When you think of a dystopian novel, a few classics may come to mind. If you studied the classics in school, at least in North America, you are probably thinking of the likes of 1984, Fahrenheit 451 or even Animal Farm. But these books all pull their themes from novels previously published.
George Orwell reviewed the book “We” by Russian author Yevgeni Zamyatin, which you can read it here. In reading it, one can see which aspects would inspire him and his future works. But George Orwell wasn’t the only one inspired; our list below contains the top 7 dystopian novels that were the beginnings of this genre.
7. We by Yevgeni Zamyatin
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First written in 1920-1921, then translated into english in 1924, this is one of the first stories to put dystopian fiction on the map. We showcases a utopian world of harmony and conformity. This world is made of glass, from the buildings to the area the humans are living in. You can see everything and watch everyone. Everything here runs on logic. There is no longer any true passion in society.
This book was thought to be a commentary on politics at the time, and was quite controversial. Kicking up dust, and starting a new wave of books, We is a classic for a reason.
6. The Trial by Franz Kafka
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Published in 1925, this is one of Kafka’s most popular books. You, the reader, and our main character have no idea why he is being prosecuted. Unexpectedly arrested, the protagonist is then taken to trial. And from there, we’re given hardly any new information.
The Trial has twists and turns woven into a fascinating narrative, and shows us what a totalitarian society is like, where the authority has the power to arrest, persecute, and execute any individual with no explanation what so ever.
5. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
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Set far into the future, humanity has been genetically modified in order to have superior intelligence. This creates an intelligence based and social society. Our protagonist challenges this supposed perfect society at every turn, and flips it on its head.
In 1999 Modern Library made this book number 5 on the list of the “100 Best English Written Novels of the 20th Century”.
4. Cat Country by Lao She
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Translated into numerous languages, this book was written by Chinese author Lao She and published in 1933. An unnamed main character crashes into Mars. After coming to at the crash site he realizes he has been stranded alone on the planet, as his flying companion died upon impact. When he is captured by the planets’ inhabitants he realizes that while appearing human, they have a cat like face.
From there he meets the ring leader and gains an understanding of who the inhabitants are, their traditions and way of life. Waiting for a way to escape, our main character has to assimilate to a new way of life, or perish.
3. It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis
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Published in 1935, It Can’t Happen Here is a dystopian novel that plays with the concept of ”what if”. What if, the United States fell into a power similar to how Adolf Hitler fell into power? While everyone always thinks it can’t happen here, we are closer to this happening than we think. Spreading fear and gaining power – the new president of the US and Hitler share a lot of common characteristics.
Written in a time when fascism was popular in Europe, the story brings to life things that were wrong with the US political parties and how they came to power, many were shocked by Lewis’ astute observations of the time.
2. Kallocain by Karin Boy
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Written by Swedish novelist Karin Boye and published in 1940, this dystopian novel is a little less known than others on our list. Kallocain envisions a future that is terrifying. It depicts a totalitarian society where all interactions are key and when you are being watched you always think there is a reason why.
This breeds mistrust amongst the people, between couples and throughout society as a whole. And if the government suspects you? Well, their truth serum can tell if you’re being rebellious or not.
1. 1984 by George Orwell
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This novel may be one of the best-if not the best-known dystopian novels out there. Published in 1949 by author George Orwell, 1984 serves as a true cautionary tale. With themes of mass surveillance and unwavering loyalty, the story plays truths and facts against each other and keeps a society on their knees. Our main character goes through all stages of being in this crushing society; growing up in it, working for it, rebelling in it, and getting caught. Because big brother is always watching.
While there have been plenty of books published in between these novels, these core stories are what kicked the genre into high gear. They’ve all had heavy influences on writers who have come after them. All of these are considered a classic for a reason.
They stand the test of time, and can be relevant even today. Each novel is pulling from history and the authors own views on how they are seeing society. These books serve to remind us of what could happen, if we’re not careful.
*Disclosure: We only recommend books that we love and would read ourselves. This post contains affiliate links, as we are part of the Amazon Services LCC Associate Program and others, which may earn us a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
