10 Best Dystopian Novels of All Time

6 min.

World’s 10 Best Dystopian Novels of All Time

10 Best Dystopian Novels of All Time – Dystopia can be quite bleak which makes it even seem odd how the genre is so popular today. However, there is always a certain level allure that dystopia holds that can never be experienced with any other genre of novels. Over the years, dystopias have become some of the best novels of all time in literature. This is such a fascinating genre where more and more disillusioned writers are typically telling a cautionary tale by warning us of where our current social, cultural and political surroundings might take us.

Typically, all novels in the dystopia world share common motifs. In that, the authors circle around some of the darkest things about humanity with the ideas revolving around mass entertainment, brutality, technology, designer drugs, suppression of the common individual by all-powerful state governments in the dystopian fiction. It’s through satiric irony that the writers have been able to unearth the darkest of humanity and presented a destructive vision of how the future society might be.

But like all other genres that have reached skyrocketing heights, there are so many authors that have jumped on to this bandwagon. This makes it quite hard deciding which dystopia novel in the market might be the best one for you. However, you need not worry about this genre being crowded. I will help you weed out some of the gems right from the duds by giving you recommendations so that you can broaden the scope of your TBR list.

This post contains some affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I’ll earn a commission, at no additional cost to you.

1. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Brief Synopsis

Biotechnology is king. The brave new world depicts a society where all the babies are hatched, graded then mind-controlled to accept whatever position they are given in the society. In this case, the alphas are all tall, smart and beautiful while being given the chance to run everything….

Buy Now : Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

See full review here: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley – 10 Best Dystopian Novels of All Time

2. The Time Machine by H. G. Wells

Brief Synopsis

Imagine taking a trip to the future and finding the entire human race is dead? In the Novel, Time machine by Wells, a time traveler discovers a machine that he uses to travel into the future. Little did he know, he will be traveling to the scariest future of mankind! The unnamed hero travels 30 million years into the future making this a ghost story brought to its logical ne plus ultra….

Buy Now : The Time Machine by H. G. Wells

See full review here:The Time Machine by H. G. Wells – 10 Best Dystopian Novels of All Time

3. 1984 by George Orwell

Brief Synopsis

This novel focuses on a character known as Winston smith who is depicted as an everyman who lives in the Oceania. Oceania is a future state which has a ruling authoritarian political party that controls simply everything. Winston happens to be a member of the lower members of the party as he has a working post in the ministry of truth…..

Buy Now : 1984 by George Orwell

See full review here: 1984 by George Orwell – 10 Best Dystopian Novels of All Time

4. We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

Brief Synopsis

We by Zamyatin is a book that has laid emphasis on a character by the name D-503 who is a mathematician. He foresees a future where he will be able to make an integral first-ever rocket seen in the estate. Although he is a superb citizen, D-503 follows all the movements of the table to the letter. He mocks the irregularities of the ancient music while on the other hand praising the rhythms of engines and the human lives that are being basically choreographed from above…

Buy Now : We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

See full review here: We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

5. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

Brief Synopsis

Snowman, a character in the book, lives in an outdoor setting near a water body with a group of alien entities, Crakers. The Crakers are full of questions and they always bring Snowman one fish every week. In the story, Snowman experiences anger from a man known as Crake. Crake is fond of and still hears the voice of Oryx.

Buy Now : Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

See full review here: Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

6. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Brief Synopsis

Fahrenheit 451 is a book that has its plot set across a futuristic society that finds happiness and pleasure in shallow waters. In that, people in this society achieve their pleasures from what look like wall-sized TV screens as well as small meaningless talk. In this society, it’s more of a sin to think and things like books which are depicted as the vehicles of new and different ideas are banned in this society.

Buy Now : Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

See full review here: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury – 10 Best Dystopian Novels of All Time

7. The Giver by Lois Lowry

Brief Synopsis

In a world with some of the common problems eliminated, such as global warming and employment, there’s very little hope and love. All these problems are eliminated with a cost; free will, colours, and love. The book is actually about a young lad known as Jonas. Jonas is special….

Buy Now : The Giver by Lois Lowry

See full review here: The Giver by Lois Lowry

8. Divergent by Veronica Roth

Brief Synopsis

This book circles around the life pf Beatrice who is born to an abnegation family. She lives to uphold all the ideals of her parents despite the fact that she is only allowed to look at the mirror only once per year. More to that, she is outfitted in to the drabbest and plainest clothing. All in all, Beatrice strives to be as kind as the mother, calmer than the older brother and an ideal civil servant like the father….

Buy Now : Divergent by Veronica Roth

See full review here: Divergent by Veronica Roth – 10 Best Dystopian Novels of All Time

9. The Handmaid’s Tale by Atwood

Brief Synopsis

Offred, a handmaid in Gilead, serves the commander and his wife. Serena Joy, the wife of the commander, is a former gospel singer and has always advocated for ‘traditional values’. In this book, there is a dangerously low rate of reproduction. That is why Handmaids are forced to bear children for some of the elite couples who might have trouble conceiving…..

Buy Now : The Handmaid’s Tale by Atwood

See full review here: The Handmaid’s Tale by Atwood

10. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Brief Synopsis

Red queen takes us to a fantasy setting where the world is divided into two groups depending on their blood colour. The silver blooded are gifted with amazing powers (imagine x-men with the abilities of Dracula) and live in pure luxury. On the other hand, red-blooded suffer from extreme levels of poverty. What’s more, they are treated as inferiors by the silver blooded……

Buy Now : Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

See full review here: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard – 10 Best Dystopian Novels of All Time

Conclusion 10 Best Dystopian Novels of All Time

Hope you have enjoyed my list of 10 Best Dystopian Novels of All Time? Take time to explore my commentary and share your views on these classic and important pieces of literature. Remember these books are supposed to be a warning not a road-map to serfdom. Please be sure to click all the links for detailed reviews of each book, all of the books I have read and enjoyed at least twice in one case 7 times but as I said at least twice.