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Your favourite Dystopian novels

96 replies

jerriblank · 02/02/2021 13:19

Hi, I love dystopian fiction and would love to read some new books.

Can I ask for any of your recommendations?

Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
Kobanidaughters · 02/02/2021 14:13

Oooh just came on to ask the same as I just finished Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler and totally devoured it - highly recommended

littlepeas · 02/02/2021 14:18

That’s spooky. I just clicked on this minutes after helping my ds with his RE - about the parable of the sower!

littlepeas · 02/02/2021 14:20

I’ve only read the very well known books - handmaids tale, 1984, (the hunger games Blush). Interested in recommendations as I also enjoy this genre.

Kobanidaughters · 02/02/2021 14:22

That is a little spooky @littlepeas

Have you read Atwood’s other books? Oryx and Crake in particular, The Road but Cormac McCarthy is another good one, I enjoyed Station Eleven. I’m def going seek out more Octavia Butler, I’m new to her work and she’s extraordinary

MojoJojo71 · 02/02/2021 14:24

I really enjoyed The Last Day by Andrew Hunter Murray. The premise is that Earth has stopped rotating and so some areas are capable of sustaining life and others aren’t because they are either too hot or too cold and dark.

AnneLovesGilbert · 02/02/2021 14:24

Handmaid’s tale
Earth abides
World war z
Brave new world
Fahrenheit 451
Never let me go
The girl with all the gifts

I haven’t read 1984 but have two copies knocking around and really must!

Frazzled2207 · 02/02/2021 14:24

wouldn't say I enjoyed it but Never let me go (Kazuo Ichigiro sp?) is a must-read.

HattieMid2 · 02/02/2021 14:25

I really enjoyed The Circle by Dave Eggars - will keep an eye on this thread for other recommendations 😄

MojoJojo71 · 02/02/2021 14:28

Definitely agree with Never let me go, that’s a really great book, stayed with me for ages after I read it.

Another Atwood that I enjoyed was The Heart goes Last

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 02/02/2021 14:28

It may not quite fit the bill, but I've nearly finished The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis and I'm completely gripped by it. It's about a historian who travels back in time to the Black Death during a flu epidemic, so quite apt.

Whenwillow · 02/02/2021 14:29

I think Children of Men would count as dystopian. They turned it into a film too.

MaisyMary77 · 02/02/2021 14:31

The MaddAddam trilogy by Margaret Atwood. Absolutely brilliant.
The Stand by Stephen King.

ThreeFeetTall · 02/02/2021 14:36

The Wall by John Lanchester
As already mentioned Station Eleven
The first half of The Mandibles by Lionel shriver

AnneLovesGilbert · 02/02/2021 14:38

The film of Children of men was stunning. Haven’t read the book as I didn’t know there was one.

SpeakFriendAndEnter · 02/02/2021 14:46

Vox was great and made me really angry, but in a good way. I'm now reading her second book Q which is about academic ability which as a teacher I'm loving!

GeidiPrimes · 02/02/2021 14:52

Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
Book of Dave - Will Self

jerriblank · 02/02/2021 15:10

Some great recommendations here, thanks all!

OP posts:
hidingmystatus · 02/02/2021 15:16

Sheri Tepper.

Bells3032 · 02/02/2021 15:25

the unwind series by neal schusterman
The Delirium series by Lauren Oliver
The maze runner by James Dashner (do not bother with the films they are dreadful).

they're all classed as teen fiction but are absolutely engrossing.

Theredjellybean · 02/02/2021 15:30

ooh my fave genre

The Ship
The Wall
Dust/Shift/wool trilogy
The Last day
Red Clocks
The Farm
The followers
all Margaret Atwood stuff already mentioned but also The Heart goes first
Vox and her next novel Q
The Memory Chamber
Leave the World behind

Standrewsschool · 02/02/2021 15:50

Margaret’s Ark -Daniel Keohane

The Wall - John Lanchaster

ThursdayLastWeek · 02/02/2021 15:55

Checking in as I was trying to find stuff like this last night!

I too love the Maddaddam Trilogy (in fact might re-read)
The Power
Red Clocks

Can add
Station Eleven
The psychology of time travel

If you don’t mind YA fiction
The ask and the answer (?) I can’t remember if that’s what it’s called actually.

ThursdayLastWeek · 02/02/2021 15:57

The History of Bees is readable too.

One2Three4Five6 · 02/02/2021 20:18

I absolutely loved "The Girl with all the Gifts" by M.R Carey
It was my favourite book that I read that year.

To promote reading for pleasure as part of our literacy drive at a secondary school some of us teachers are going to be doing a short video recommending books we enjoyed and this is my first choice to recommend my students.

gertrudemortimer · 02/02/2021 20:22

The wool trilogy Hugh Howey

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