List of dystopian literature

This is a list of novels commonly viewed as dystopian literature.

The majority of the listed works are not controversial, in the sense that their dystopian character is generally acknowledged. However, some are not universally classified as dystopias. Such debates frequently surround works that do not show the classic characteristics of dystopian fiction, such as a government that seeks total control of individuals' lives.

19th century

*"A Sojourn in the City of Amalgamation, in the Year of Our Lord, 19--" (1835) by Oliver Bolokitten [cite book | last = Kennedy | first = Randall | title = Interracial Intimacies | publisher = Pantheon | location = New York | year = 2003 | isbn = 9780375402555 | page = pp134 ]
*"Paris in the 20th Century" (1863) by Jules VerneFact|date=February 2008
*"A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder" (1888) by James De MilleFact|date=February 2007
*"Ceasar's Column" (1890) by Ignatius L. DonnellyFact|date=February 2008
*"The Time Machine" (1895) by H. G. WellsFact|date=April 2007
*"When The Sleeper Wakes" (1899) by H. G. Wells

20th century

1900s

*"The First Men in the Moon" (1901) by H. G. Wells
*"The Iron Heel" (1908) by Jack Londoncite book
title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
first=Brian|last=Stableford
authorlink=Brian Stableford
editor=John Clute & Peter Nicholls (eds.)|publisher=Orbit, London
year=1993
isbn=1-85723-124-4
edition=2nd edition
pages=pp. 360-362
chapter=Dystopias]
*"The Machine Stops" (1909) by E. M. Forster
*"Die Andere Seite" (1909) by Alfred KubinFact|date=February 2007

1910s

1920s

*"R.U.R." (1920) by Karel Čapek cite book
title=Survey of Science Fiction Literature
first=Frank N.
last=Magil
date=1979
pages=p. 1842]
*"We" (1921) by Yevgeny Zamyatin
*"The Trial" (1925) by Franz KafkaFact|date=February 2007

1930s

*"Brave New World" (1932) and "Brave New World Revisited" by Aldous Huxley
*"The Shape of Things to Come" (1933) by H. G. WellsFact|date=February 2008
*"It Can't Happen Here" (1935) by Sinclair LewisFact|date=February 2007
*"War with the Newts" (1936) by Karel Čapek
*"Swastika Night" (1937) by Katharine BurdekinFact|date=February 2008
*"Anthem" (1938) by Ayn Rand

1940s

*"Darkness at Noon" (1940) by Arthur Koestlercite book
title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
first=John|last=Clute
authorlink=John Clute
editor=John Clute & Peter Nicholls (eds.)|publisher=Orbit, London
year=1993
isbn=1-85723-124-4
edition=2nd edition
pages=p. 675
chapter=Koestler, Arthur]
*""If This Goes On—"" (1940) by Robert A. Heinlein
*"Kallocain" (1940) by Karin BoyeFact|date=February 2007
*"Ravage" (1943) by René BarjavelFact|date=February 2007
*"That Hideous Strength" (1945) by C. S. LewisFact|date=February 2007
*"Bend Sinister" (1947) by Vladimir Nabokovcite book
title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
first=John|last=Clute
authorlink=John Clute
editor=John Clute & Peter Nicholls (eds.)|publisher=Orbit, London
year=1993
isbn=1-85723-124-4
edition=2nd edition
pages=p. 854
chapter=Nabokov, Vladimir]
*"Ape and Essence" (1948) by Aldous Huxley
*"The Lottery" (1948) by Shirley JacksonFact|date=February 2007
*"Nineteen Eighty-Four" (1949) by George Orwellcite book
title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
first=John|last=Clute
authorlink=John Clute
editor=John Clute & Peter Nicholls (eds.)|publisher=Orbit, London
year=1993
isbn=1-85723-124-4
edition=2nd edition
pages=p. 896
chapter=Orwell, George]

1950s

*"Limbo", (vt. "Limbo 90") (1952) by Bernard Wolfe
*"Player Piano" (also known as "Utopia 14") (1952) by Kurt Vonnegutcite book|title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction|first=Brian|last=Stableford|authorlink=Brian Stableford|editor=John Clute & Peter Nicholls (eds.)|publisher=Orbit, London|year=1993|isbn=1-85723-124-4|edition=2nd edition|pages=p. 1289|chapter=Vonnegut, Kurt Jr.]
*"Fahrenheit 451" (1953) by Ray Bradbury
*"One" (also published as "Escape to Nowhere") (1953) by David Karp [http://science.jrank.org/pages/9039/Dystopia-Twentieth-Century-Dystopias.html]
*"The Space Merchants" (1953) by Frederik Pohl and Cyril M. Kornbluth
*"The Chrysalids" (1955) by John WyndhamFact|date=February 2007
*"Atlas Shrugged" (1957) by Ayn RandFact|date=November 2007
*"The Glass Bees" (1957) by Ernst JungerFact|date=February 2007
*"Kazohinia" (1958) by Sándor SzathmáriFact|date=February 2007
*"Level 7" (1959) by Mordecai RoshwaldFact|date=February 2007
*"Naked Lunch" (1959) by William S. Burroughscite book
title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
first=Pringle|last=David
authorlink=David Pringle
coauthors=Clute, John
editor=John Clute & Peter Nicholls (eds.)|publisher=Orbit, London
year=1993
isbn=1-85723-124-4
edition=2nd edition
pages=p. 179
chapter=Burroughs, William]
*"Time Out of Joint" (1959) by Philip K. DickFact|date=February 2007

1960s

*"Facial Justice" (1960) by L. P. Hartley [Knud Sørensen (1971) "Language and Society in L. P. Hartley's 'Facial Justice,'" "Orbis Litterarum" 26 (1), 68–84.]
*"Harrison Bergeron" (1961) by Kurt VonnegutFact|date=February 2008
*"A Clockwork Orange" (1962) by Anthony BurgessFact|date=February 2007
*"The Wanting Seed" (1962) by Anthony BurgessFact|date=February 2007
*"Cloud On Silver" (US title "Sweeney's Island") (1964) by John Christophercite book|title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction|first=John|last=Clute|authorlink=John Clute|coauthors=Nicholls, Peter|editor=John Clute & Peter Nicholls (eds.)|publisher=Orbit, London|year=1993|isbn=1-85723-124-4|edition=2nd edition|pages=pp. 218-219|chapter=Christopher, John.]
*"Nova Express" (1964) by William S. Burroughs
*""Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman" (1965) by Harlan EllisonFact|date=February 2007
*"Make Room! Make Room!" (1966) by Harry Harrison
*"Logan's Run" (1967) by William F. Nolan and George Clayton JohnsonFact|date=February 2007
*"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" (1968) by Philip K. DickFact|date=February 2007
*"Stand on Zanzibar" (1968) by John Brunner
*"Welcome to the Monkey House" (1968) by Kurt VonnegutFact|date=February 2008
*"The Jagged Orbit" (1969) by John Brunner

1970s

*"This Perfect Day" (1970) by Ira Levincite book
title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
first=John|last=Clute
authorlink=John Clute
editor=John Clute & Peter Nicholls (eds.)|publisher=Orbit, London
year=1993
isbn=1-85723-124-4
edition=2nd edition
pages=p. 715
chapter=Levin, Ira]
*"The Lathe of Heaven" (1971) by Ursula K. Le Guin [ [http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/sciencefiction/story/0,6000,1144428,00.html Ursula Le Guin Q&A | By genre | Guardian Unlimited Books] ]
*"Smith's Dream" (1971) by C. K. SteadFact|date=February 2007
*"The World Inside" (1971) by Robert SilverbergFact|date=February 2008
*"Metropole" (1971) by Ferenc Karinthy
*"The Sheep Look Up" (1972) by John Brunner
*"Memoirs Found in a Bathtub" (1973) by Stanisław LemFact|date=February 2007
*"The Dispossessed" (1974) by Ursula K. Le Guincite book
title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
first=Peter|last=Nicholls
authorlink=Peter Nicholls (writer)
editor=John Clute & Peter Nicholls (eds.)|publisher=Orbit, London
year=1993
isbn=1-85723-124-4
edition=2nd edition
pages=pp 702-705
chapter=Le Guin, Ursula K(Roeber)]
*"Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said" (1974) by Philip K. Dick ["Survey of Science Fiction Literature"]
*"Memoirs of a Survivor" (1974) by Doris LessingFact|date=February 2007
*"The Shockwave Rider" (1975) by John Brunner

*"A World Out of Time" (1976) by Larry NivenFact|date=February 2008
*"1985" (1978) by Anthony BurgessFact|date=February 2007
*"The Yawning Heights" (1978) by Aleksandr ZinovyevFact|date=January 2008
*"Alongside Night" (1979) by J. Neil Schulman ["Kirkus Reviews", 1 October, 1979.]
*"The Long Walk" (1979) by Stephen KingFact|date=February 2007

1980s

*"Mockingbird" (1980) by Walter TevisFact|date=February 2007
*"Riddley Walker" (1980) by Russell Hoban
*"The Running Man" (1982) by Richard BachmanFact|date=February 2007
*"Neuromancer" (1984) by William GibsonFact|date=February 2007
*"Dayworld" (1985) by Philip José Farmer ["Kirkus Reviews", 1 February, 1984.]
*"The Handmaid's Tale" (1985) by Margaret Atwood
*"Count Zero" (1986) by William Gibson ["Kirkus Reviews", 15 February, 1986.]
*"The Last Election" (1986) by Pete DaviesFact|date=February 2008
*"Moscow 2042" (1986) by Vladimir VoinovichFact|date=February 2007
*"The Shore of Women" (1986) by Pamela SargentFact|date=February 2007
*"Ambient" (1987) by Jack WomackFact|date=February 2008
*"Drowning Towers" (1987) by George TurnerFact|date=June 2007
*"In the Country of Last Things"(1987) by Paul AusterFact|date=February 2007
*"Obernewtyn Chronicles" (1987-2008) by Isobelle Carmody [Strauss, Victoria. " [http://www.sfsite.com/12a/ob70.htm Book Review: Obernewtyn Vol. 1, The Obernewtyn Chronicles] ", SF Site, 1999]
*"Sea of Glass" (1987) by Barry B. LongyearFact|date=February 2007
*"The Domination" (1988) by S. M. StirlingFact|date=February 2007
*"Mona Lisa Overdrive" (1988) by William GibsonFact|date=February 2007
*"Terraplane" (1988) by Jack WomackFact|date=February 2008
*"Chung Kuo" (1989) by David WingroveFact|date=February 2007
*"Dystopia" (1989) by Dennis Jürgensen

1990s

*"Heathern" (1990) by Jack WomackFact|date=February 2008
*"My Melancholy Face" (1991) by Heinrich Böll
*"Fatherland" (1992) by Robert Harris ["Kirkus Reviews", 15 May, 1992.]
*"The Children of Men" (1992) by P.D. James ["Kirkus Reviews", 1 December, 1993. ]
*"The Fifth Sacred Thing" (1993) by StarhawkFact|date=February 2007
*"The Giver" (1993) by Lois Lowry [Natalie Babbitt, "The Hidden Cost of Contentment", "Washington Post" 9 May 1993, p. X15.]
*"Invitation to the Game" (1993) by Monica HughesFact|date=February 2007
*"Parable of the Sower" (1993) by Octavia ButlerFact|date=February 2007
*"Virtual Light" (1994) by William GibsonFact|date=February 2007
*"Gun, with Occasional Music" (1994) by Jonathan Lethem [ [http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/generalfiction/0,6121,544907,00.html A kangaroo in a dinner jacket] ]
*"The Diamond Age, or A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer" (1995) by Neal Stephenson ["Kirkus Reviews", 15 December, 1994.]
*"Doc and Fluff" (1996) by Pat CalifiaFact|date=February 2007
*"Infinite Jest" (1996) by David Foster WallaceFact|date=February 2008
*"Idoru" (1997) by William GibsonFact|date=February 2007
*"Shade's Children" (1997) by Garth NixFact|date=February 2007
*"Among the Hidden" (1998) by Margaret Peterson HaddixFact|date=February 2008
*"Atomised" (1998) by Michel HouellebecqFact|date=February 2008
*"Parable of the Talents" (1998) by Octavia ButlerFact|date=February 2007
*"All Tomorrow's Parties" (1999) by William GibsonFact|date=February 2007
*"Battle Royale" (1999) by Koushun Takamicite web
url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117797143.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0
title=Battle Royale film review (mentions book)
work=Variety Magazine, Tue., Jan. 23, 2001
accessdate=2007-01-23]
*"The Lost Thing" (1999) by Shaun TanFact|date=February 2007

21st century

*"Gathering Blue" (2000) by Lois LowryFact|date=February 2007
*"The Last Book in the Universe" (2000) by Rodman Philbrick
*"The Slynx" (2000) by Tatyana TolstayaFact|date=February 2007
*The "Hex" (2001) series by Rhiannon LassiterFact|date=February 2008
*Noughts & Crosses Trilogy (2001-2005) by Malorie BlackmanFact|date=February 2008
*"Bear v. Shark" (2002) by Chris BachelderFact|date=February 2008
*"Feed" (2002) by M. T. Anderson ["Kirkus Reviews", 1 September, 2002.]
*"Acidity" (2003) by Nadeem F. ParachaFact|date=February 2008
*"After" (2003) by Francine ProseFact|date=February 2008
*"The City of Ember" (2003) by Jeanne DuPrauFact|date=February 2008
*"Jennifer Government" (2003) by Max BarryFact|date=February 2008
*"Oryx and Crake" (2003) by Margaret Atwood [Bethune, Brian. [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0012467 "Book Review: Atwood's Oryx and Crake"] , "Maclean's Magazine", April 28, 2003]
*"The Bar Code Tattoo" (2004) by Suzanne Weyn [ [http://teenbookreview.wordpress.com/2006/07/25/review-bar-code-rebellion-by-suzanne-weyn/ Review: Bar Code Rebellion by Suzanne Weyn « Teen Book Review ] ]
*"Cloud Atlas" (2004) by David Mitchell [Kloszewski, M. (15 June, 2004). "Library Journal", 129(11): 56.]
*"Market Forces" (2004) by Richard MorganFact|date=February 2008
*"The Ethos Effect" (2004) by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.Fact|date=April 2008
*"Messenger" (2004) by Lois LowryFact|date=February 2007
*"The People of Sparks" (2004) by Jeanne DuPrauFact|date=February 2008
*"The Plot Against America" (2004) by Philip RothFact|date=February 2008
*"The Supernaturalist" (2004) by Eoin ColferFact|date=February 2007
*The Uglies series (2004-2007) by Scott WesterfeldFact|date=February 2007
*"Divided Kingdom" (2005) by Rupert Thomson [D. J. Taylor: [http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2005/apr/16/featuresreviews.guardianreview10 "Anima Attraction"] , "The Guardian" (April 16, 2005).]
*"The Possibility of an Island (2005) by Michel HouellebecqFact|date=February 2007
*"The Traveler" (2005) by John Twelve HawksFact|date=February 2007
*"Never Let Me Go" (2005) by Kazuo Ishiguro [ [http://www.slate.com//id/2116040/ Atwood, M. Brave New World: Kazuo Ishiguro's novel really is chilling.] , "Slate Magazine", April 1, 2005]
*"Bar Code Rebellion" (2006) by Suzanne Weyn [ [http://teenbookreview.wordpress.com/2006/07/25/review-bar-code-rebellion-by-suzanne-weyn/ Review: Bar Code Rebellion by Suzanne Weyn « Teen Book Review ] ]
*"The Book of Dave" (2006) by Will Self [cite web
url=http://books.guardian.co.uk/hay2006/story/0,,1784132,00.html
title=The gospel according to Dave
publisher=The Guardian | date=27 May 2006
accessdate=2008-02-10]
*"Prayers for the Assassin" (2006) by Robert FerrignoFact|date=February 2008
*"The Elysium Commission" (2007) by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.Fact|date=April 2008
*"Dr. Identity" (2007) by D. Harlan WilsonFact|date=February 2008
*"Rant" (2007) by Chuck PalahniukFact|date=March 2007
*"Unwind" (2007) by Neal ShustermanFact|date=January 2008
*"Veracity" (2007) by Mark LavoratoFact|date=March 2007
*"Truancy" (2008) by Isamu FukuiFact|date=February 2008

ee also

*List of dystopian films
*List of dystopian music, TV programmes, and games
*List of dystopian comics

References