Top 10 Best Dystopian Novels

Imagine a world where your thoughts are crimes, your choices are illusions, and your future is rigged before you're even born. That's a dystopia. It's not just a place where things are bad. It's where things are as bad as they could possibly get. Governments don't just lie, they rewrite truth. Technology doesn't connect people, it cages them. Freedom isn't lost. It was never allowed.

Dystopian novels don't exist just to entertain. They're fire alarms with pages. The authors are sounding the sirens, warning what could happen if we hand over too much power, ignore creeping control, or forget to question the rules we're told are for our own good. These books throw you into nightmare scenarios not just to scare you but to shake you awake.

Which of these fictional hellscapes hit hardest? Which authors got the warnings right or crafted the most unforgettable broken worlds?

The Top Ten

1984 (George Orwell)

This book is a masterpiece and most definitely presents a chilling image of what the world could become, and is unfortunately on a path towards. Just look around. The indoctrination of our youth, the redefining of our language, and the presentation of contradictory ideas as one. All to confuse the citizens and make them subservient. Pair the alarmingly relevant message with great characters and a compelling plot, and 1984 is undoubtedly one of the greatest classics of all time.

George Orwell is a genius. I was on the top ten authors a couple of minutes ago, and I was actually so mad that J.K. Rowling was placed before him. 1984 is such a chilling and beautifully written book. It truly was the magnum opus of the 20th century. I will even go as far as to say that it is surpassed only by the Bible in terms of mastery. George Orwell was seriously on a different level.
The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)

I am so obsessed with The Hunger Games. Absolutely my favorite book and book series ever! No words can express my feelings for this book.

Almost, sadly, a perfect picture of a completely structured world.
To the point, not unlike themes in others, death and dying is structured in as entertainment.

Hands down my absolute favorite dystopia ever (and my favorite book series, period)! Ingenious, intense, breathtaking, heartbreaking, terrifying, and somehow beautiful all at the same time. Truly phenomenal in every way.
In order, my ten favorites are these: (1) The Hunger Games, (2) Maze Runner, (3) Legend, (4) Brave New World, (5) The Giver, (6) Fahrenheit 451, (7) Mortal Engines, (8) The 5th Wave, (9) The Testing, (10) Divergent.
Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)

This book is one of the greatest I've ever read. A well-designed plot and so relevant in so many ways. I find it frightening how much this book mirrors the present, from the over-sexualization of society to the superiority of one class just because they were born that way, to even everyone taking drugs (soma in the book).
I think Brave New World is ingeniously written and definitely deserves to be read more.

Seriously, the best dystopian novel ever. These preteen dystopias are all about love. The classics such as Brave New World, 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and We actually mean something. They have a message.
I strongly recommend anyone who thinks The Hunger Games and Divergent are true dystopian novels to give these a try.
Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)

To me, since I only read Fahrenheit 451 and 1984, it was a toss-up between the two books. I like how 1984 conveys fear about totalitarianism, but I think I have to give my award to Fahrenheit 451. Fahrenheit 451 has an interesting and creative setting where books are illegal and firefighters only burn books.
I love every event of the story: the beginning, the middle, and even the end. I love how analytical Ray Bradbury is about how people behave if they only rely on technology and never on books. The dystopian future is what inspired me to read this book. I couldn't imagine a world without books until Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.
1984 is a scarier concept in my opinion, but I think I would prefer reading a book about books and why they are important to society.
Lord of the Flies (William Golding)

That one person who was going on a rant about how terrible this book is.
1. The writing style is old because the book is old. It's a modern classic, so it's obviously going to be written that way.
2. Although the idea of boys being stranded on an island is fairly common, no former author had thought of their descent into savagery and the fact that they were fighting themselves, not pirates.
3. It's your opinion that the plot is boring, but it's original, and the writing style is different.
Thank you and good night.

I love this book, but I have to give my vote to Battle Royale. Although this novel had excellent themes.
Divergent (Veronica Roth)

Not my favorite favorite, but still really good. Personally, I am a non-power-hungry Erudite.
But there's one thing I do not understand. Why is everyone so obsessed with Four/Tobias? In my opinion, Uriah was better.

What? Just because The Hunger Games is more popular doesn't mean it's better! I loved Divergent. I needed to lie on my bed to recover after reading book three.
A word of advice, Veronica: don't kill off characters. Oh, and Battle Royale was so similar to The Hunger Games that I'm surprised it's not above HG.
The Maze Runner (James Dashner)

One of the comments under "A Handmaid's Tale" says that there are some decent new dystopian novels. Well, this is one of them, and I think it's even listed. Worth your time much more than Divergent, and at least it has a believable concept. Read it!

I truly don't think any of these can hold a candle to The Hunger Games (just my opinion), but if any of them come even close to competing, it's this series. The Maze Runner and The Fever Code are hands down the best of the five.

I don't know why it's so underrated. It's an amazing book! The story is planned and keeps the reader glued. One of the best books!
The Giver (Lois Lowry)

A happier picture of dystopian, but still, in the structure, people wanted more, or at least the one who knew, because their position was to know.
Very, very good.

I read this when I was in middle school for a report and was very, very pleasantly surprised. The storyline and premise are very interesting and original. It is written for children but still sparks interest.
An amazing book overall, its simplicity and shortness make it even more haunting.

So beautifully written. I love all the places, so different, almost like other worlds. I read the first book when I was really young (like 7 or 8) and I didn't know about the other books. They are strung together so well, and each place has its own traditions.
10/10 recommend.
A Clockwork Orange (Anthony Burgess)

This is the greatest novel and movie in my opinion. Nothing can beat the classic and very well-written A Clockwork Orange.
The Time Machine (H. G. Wells)

Love this story, even though it is filled with sadness too. But it is also filled with want, hope, learning, leaving, and accepting.
Should be higher.

The Newcomers

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Contagion (Teri Terry)
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Metropolis (Thea von Harbou)

Perfect example of dystopian.

The Contenders

The Running Man (Stephen King)

Pretty much one of the best settings created by King.
Battle Royale (Koushun Takami)

I am very ashamed to say that I once believed that The Hunger Games was a masterpiece. Then I read this. And then I read a plethora of other dystopian masterpieces, including The Running Man, Brave New World, and 1984 (which were all incredible, by the way), and many more.
The Hunger Games is preteen garbage! Believe me, I used to be a huge fan. But looking back, I feel stupid for ever liking it. It's just a bunch of crappy romance and poorly written characters. The environment was generic, and the villain was weak.
Battle Royale, on the other hand, is incredibly written with very developed characters. In The Hunger Games, we don't learn anything about anyone except Katniss (who is a horrible character, by the way), so there's really no reason to feel bad for them when they meet their demises. Hell, some of them don't even get names. In Battle Royale, you feel bad when characters die because everyone gets a detailed backstory (in case you aren't aware, THG and BR have pretty much the same premise, but BR came out first).
Also, Takami is an expert at delving into psychology. This novel is gritty, realistic, and very action-packed, but it leaves enough time for moral themes and character depth. Please, if you liked The Hunger Games, give this novel a read. It was the best reading-related decision I have ever made in my life and is what I believe to be the spark of my maturity. I'm very sorry to rant, but if you give this novel the time, you'll understand my outrage. Thank you.
Among the Hidden (Margaret Peterson Haddix)

Imagine a world where you can only have two kids. Some, though, break that rule and have more. These third children are hidden away and will be taken from their families if they are discovered.
In this world, you either get a horrible, depressing novel or a work of art. This book is the latter. Go read it. It's really well-written and makes you think really hard.
The Handmaid's Tale (Margaret Atwood)

The Canadian storyteller who created a world of such sadness. I couldn't read the whole book, it tore my heart.
A dystopian world now lives in my mind because of this author.
Gone (Michael Grant)

Gripping six books. It would take people more than three months to finish, but all worth it for this epic series with a plot twist around every corner of Perdido Beach.
The Stand (Stephen King)

No way. I thought this book was science fiction or dark fantasy, so I didn't expect to see it here. But if you consider it dystopian, it's got to be in the top 5. Stephen King managed to weave a masterpiece into a whopping 1,152 pages and keep the reader hooked until the very end.
I just finished this a couple of weeks ago and I literally stayed up until around 3 a.m. to finish because I just couldn't put it down. The whole book is just so jarring and shocking but still has the consistency of a masterpiece.
Legend (Marie Lu)

Honestly, not the most thrilling series ever, but it contains a lot of wholesome lessons and beautiful characters. I think that of all the series listed here, this is the only one that really shows us what true love is.
June and Day's sacrifices warm and break your heart at the same time, showing that they are forever willing to put each other above themselves. Once again, it's not super heart-pounding or gripping or brilliant, but the extraordinary character development has to be the best in the teen/romance/dystopian/drama group.

I cried so hard during this series. How is this number 22?! This is as good (maybe even better) than The Hunger Games, and I love The Hunger Games!
Day and June forever.
PS: If you liked the series, read the sequel Rebel. It's from Eden and Day's (although in the book he's Daniel) perspectives about their new life in Ross City and... it's just really good, okay?! Just read it.
The Testing (Joelle Charbonneau)

This series felt a little like a mish-mash of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Maze Runner, but it definitely had its own uniqueness to offer. Honestly, the characters aren't very relatable, but I still think it was very well-written and certainly worth reading.

This is like a combo of The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner. I love this trilogy.

Major Hunger Games vibes, but it is an amazing book.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Philip K. Dick)

This simply should be higher.
This is the story that helped give us Blade Runner, and both show a world of people stuck and wanting…
The Selection (Kiera Cass)

Originally, I thought this was a romance, but it is also dystopian. I don't generally read romance, but this was an exception. Characters are forced to leave, which feels like they die (like in The Hunger Games), though less violently. It's a game that America doesn't want to be in, but she falls in love.

I had no clue this was a dystopia. Then again, I haven't read it in years.

America spends too much time going, "I love him, I love him not." Nah.
Delirium (Lauren Oliver)

This is the best book for me. Divergent comes next, then The Hunger Games.

Best series I have read since The Hunger Games.
Uglies (Scott Westerfeld)

This book is awesome. I like the storyline as it is pretty different from other dystopian novels.

This book is amazing! I loved it. Read all of them!
Anthem (Ayn Rand)

Absolute masterpiece by Ayn. Unfortunately, it is rather short, but still a fantastic read for decently long car or plane rides. Unbelievable ending that ties everything together so wonderfully. Ayn Rand is one of the greatest.
The Gunslinger (Stephen King)
We (Yevgeny Zamyatin)

This is the grandfather of all dystopias.