21 Best Dystopian Novels of All Time
Kirsten and I wanted to make a list of the best dystopian novels from our point of view. Many dystopian fiction novels have a strong interplay with science fiction since these books often take place in the future and depict a post-apocalyptic world.
While a lot of the classic dystopian novels are depressing and end on a sad note, many of the new dystopian novels have more of a glimmer of hope when you reach the end of the book.
This list of the best dystopian novels has a little bit of everything. So whether you are new to this type of fiction of have been reading dystopian novels since you read The Giver in middle school, we think there is something on this list for everyone to love.
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Best Dystopian Novels of All Time
Best Dystopian Novels
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
I do not know where to start with this award-winning dystopian Novel. The story begins with the famous Hollywood actor, Arthur Leander, dying of a heart attack on stage during the production of King Lear.
That is also the same night that a pandemic overtakes the entire planet, quickly ending civilization within a matter of weeks. Now, without power, fuel, running water, phones, etc. those that are left must start over.
Kirsten Raymonde was a little girl when she watched Arthur die and now, twenty years later, she travels with The Traveling Symphony, a small group who try to give back some music and theatre to the small towns of survivors. When they come back to St Deborah by the Water to retrieve their friends, they are no longer there. What remains is a new kind of threat.
With Regrets by Lee Kelly
This sci-fi book is funny, scary, and poignant – a true genre-defying work of fiction unlike any other! It’s a dystopian thriller about a dinner party in a wealthy area that coincides with the dawn of a dystopian apocalypse.
When Liz begrudgingly goes to influence Britta’s dinner party, the last thing she expects is the glimmer – a strange sparkling cloud that kills everything it comes in contact with. Now Liz needs to find a way to survive the evening in a completely different way than she expected.
I was completely immersed in this novel. I didn’t want to put it down, though it did have me wondering if I could in fact survive the apocalypse. #gifted By Dreamscape Media
The Prynne Viper by Bianca Marais
Is there anything author Bianca Marais can’t do? This amazing sci-fi packs everything into a short story without the story feeling rushed. Yet, we get a full cast of characters with histories, a glimpse at the future, and a story that doesn’t stop for one minute.
Somehow in this imperfect perfect world, there is still something to fight for. Each viable human (Viper for short) must face a jury who will decide on their right to live. That jury consists of the lives that will be directly affected if that person is allowed to be born. What an amazing idea for a story. I loved it. This is one of the best dystopian novels I have read in a long time. It is an Audible exclusive and 100% a must-listen.
The Circle by Dave Eggers
The Circle is about a social network whose founders are trying to get everyone in the world to use it. They link social media, emails, banking, and purchasing in one system.
Mae Holland is hired to work at the Circle and cannot believe her luck at the opportunity. As she spends more time with the company, she begins to wonder how ideal the company really is.
The Circle does some pretty dastardly things, though it takes a while for them to flesh out completely in the book. Soon Mae begins to question how much information is too much
Vox by Christina Dalcher
Once I got into this sci-fi book /dystopian novel, I could not put it down. The story takes place in the United States when a fundamentalist has become president.
Slowly, he has removed all rights from women, including the right to speech. Every woman is given 100 words a day and a bracelet with a counter to ensure compliance.
Why We Love This Book: This book was so well-written and creepy. I loved it although I have to say that it was a little close to how I feel these days. The scariest dystopian novels, in my opinion, are the ones that seem plausible. This one does hit close to home.
Find this book in Dystopian Novels / 20 Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time
Popular Dystopian Novels: Celebrity Book Club Picks
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
May 2023 Read with Jenna Book Club Pick
This book was a doozy in the most thought-provoking way. The story is about the stars of Chain-Gang All-Stars, the reality tv show that pits prisoners against each other in gladiator-type fights to the death.
Thurwar and Staxxx are stars of the show, brutally killing anyone they come up against, but as Thurwar gets ready to win her freedom after 3 years on TV, the creatures of the show throw many hurdles in her path.
Why We Love This Book: This searing look at racism and classism feels highly relevant to today’s world when a show like this could easily exist in some states. The reality TV book was so unique. Even days later I can’t stop thinking about the all-stars, the protesters fighting for their rights, and the stunning conclusion. I’ve been thinking about it all year, so it was an easy pick for the best books of 2023 pick!
Find This Book In Dystopian Novels / Read with Jenna Book Club
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
March 2021 Good Morning America Book Club Pick
I’m not usually a sci-fi girl, but this book was just so special. It’s told from the perspective of Klara, an artificial friend who starts the story waiting to be purchased.
We see Klara’s life in the store as she waits for a friend, and then what her life is like when she’s chosen to be a companion for a young girl with a mysterious illness.
Klara draws her power from the sun, and so she believes she can use the sun’s healing rays to save her friend too.
Why We Love This Book: This moving story had me caring for a robot in a way I knew would have thought possible. It is definitely on my list of best sci-fi books of all time.
Find This Book In Best Sci-Fi Novels/ Popular Dystopian Novels / Good Morning America Book Club
The Measure
Author: Nikki Erlick
Year: 2022
Genre: Sci-Fi
More info: July 2022 Read With Jenna Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This is one of the most unique books I’ve ever read. One day everyone over the age of 22 wakes up to find a string on their doorstep. It’s soon clear that the length of one’s string determines the length of their life.
Soon short stringers are being discriminated against around the globe which begs the question – what is the true measure of a valuable life?
Why Kirsten loves it
This would be a fabulous book club book. There is so much to talk about. Don’t let the fact that this is a sci-fi book deter you if it is not your usual genre.
Find this book in: Best Books for Book Clubs / New Dystopian Novels
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
January 2022 Read with Jenna Book Club Pick
This book, about a mother sent to a reform institute after making a parenting mistake, is billed as satire. The problem was I felt equal parts uneasy and angry.
The “school” she was sent to simulates parenting under extreme conditions in a way that is detrimental to the parents and the kids. I didn’t find it entertaining, but rather disturbing and anger-provoking. This book about motherhood is sure to invoke some lively conversation.
The scenarios and treatment of mothers and kids were strange and unreasonable. It was just not a great story for me at this point in the pandemic.
Find This Book In Read with Jenna Book Club / Modern Dystopian Novels
The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton
December 2022 GMA Book Club Pick
Set in the not-so-distant future, this dystopian novel describes a world where climate change is wreaking havoc on our planet.
Wanda is born during her namesake hurricane, to a mother who dies on the same night. As Wanda grows, she has to deal with the worsening landscape of a world dying around her. As she tries to survive, she also navigates relationships with loved ones and the surrounding community.
Why I Like it: I’ve never read a dystopian novel that hit so close to home. With the climate crisis at a breaking point, this felt like reading about an inevitable future.
Find this book in Thought-Provoking Books / Best Books for Book Clubs / Dystopian Novels
Classic Dystopian Novels: The Big Three
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Bradbury’s classic dystopian novel is one of the most well-known pieces of modern literature but I hadn’t read it! I don’t usually gravitate to books like this, but I had heard so many people speak about the relevancy of this novel today.
It’s so true. This sci-fi book offers a grim look at our future if our society continues down the road of this technology obsession we seem to have.
Guy Montag is a fireman whose job is to destroy anything illegal including books. People are expected to spend the day with their television. When he meets a new young neighbor, he begins to question everything he has learned.
Why We Love This Book: This is a dystopian novel that was ahead of its time. Not only does this book stand the test of time, but more than 60 years after its publication, it is even more relevant to our society and our obsession with technology.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
I won’t say how many years it has been since I read this book. But I will tell you that I haven’t forgotten any of it. It is one of those thought-provoking books that will have you thinking about it for years to come.
Set in a future in which all humans are genetically bred to uphold a particular place in society without question, the cost has been freedom in all aspects of the word.
Why We Love This Book: This dystopian novel was published in 1932 and more than 90 years later, it is more true than it ever was. When the book was published, genetic engineering was a thing of sci-fi novels and now, this book reads more like an anti-how-to guide.
1984
Author: George Orwell
Year: 1949
Genre: Dystopian Fiction
More info: PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick
Age Range: 14+
Plot
This dystopian novel was published in 1949, just 4 years after the end of WWII. Therefore, it is not surprising that this novel centers around totalitarianism and a state he modeled after Nazi Germany.
This book takes place in an imagined 1984 in which the world is in a constant state of war. This is where the term Big Brother originated. Of all the big three dystopian novels, to me, this one is the scariest and the darkest. That is probably because everything he wrote was based on something that had happened already- we just got an alternate ending.
Why Jackie likes it
I would not say that I love this book, but I will say that it is a must-read. This is dark dystopian at its finest and, remarkably, does not seem to be so far off from the world in which Big Brother is watching. This fact makes the book even scarier.
Find this book in: Books Set in the 80s / Best Dystopian Novels of All Time
Must-Read Dystopian Novels
The Handmaid’s Tale
Author: Margaret AtwoodÂ
Year: 1985
Genre: Dystopian
More info: A hit series on Hulu
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read.
She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant because, in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable.
Offred remembers when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge, her husband Luke, and her daughter But all of that is gone now….
Trigger Warnings
Dystopian, lack of women’s rights
Why Jackie loves it
This dystopian novel is scary because of how convincing it is. There is a reason this novel by Canadian Author, Margaret Atwood, has won awards. It will make you think differently about everything.
Find this book in: Thought-Provoking Books / Book Adaptations on Netflix / Dystopian Novels / Epistolary Novels
Dune by Frank Herbert
I read this sci-fi book after I watched the first movie. The movie was surprisingly true to the first half of the book and I cannot wait to see the second movie which is in theatres now.
Twenty thousand years in the future, humans live on multiple planets. The most important substance is called Spice. It is a psychedelic substance that is the only thing that allows for space travel and it is found in only one place, Dune. As forces fight for control of Spice, they are also fighting for existence and continuing their way of life. This is the first in a dystopian novel series of six books
YA Dystopian Novels
The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Year: 2008
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
More info: Hunger Games #1
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 12+
Plot
This is the first book in the Hunger Games series and it is epic! In the aftermath of what was once North America, there are 12 Districts surrounding the capital.
Each year, each district sends one boy and one girl to fight to the death in a competition called “The Hunger Games”. Katniss Everdeen volunteers as a tribute to save her younger sister, Prim, from certain death in the games where it is kill-or-be-killed.
Trigger Warnings
Death, Violence
Why Jackie loves it
This sci-fi book has everything but at its heart, it is a book about family, love, and survival. This book has a heart while also being a total pageturner!
Why Kirsten loves it
I’m not usually a sci-fi girly, but Jackie convinced me to read this one and I finished the entire series in a week and immediately binged the movies!
Find this book in: Books Like The Hunger Games / Young Adult Fantasy Series / Books About Sisters / Sci-Fi Books / Books Like Fourth Wing / YA Dystopian Novels / Fun Books for Teens / The Best Books Like Fourth Wing / Best YA Romance Books
The Selection
Author: Kiera Cass
Year: 2013
Genre: YA Sci-Fi Romance
More info: The Selection #1
Spice Rating:đź’‹
Age Range: 12+
Plot
This incredible series is so much fun – think The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor. It’s a reality TV royal match-making contest in a dystopian world. But in this case, the bachelor happens to be the future king. America Singer, our leading lady, is selected against all odds to be a contestant, forcing her to leave behind her love, Aspen.
When America meets Prince Maxon by mistake before the start of the show, she isn’t expecting to be so enamored with him. Should she try to win his heart or stay true to her love for Aspen?
Why Kirsten loves it
I love royal stories, romances, reality TV books, and high drama so this book was made for me! The covers of the series aren’t bad on the eyes either. This series was pure magic and just so fun.
Why Jackie loves it
This is one of my favorite books about royals. It also happens to be the reason that Beyond the Bookends exists, but that is an entirely different story.
Find this book in: Books Like The Selection / Ultimate List of YA Fantasy / Books Like ACOTAR / Books Like the Hunger Games/ YA Dystopian Books / Fun Books for Teens / Best YA Romance Books
The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Tally is about to turn 16, the time when every teen will undergo radical and high-tech surgery to make them unnaturally beautiful. Before the surgery, teens are sequestered because of how ugly they are to look at.
When Tally’s best friend runs away to live with a group of people who have rejected the surgery, her life takes a spin. She must choose to track down her friend and betray her or live as “an ugly” for the rest of her life.
It took me a while to wrap my head around just how messed up this society is but I couldn’t stop turning the pages.
Find this book in Young Adult Dystopian Novels / Books Like The Hunger Games
The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry
Year: 1993
Genre: Science Fiction
Age: 13+
More info: The Giver #1, Newbery Medal Winner
Plot
Set in a dystopian world, the main character Jonas is special because he is the Receiver. In his idyllic community, he is the one who holds the secrets. As he meets with the Giver to receive the secrets and learn about life before his community began, his eyes are opened to the kind of world he is living in and just how different it is to the way the world used to be.
Trigger Warnings
Child death, Death, Suicide
Why Kirsten loves it
This classic book for kids is one of the most influential novels of our time and one of the best sci-fi books ever written. I vividly remember the ending of this story and how emotional I got while reading it as a preteen in school. The movie is not my favorite adaptation, but it’s also worth watching.
Find this book in: Books Like the Hunger Games / YA Dystopian Novels / Coming-of-Age books for Teens
What is a Dystopian Novel
A dystopian novel is a book that is centered around a society that is full of injustice. Many dystopian fiction novels have a strong interplay with science fiction since these books often take place in the future and depict a post-apocalyptic world.
Dystopian Novels like the big three, often have a social commentary as well.
What Are The Big Three Dystopian Novels?
Young Adult Dystopian Novels
Do you love dystopian novels, we have a list of our favorite YA dystopian novels you will love.
