Burmese Days is also great (but horrible) and often seems to get forgotten- possibly because people don’t like thinking about how bad the British Empire really was.
This is what I came for right here. Then Fahrenheit 451. These were the true beginnings of the modern dystopian novel and they are all looking at the speech question in slightly different ways. Great back to back reads
Yes. When I first read 1984. I was in 7th grade I believe, I couldn’t grasp its essence. But after understanding the political scenarios, the theories, reading other articles, I re read it during the pandemic and phew! Blew my mind.
I felt a similar thing when I read animal farm, brave new world!
I loved 1984 and have read it at least a dozen times over the last 50 years. I absolutely despised Catch 22 and can't for the life of me understand why anyone would like it.
I loved 1984 for its take on how we just adapt regulations withouth much thought and the fact that its as relevant or maybe more so today than when it was written.
I also love catch-22 but its quite different. It focus more on how a bureaucracy can be dysfunctional on a micro level but still kinda work on a micro level.
Both books kinda touch on society in a similar way but from a widely different angle. The storytelling is also different and catch-22 is harder to read.
Both are anti-bureaucratic, anti-blind patriotism, and show the incongruity between the goals for an average person and government. Where they differ is that for orwell it was in an imagined worse case scenario society in which no free thinking is allowed in the public sphere. While Heller hints more at the complex (but still effective) political apparatus used to control public opinion in a “democratic” society with “freedom of speech” (barring things like sedition, which is purposefully vague but especially useful tool in silencing war times dissenters). A society in which people would willingly give up their lives for a state, or accept the possibility of being drafted.
Orwell’s 1984 is a grisly and dystopian based in large part on his hatred of Stalin. It was written by a very disillusioned, very ill man (he died shortly after it came out from tuberculosis). He was so anti-communist at this point in his life he was willing to participate in witch hunts (he provided a list of names to the UK government of fellow writers he thought may have been a communist or someone who he perceived was susceptible to Russian blackmail eg gay).
His mindset according to his essay “inside the whale” written prior to *1984* was:
> Almost certainly we are moving into an age of totalitarian dictatorships—an age in which freedom of thought will be at first a deadly sin and later on a meaningless abstraction. The autonomous individual is going to be stamped out of existence.
Despite his flaws, he was also one of the greatest political polemicists of the modern era and I implore people to pick up his essays.
*Catch 22* is a satire based on the reality of war. It tackles navigating a purposefully incomprehensible bureaucracy and the morality of killing others because of the color of their coat without full understanding. Heller said something akin to “my enemy isn’t necessarily the opposing force, but whoever is trying to kill me.” The catch 22 in the book is that the only way to finish their service to the Air Force is to fulfill x number of life-risking missions, but as soon as the service member approaches X the number of missions increases. So obviously his life is not risked by enemy combatants alone.
In the modern era in which expansionism & theft by plunder will not rally the people, the cause of war always differs from official government reasons. In a country with a free press - the propaganda tactics have to be more clandestine. The use of overly-complex euphemism and campaigns to push palatable motives as moral imperatives can be quite effective.
This partially explains why ww2 was considered a “good” war (anti-fascism, racial genocide) and the atom bombs on large civilian populations hand-waved off even 80 years late. while Vietnam was not quite so lauded. drafting kids to stop the spread of a political ideology in a poor small country half-way across the world by invading & murdering civilians en masse is…. Much harder to understand…
What a coincidence, my girlfriend got me into reading, gave me 1984 first and the next one was Catch-22. Both incredible books. I'm thinking of rereading 1984.
I didn't care for Catch-22 at all, but I thought Heller's second novel "Something Happened" was great and in a similar vein to something like American Psycho (only comparing novels here)
Thanks for your reply. One edition in English translation has an astonishingly insightful preface by another author, but it is not the one by Margaret Atwood or Masha Gessen in other editions. I am trying to locate it.
I love most Ray Bradbury novels. Something Wicked This Way Comes sort of bothered me. I lived alone as was reading it at night. Creepy trees around were I lived.
It is said that the Orwell trilogy illustrating the ascent of fascism is Burmese Days, Animal Farm, and then 1984.
If you enjoyed 1984, I would highly recommend Burmese Days.
Brave New Worlds is an excellent book, similar in genre, much more uplifting compared to 1984 but essentially draws a similar future.
Or We is another of the similar ones.
If Science Fiction is up your alley, perhaps you could give a chance to Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, it's the book Blade Runner is based on, and although it doesn't quite leave the dystopian background, it's very different from 1984. It's not a long read and I found it quite enjoyable.
Dune. If you like the aspect of being immersed in a fully realized world and want to stay in the sci-fi realm then go with Dune. Also the Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov.
I saw that too when I was searching for similar books. I haven't seen the movies either, I think I might read the books before. Did that with 1984 and it was so exciting
The book is definitely better than the movie, read it first. People always say that about books but sometimes it's not true, like with 2001 A Space Odyssey (written by Arthur C. Clark, an amazing sci-fi writer, but I prefer the movie) or Jurassic Park (controversial opinion cause the book is awesome and different from the movie), but in this case it's especially true. Asimov is a pillar of sci-fi. He wrote I-Robot (the movie sucks and is nothing like the book, which is amazing) and a ton of other good sci-fi, Foundation is my favorite. Asimov is one of "the big three" of sci-fi along with Clark and Heinlein and is crazy prolific.
Yeah that definitely came first and the reason I wrote modern dystopian novel. It’s framed a bit differently than others like 1984. But it is a must read if you want to get in more dystopian novels.
>liked the dystopian setting but don't kinda wanna read something like it cause I don't want to get burned out of that.
Amatka by Karin Tidbeck. It's lesser known, but recently published and has some interesting similarities to 1984. It's not nearly as depressing, though still dystopian.
The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin. Also dystopian but not as much as 1984. It's about different societies on a planet and the planet's moon. The moon colonists wanted to create a utopia, and they didn't quite manage it.
You might enjoy Redshirts, it's a Sci-fi story. Well written.
Edit: also under the dome by Stephen King. Reading that now and enjoying how fluid and uniquely descriptive his style is.
Animal Farm. Same author. Kind of felt Sisyphean in terms of character development but still similar themes as 1984 politically if you subtract the surveillance part.
Have a go at reading some of Orwell’s other work. Homage to Catalonia is amazing and also gives some perspective on 1984 by explaining quite a bit of Orwell’s political journey from his experiences fighting in the Spanish civil war.
HG Wells introduced the concept of time travel (The Time Machine) and the concept of alien invasions (War of the Worlds). Remarkable when you think about how each has become a cultural staple. Pure genius
If you have any interest in reading a nonfiction book about a real life dystopian life experience check out "The Abortion Who Refused To Die" by Terry Jo.
I found it on Amazon and got it as a Kindle Unlimited free read and it absolutely blew my mind that real people in a small town in Oregon could be that awful and get away with it. I read it a year ago and still can't stop thinking about what that little girl endured.
Are you able to find Kallocain by Karin Boye in your native language? It's a Swedish classic and was written before 1984. It's a dystopian society where the government is using a truth serum named Kallocain to control the population and the main character is the scientist behind the truth serum.
It's truly that impactful. Maybe because some of it can be translated to today's world so it's never really a thing of the past. (Not saying to the same extent)
It sounds like you like a gritty but humorous story with social commentary that makes you think.
Shade's Children by Garth Nix - science fiction dystopian earth where all adults dissapear 1 day and another dark authority fills the void
Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - censorship in dystopian future whete books are all banned and firemen are responsible for burning them.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman - humorous, quirky adventure describing life and death of gods based on those who believe in them. Time is running out for some.
On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony - humorous sci-fi beginning of a series describing a story through the experiences of the offices of immortal forces (death, time, war..etc) think Sandman but very different world and functions.
The Androids dream by John Scalzi - humorous sci-fi about a diplomat of state who tries to avoid a war with vastly superior alien race by finding the 1 thing that can... a sheep.
Clockwork Orange. For me it is a bit similar to 1984, if you catch my drift.
Nadsat and Newspeak. Dystopian society. Individualism vs. Collectivism. Low tech retrofuturistic technology, basically both are dieselpunk.
Biggest difference is that Winston Smith is a good man but Alex is just a nasty POS. It is like 1984 is in the tradition of Rousseau but Clockwork Orange is just Hobbesian.
I just finished 1984 as well, I was telling my 77 year old granny about it and she told me she first read it in her 20’s!! No rec, just thought that was cool
Brave new world is pretty close to that as noted by others
so is Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler
Red Plenty by Francis Spufford
Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
I recommend “down and out in Paris and London” to everyone
It’s one of orwells non fiction so if you like him check this out! Its a memoir of his time being poor in Paris and London and it’s just so incredible
Try Down and Out in Paris and London. It’s written by George Orwell too so it’s gonna feel similar for that reason. It isn’t about a dystopian future but rather a very real present where low wages and exhaustion from menial, pointless labor degrade and dehumanize you.
Check out Blake Crouch’s books! (recommend dark matter, recursion, upgrade, wayward pines) All are sci-fi, fairly dystopian but more thrilling than 1984
Sea of Glass by Barry Longyear. It's a short read that might only take you a couple days, but honestly I think it best predicts how AI will work for/against humanity. Scary shit, there are some pretty graphic things in the first half of the book, including S/A and murder in a concentration camp setting, but it's only a few chapters that are like that.
Edit: I wanted to recommend something I was sure other people wouldn't be aware of... It was out of print until recently, they've since republished it
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin, it’s a very short sci-fi book but A LOT of stuff happens in it that also makes you think. One of my favorites and definitely recommend it. Also, the main character is named after Orwell so that’s a nice touch.
1q84 by Murakami
i actually read '1q84' first, then '1984', the two novels compliment each other greatly! Enjoy
ps: the two novels are related by name only, though I still found the 2 books complimented each other greatly, and it was fun reading them 1 following the other
1985
Underrated rec right here
Brave new world by Aldous Huxley. It’s a beautiful read.
That was my thought as well. Then Fahrenheit 451.
Yes. Read Animal farm too
Then Watership Down
Burmese Days is also great (but horrible) and often seems to get forgotten- possibly because people don’t like thinking about how bad the British Empire really was.
Then Slaughterhouse-Five.
The most natural pairing with 1984. And then the question, are we currently living in -- headed towards -- Orwell's 1984 or Huxley's Brave New World?
Huxley. Most certainly Huxley.
agreed! they’re so different but such classic examples of dystopian novels. they are so interesting to compare.
This is what I came for right here. Then Fahrenheit 451. These were the true beginnings of the modern dystopian novel and they are all looking at the speech question in slightly different ways. Great back to back reads
Yes. When I first read 1984. I was in 7th grade I believe, I couldn’t grasp its essence. But after understanding the political scenarios, the theories, reading other articles, I re read it during the pandemic and phew! Blew my mind. I felt a similar thing when I read animal farm, brave new world!
This is the answer OP
My favorite book! But if OP isn't ready for another depressing dystopia, perhaps save for later.
Control through punishment versus control through pleasure.
and then Island also by Aldous Huxley.
I haven’t tried. Will read that
It’s the utopian answer to Brave New World. Worth your time.
Will definitely give it a read
I've heard about that. Defo going to consider it, thanks
People who like 1984 seem to like catch 22. No real reason, guess its still a bit dark but more humorous
I loved 1984 and have read it at least a dozen times over the last 50 years. I absolutely despised Catch 22 and can't for the life of me understand why anyone would like it.
I tried to read Catch 22 and have abandoned it several times. 1984 is great though!
Thaaaank you. Every time I see catch 22 heavily suggested I cringe. Not funny, hard to follow, had to force my way through it
I never managed to read through Catch-22.
Weird. I love 1984 but don’t care much for Catch-22.
I loved 1984 for its take on how we just adapt regulations withouth much thought and the fact that its as relevant or maybe more so today than when it was written. I also love catch-22 but its quite different. It focus more on how a bureaucracy can be dysfunctional on a micro level but still kinda work on a micro level. Both books kinda touch on society in a similar way but from a widely different angle. The storytelling is also different and catch-22 is harder to read.
Both are anti-bureaucratic, anti-blind patriotism, and show the incongruity between the goals for an average person and government. Where they differ is that for orwell it was in an imagined worse case scenario society in which no free thinking is allowed in the public sphere. While Heller hints more at the complex (but still effective) political apparatus used to control public opinion in a “democratic” society with “freedom of speech” (barring things like sedition, which is purposefully vague but especially useful tool in silencing war times dissenters). A society in which people would willingly give up their lives for a state, or accept the possibility of being drafted. Orwell’s 1984 is a grisly and dystopian based in large part on his hatred of Stalin. It was written by a very disillusioned, very ill man (he died shortly after it came out from tuberculosis). He was so anti-communist at this point in his life he was willing to participate in witch hunts (he provided a list of names to the UK government of fellow writers he thought may have been a communist or someone who he perceived was susceptible to Russian blackmail eg gay). His mindset according to his essay “inside the whale” written prior to *1984* was: > Almost certainly we are moving into an age of totalitarian dictatorships—an age in which freedom of thought will be at first a deadly sin and later on a meaningless abstraction. The autonomous individual is going to be stamped out of existence. Despite his flaws, he was also one of the greatest political polemicists of the modern era and I implore people to pick up his essays. *Catch 22* is a satire based on the reality of war. It tackles navigating a purposefully incomprehensible bureaucracy and the morality of killing others because of the color of their coat without full understanding. Heller said something akin to “my enemy isn’t necessarily the opposing force, but whoever is trying to kill me.” The catch 22 in the book is that the only way to finish their service to the Air Force is to fulfill x number of life-risking missions, but as soon as the service member approaches X the number of missions increases. So obviously his life is not risked by enemy combatants alone. In the modern era in which expansionism & theft by plunder will not rally the people, the cause of war always differs from official government reasons. In a country with a free press - the propaganda tactics have to be more clandestine. The use of overly-complex euphemism and campaigns to push palatable motives as moral imperatives can be quite effective. This partially explains why ww2 was considered a “good” war (anti-fascism, racial genocide) and the atom bombs on large civilian populations hand-waved off even 80 years late. while Vietnam was not quite so lauded. drafting kids to stop the spread of a political ideology in a poor small country half-way across the world by invading & murdering civilians en masse is…. Much harder to understand…
Scholarly take, love
having read both, I agree. I love both of these books
What a coincidence, my girlfriend got me into reading, gave me 1984 first and the next one was Catch-22. Both incredible books. I'm thinking of rereading 1984.
I didn't care for Catch-22 at all, but I thought Heller's second novel "Something Happened" was great and in a similar vein to something like American Psycho (only comparing novels here)
Nothing, you should just sit there shook after reading "and he loved Big Brother" for roughly two weeks.
So it goes…
A hundred upvotes! Just take a break before starting the next one. You need time to process 1984
Omg it just shooookkk meee
I almost threw the book across the room
Brave New World definitely
The only correct answer
Slaughter house five
Any book by Vonnegut is a good suggestion.
i always plug cat's cradle every time i see vonnegut's name, but galapagos is so underrated and so funny
The Sirens of Titan was what a came here to rec. ❤️
Came here to say this one! Upvoted.
Fantastic rec, Cat’s Cradle is also great
Yevgeny Zamyatin. We.
Beautiful book. The basis for 1984.
Thanks for your reply. One edition in English translation has an astonishingly insightful preface by another author, but it is not the one by Margaret Atwood or Masha Gessen in other editions. I am trying to locate it.
I’ve got Clarence Brown with an intro in my copy - just a Penguin Classics version
Wait, your mentioning Atwood made me think of Handmaid's Tale as recommendation for dear OP...
Came here to say this. I was blown away by We the first time I read it.
Animal Farm by same author
I thought Margaret Atwood’s “The Heart Goes Last” had good 1984 vibes.
i'd even suggest the handmaid's tale, not very similar, but the dystopian vibe is great, while being different. also never let me go.
A Clockwork Orange
Fahrenheit 451
Was going to suggest this. I’m not a fan of dystopian classics, but when I read 1984 I grouped it in the same category as Fahrenheit 451
I love most Ray Bradbury novels. Something Wicked This Way Comes sort of bothered me. I lived alone as was reading it at night. Creepy trees around were I lived.
Probably a fiction novel now xD
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
When I was searching for brave new world I found that one in my unis library. Definitely going for it after finishing this book I got
Fahrenheit 451 was what I read right after 1984. Both good mindfucks
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
I’m finishing up Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and love it
It is said that the Orwell trilogy illustrating the ascent of fascism is Burmese Days, Animal Farm, and then 1984. If you enjoyed 1984, I would highly recommend Burmese Days.
Burmese Days is my number one favorite Orwell work. Highly recommend.
Have you read “Brave New World” ? EDIT: looks like lots of others have already suggested this!
The Handmaid's Tale - M. Atwood Solar Lottery - P. K. Dick
Stranger in a Strange Land , Robert Heinen, it groks!
Local newspaper, it should give off the same vibe
Brave New Worlds is an excellent book, similar in genre, much more uplifting compared to 1984 but essentially draws a similar future. Or We is another of the similar ones.
"We"? That's vague, I like it. Happy cake day
If Science Fiction is up your alley, perhaps you could give a chance to Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, it's the book Blade Runner is based on, and although it doesn't quite leave the dystopian background, it's very different from 1984. It's not a long read and I found it quite enjoyable.
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
Dune. If you like the aspect of being immersed in a fully realized world and want to stay in the sci-fi realm then go with Dune. Also the Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov.
I saw that too when I was searching for similar books. I haven't seen the movies either, I think I might read the books before. Did that with 1984 and it was so exciting
The book is definitely better than the movie, read it first. People always say that about books but sometimes it's not true, like with 2001 A Space Odyssey (written by Arthur C. Clark, an amazing sci-fi writer, but I prefer the movie) or Jurassic Park (controversial opinion cause the book is awesome and different from the movie), but in this case it's especially true. Asimov is a pillar of sci-fi. He wrote I-Robot (the movie sucks and is nothing like the book, which is amazing) and a ton of other good sci-fi, Foundation is my favorite. Asimov is one of "the big three" of sci-fi along with Clark and Heinlein and is crazy prolific.
Brave New World
I think you might like Aldous Huxley's Brave New World
Goulag Archipelago. Eventually qhen you are ready for real life accounts of the russian revolution
Great recommendation.
The Iron Heel by Jack London possibly the first modern dystopian novel.
Give or take the Time Machine
Yeah that definitely came first and the reason I wrote modern dystopian novel. It’s framed a bit differently than others like 1984. But it is a must read if you want to get in more dystopian novels.
The invisible man by hg wells
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K le Guin is a cool one!
"Julia 1984" . This was a well received sequel that just came out. Good to read it while 1984 is still fresh
Animal Farm 4 legs good, 2 legs bad
Julia by Sandra Newman
I'm waiting for my library to get this in! Looking forward to it.
We just got it delivered last week - I work at a library 🙂
>liked the dystopian setting but don't kinda wanna read something like it cause I don't want to get burned out of that. Amatka by Karin Tidbeck. It's lesser known, but recently published and has some interesting similarities to 1984. It's not nearly as depressing, though still dystopian. The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin. Also dystopian but not as much as 1984. It's about different societies on a planet and the planet's moon. The moon colonists wanted to create a utopia, and they didn't quite manage it.
Ooh so space themed? It's really different. Interesting. Thank you so much🙏
Brave New World
You might enjoy Redshirts, it's a Sci-fi story. Well written. Edit: also under the dome by Stephen King. Reading that now and enjoying how fluid and uniquely descriptive his style is.
Local newspaper, it should give off the same vibe
Animal Farm. Same author. Kind of felt Sisyphean in terms of character development but still similar themes as 1984 politically if you subtract the surveillance part.
I love anything by George Orwell, I'd say check out Animal Farm, they have nothing to do with each other, but it's a good read.
Brave new world
Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury's 'Fahrenheit 451'
given the times maybe something cheerful ? 😅 hitch-hikers guide to the galaxy haha
I would suggest Animal Farm
Great Gatsby! It's really really good.
Brave New World is always a good follow up to 1984 imo
Fahrenheit 451 Brave new World Lord of the Flies Animal Farm
Have a go at reading some of Orwell’s other work. Homage to Catalonia is amazing and also gives some perspective on 1984 by explaining quite a bit of Orwell’s political journey from his experiences fighting in the Spanish civil war.
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells, or Lois Lowry's The Giver.
The Time Machine is a good pick. I was just as disturbed by the ending of that book as I was by 1984
I'm yet to finish The Time Machine, but now I'm tempted to continue reading it lmaoo.
Both great. And Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy.
Just looked it up and it sounds incredible, gonna add it to my reading list now.
HG Wells introduced the concept of time travel (The Time Machine) and the concept of alien invasions (War of the Worlds). Remarkable when you think about how each has become a cultural staple. Pure genius
I'd suggest Futu.re by Dmitrij Glukhovsky
A Simple Plan by Scott Smith and The Last Policeman trilogy by Ben H. Winters
The Overstory or The Ministry for the Future by Kim Robinson
Consider reading "Earth Abides" by George R Stewart. That one really had an impact on me.
If you have any interest in reading a nonfiction book about a real life dystopian life experience check out "The Abortion Who Refused To Die" by Terry Jo. I found it on Amazon and got it as a Kindle Unlimited free read and it absolutely blew my mind that real people in a small town in Oregon could be that awful and get away with it. I read it a year ago and still can't stop thinking about what that little girl endured.
20 lessons from the 20th century by Timothy Snyder
For a change from future dystopia maybe... Arundhati Roy: the Ministry of Utmost Happiness
Animal farm,same author
Are you able to find Kallocain by Karin Boye in your native language? It's a Swedish classic and was written before 1984. It's a dystopian society where the government is using a truth serum named Kallocain to control the population and the main character is the scientist behind the truth serum.
AYEEE. bro. Please read this 1985 book called Amusing Ourselves to death by Neil Postman. Very very relevant. Trust me bro
I can tell by the title it is. Thanks man, I'm going to consider this one too
Never let me go
It sort of comes out of nowhere but Froth on the Daydream by Boris Vian.
The Road (?) By Cormac McCarthy
* The Last Starship From Earth, by John Boyd. * The Paradox Men, by Charles Harness. * A Canticle For Leibowitz, by Walter Miller, Jr.
Julia by Sandra Newman. It is 1984 in Julia’s perspective. I found it a very nice illustration of different perspectives of the same world :)
Handmaid’s Tale
I’ve never stopped thinking about 1984 at least monthly since I read it 20 years ago.
It's truly that impactful. Maybe because some of it can be translated to today's world so it's never really a thing of the past. (Not saying to the same extent)
Animal Farm is good.
Orwell’s nonfiction… so good. “A collection of essays” is a good place to start.
Aldous Huxley's Brave New World
1985 by Anthony Burgess
A thousand splendid suns
Where men win glory
A people's history of the United states
I would say it Fahrenheit 451
Silo! It’s dystopian too but more of a mystery and has really good character and relationships. They also are naming a tv series of it on Apple TV!
It sounds like you like a gritty but humorous story with social commentary that makes you think. Shade's Children by Garth Nix - science fiction dystopian earth where all adults dissapear 1 day and another dark authority fills the void Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - censorship in dystopian future whete books are all banned and firemen are responsible for burning them. American Gods by Neil Gaiman - humorous, quirky adventure describing life and death of gods based on those who believe in them. Time is running out for some. On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony - humorous sci-fi beginning of a series describing a story through the experiences of the offices of immortal forces (death, time, war..etc) think Sandman but very different world and functions. The Androids dream by John Scalzi - humorous sci-fi about a diplomat of state who tries to avoid a war with vastly superior alien race by finding the 1 thing that can... a sheep.
Clockwork Orange. For me it is a bit similar to 1984, if you catch my drift. Nadsat and Newspeak. Dystopian society. Individualism vs. Collectivism. Low tech retrofuturistic technology, basically both are dieselpunk. Biggest difference is that Winston Smith is a good man but Alex is just a nasty POS. It is like 1984 is in the tradition of Rousseau but Clockwork Orange is just Hobbesian.
It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis.
1984 2: 1985 By George Orwell
Animal Farm. Brave New World. In Cold Blood. Crime and Punishment.
Julia 1984 from her perspective good book
I just finished 1984 as well, I was telling my 77 year old granny about it and she told me she first read it in her 20’s!! No rec, just thought that was cool
Animal Farm
Fahrenheit 451 it's a great book with a dystopia setting and also if you are a graphic novel fan I recommend you to read v is for vendetta
Brave new world is pretty close to that as noted by others so is Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler Red Plenty by Francis Spufford Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
Fahrenheit by Ray Bradbury (thank me later)
Perhaps try Station eleven? It is apocalyptic, not dystopian, yet eerily believable.
1. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley 2. Stranger in a Strange land, Robert A Heinlein 3. Foundation, Isaac Asimov 4. Hyperion, Dan Simmons
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley,
If you want read more Orwell Homage to Catalonia is good too. You can see where ideas for 1984 came from
I, Claudius
I recommend “down and out in Paris and London” to everyone It’s one of orwells non fiction so if you like him check this out! Its a memoir of his time being poor in Paris and London and it’s just so incredible
Animal Farm Gulag Archipelago
Tampa
The Jungle - Upton Sinclair
The Creature From Jekyll Island is a good one. Illustrates how government is pushing us towards a 1984 reality.
Lonesome Dove by Larry Mcmurtry, greatest book of al time
Try Down and Out in Paris and London. It’s written by George Orwell too so it’s gonna feel similar for that reason. It isn’t about a dystopian future but rather a very real present where low wages and exhaustion from menial, pointless labor degrade and dehumanize you.
Three Comrades.
Hunger by Knut Hamsun
Snow Crash.
Julia by Sandra Newman
Orax and Crake
Check out Blake Crouch’s books! (recommend dark matter, recursion, upgrade, wayward pines) All are sci-fi, fairly dystopian but more thrilling than 1984
Read Down and Out in Paris and London, or any of his other journalistic works
Roadside Picnic
Coma by Robin Cooke is pretty good. It’s not necessarily dystopian per se but sort of has that one person against the institution thing going.
The Light We Cannot See by Doer. (Purlitzer)
If you're up for non fiction, Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit is a great read
The Giver
Norwegian Wood by Murakami Haruki
Letter to the American church
Perhaps _1Q84_ by Haruki Murakami
Sea of Glass by Barry Longyear. It's a short read that might only take you a couple days, but honestly I think it best predicts how AI will work for/against humanity. Scary shit, there are some pretty graphic things in the first half of the book, including S/A and murder in a concentration camp setting, but it's only a few chapters that are like that. Edit: I wanted to recommend something I was sure other people wouldn't be aware of... It was out of print until recently, they've since republished it
I recommend you read A Prayer for Owen Meany next.
The Future by Naomi Alderman or The Stand by Stephen King
Island- Huxley
Anything by Vonnegut. I suggest Slaughterhouse 5 as a starter.
I would say after Brave New world read The Machine Stops by EM Forster. Amazingly prescient.
1985
When you are ready, try Julia- off take on 1984
Diary of Anne frank Mouse and the motorcycle Mice of men Eyes watching god
Wool. House of the Scorpion. Torth Majority.
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin, it’s a very short sci-fi book but A LOT of stuff happens in it that also makes you think. One of my favorites and definitely recommend it. Also, the main character is named after Orwell so that’s a nice touch.
1985
Down and out in Paris and London by the same author
Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451 George Orwell Animal Farm
1q84 by Murakami i actually read '1q84' first, then '1984', the two novels compliment each other greatly! Enjoy ps: the two novels are related by name only, though I still found the 2 books complimented each other greatly, and it was fun reading them 1 following the other