastika Night, by Katherine Burdekini
Anthem, by Ayn Rand
Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell
Player Piano, by Kurt Vonnegut
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said, by Philip K. Dick
The Handmaiden's Tale, by Margaret Atwood
The Giver, by Lois Lowery
Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins
I've read the ones in bold print. Of the others, I'd like to read the Jack London book (which can be freely read online) and the Philip K. Dick book. I'm not interested in fiction that features Nazis, although I love horror films that do, so I'll be skipping Swastika Night. I've read a book by Ayn Rand, and one was enough. I'm not interested in the Hunger Games world. In fact, right now I'm not interested in any books that look to me like teenagers are the target audience. I'm just not in the mood right now for teenage protagonists, coming-of-age novels, or any of the other themes that seem to permeate that field. Maybe later.

5 comments:

  1. Finally a list of books I've not only heard of, but also read a few. The Time Machine, Brave New World, Anthem, 1984, Player Piano, and Fahrenheit 451 are all books I, too have read. And I confess. I've read EVERYTHING Ayn Rand ever wrote, but I don't consider them Sci Fi, although they might fit in the Dystopian category. And yes, Rand takes her Libertarian message to the extreme at times. That's what makes her so popular with us Libertarians (grin) who do NOT associate ourselves with the Tea Party.

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    1. Bluebird and Elizabeth you took the words right out of my mouth,I've also read many of these,The Time Machine,1984,Brave New World,Anthem, Fahrenheit 451,Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said,The Handmaiden's Tale, and The Huger Games trilogy. It's nice to not feel illiterate when I see a list of books.

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    2. i'd crash and burn in a strictly libertarian world, i'm afraid. i read atlas shrugged, which i do have shelved with my science fiction books. it was a good book, but a heartless lifestyle, i thought.

      bob, it is good to see a list i've read more of. i think some of the other lists are deliberately obscure.

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  2. I've only read five of these; Brave New World most recently. Orwell and Bradbury I love; I went through an Ayn Rand phase where I read all her books, I thought this one was pretty okay then; The Handmaid's Tale was, for me, rather disappointing.
    From the others, I want to read, like you, the Jack London book and also, The Giver (which is sitting on my shelf since forever) and Player Piano!
    Thanks for the list!!

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    1. i went into the handmaid's tale prejudiced against atwood. i like vonnegut's earlier work much better than what he wrote later in his career. i think player piano was his 1st. i enjoyed the giver, as i recall.

      i'm such a sucker for lists lol. i get a lot of good suggestions for them for books to read and movies to watch.

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