Dystopian and Apocalyptic Literature

Description
This is my preset list of dystopian/utopian literature, which includes apocalyptic literature, for the purposes of this list. Feel free to vote up your recommendations and thumbs down books that are not worth reading. Keywords: dystopia, utopia, apocalypse, postapocalyptic
1
63,579 members
1,144 reviews
4
2
94,476 members
1,452 reviews
4.2
33 Members
charlenemartel, ShelfMonkey, ShellyS, aulsmith, PDE, konallis, merrystar, sturlington, greydoll, BLBera, alex68, Bluewolf0411, rretzler, Jarandel, Aug3Zimm, SonoranDreamer, gypsysmom, nagasravika.bodapati, ahef1963, nicoleop, SENSpence, pan0ramix, JoyKP, dianeham, zfak102, EvolvedMan, Vit.Z, Andrew_Orange, ManWithAnAgenda, allyrod113, Charon07, skid0612, midget84
Explanations
sturlington: Classic political dystopia. Mass surveillance, propaganda, historical deletion, mind control, and extreme totalitarianism. Required reading.
3
61,630 members
871 reviews
3.9
32 Members
charlenemartel, ShelfMonkey, amz310783, ShellyS, PDE, konallis, merrystar, sturlington, thecoroner, BLBera, alex68, rretzler, Jarandel, Aug3Zimm, SonoranDreamer, cej1027, gypsysmom, nagasravika.bodapati, ahef1963, kara.shamy, Dreesie, nicoleop, pan0ramix, JoyKP, zfak102, EvolvedMan, klcallahan13, ManWithAnAgenda, allyrod113, Charon07, skid0612, midget84
Explanations
sturlington: Classic dystopia and counterpoint to 1984. Genetic engineering, mass consumerism, mind control, totalitarianism. Required reading.
5
70,191 members
1,008 reviews
4
6
57,483 members
819 reviews
½ 3.7
24 Members
charlenemartel, BookWallah, ShellyS, PDE, sturlington, Fiamme, greydoll, BLBera, alex68, rretzler, SonoranDreamer, gypsysmom, nagasravika.bodapati, ahef1963, kara.shamy, Dreesie, nicoleop, pan0ramix, JoyKP, zfak102, Andrew_Orange, allyrod113, Charon07, midget84
Explanations
sturlington: Allegorical dystopia. Castaway boys on an uninhabited island regress to savagery.
7
18,850 members
579 reviews
3.9
8
5,710 members
123 reviews
½ 4.3
9
46,753 members
1,684 reviews
4.1
10
39,016 members
1,513 reviews
4.1
19 Members
KimarieBee, amz310783, PDE, sturlington, Fiamme, BLBera, rretzler, Jarandel, Her_Royal_Orangeness, gypsysmom, nagasravika.bodapati, kara.shamy, Verkruissen, megschristina, JoyKP, DavidCady, EvolvedMan, Rosenort, allyrod113
Explanations
sturlington: Post-apocalyptic. A man and his son wander through a desolated landscape of ashes, eking out their survival from the little that's left remaining, while trying to get... well, nowhere in particular, really.
11
22,245 members
533 reviews
4
18 Members
hipdeep, ShelfMonkey, PDE, sturlington, thecoroner, Fiamme, alex68, rretzler, Jarandel, gypsysmom, nagasravika.bodapati, JoyKP, dianeham, zfak102, EvolvedMan, ManWithAnAgenda, flemertown, izzy45
Explanations
sturlington: Philosophical futuristic dystopia. Environmental degradation, androids, existentialism.
12
13,275 members
343 reviews
3.9
19 Members
ShelfMonkey, ShellyS, aulsmith, PDE, konallis, sturlington, Fiamme, Bluewolf0411, rretzler, Jarandel, gypsysmom, ahef1963, megschristina, pan0ramix, dianeham, EvolvedMan, Andrew_Orange, ManWithAnAgenda, Charon07,Her_Royal_Orangeness
Explanations
sturlington: Post-apocalyptic theological novel. Six hundred years after the Simplification -- total nuclear annihilation -- a cloister of monks in Utah preserve the little that remains of the world's knowledge, and wonder whether mankind is perpetually doomed to destroy itself.
Her_Royal_Orangeness : I've tried to read this several times and just can't get past the monk wandering around in the desert digging holes. *yawn*
13
76,952 members
3,645 reviews
½ 4.3
23 Members
charlenemartel, KimarieBee, amz310783, ShellyS, konallis, sturlington, Fiamme, BLBera, eclecticdodo, rretzler, SonoranDreamer, gypsysmom, ahef1963, Dreesie, Verkruissen, megschristina, SENSpence, JoyKP, awarren1, Andrew_Orange, ManWithAnAgenda, allyrod113, flemertown, ,Her_Royal_Orangeness ,cej1027 ,Lucy_Skywalker ,DavidCady ,
Explanations
sturlington: Televised survival contests. Post-apocalyptic future America. Probably the best of the recent YA dystopias.
Her_Royal_Orangeness : "We're in a battle for our lives so why don't we go in this cave and make out for awhile?" *eyeroll*
14
20,280 members
385 reviews
½ 3.7
17 Members
ShelfMonkey, KimarieBee, sturlington, thecoroner, alex68, rretzler, SonoranDreamer, cej1027, gypsysmom, nagasravika.bodapati, ahef1963, Dreesie, JoyKP, ManWithAnAgenda, TheRealLouise, Charon07, izzy45
Explanations
sturlington: Classic time travel novel. Far future dystopia in which humanity has de-evolved; also dying Earth. Required reading.
15
14,695 members
875 reviews
4.1
17
24,936 members
350 reviews
4.1
18
28,728 members
416 reviews
4
16 Members
ShelfMonkey, ShellyS, sturlington, thecoroner, Fiamme, BLBera, alex68, rretzler, SonoranDreamer, gypsysmom, nagasravika.bodapati, ahef1963, Dreesie, megschristina, JoyKP, izzy45,Andrew_Orange
Explanations
sturlington: Classic futuristic dystopia written in fictional dialect. Mind control, extreme violence. Required reading.
19
45,646 members
1,125 reviews
½ 4.3
16 Members
charlenemartel, BookWallah, aulsmith, merrystar, sturlington, Fiamme, rretzler, nagasravika.bodapati, ahef1963, Verkruissen, nicoleop, SENSpence, JoyKP, zfak102, EvolvedMan, awarren1,Her_Royal_Orangeness ,ManWithAnAgenda
Explanations
sturlington: Futuristic military SF with dystopian themes. Child soldiers versus aliens. First in a series.
Her_Royal_Orangeness : Homophobic and misogynistic.
20
12,944 members
312 reviews
4.2
21
10,013 members
248 reviews
3.8
15 Members
ShellyS, konallis, merrystar, sturlington, thecoroner, BLBera, alex68, rretzler, SonoranDreamer, pan0ramix, EvolvedMan, Andrew_Orange, ManWithAnAgenda, izzy45, skid0612,Verkruissen
Explanations
sturlington: Classic precursor to 1984. Required reading for serious fans of dystopian lit.
22
5,422 members
192 reviews
3.9
14 Members
konallis, SylviaC, sturlington, cataloga, Fiamme, greydoll, alex68, Bluewolf0411, rretzler, ahef1963, DavidCady, EvolvedMan, Rosenort, Charon07
Explanations
sturlington: Classic "pre-apocalyptic" novel. Nuclear devastation.
23
55,246 members
1,854 reviews
3.9
24
26,867 members
1,014 reviews
3.8
25
16,075 members
405 reviews
½ 3.7
26
11,606 members
318 reviews
4.1
13 Members
ShellyS, sturlington, Fiamme, BLBera, Dilara86, Her_Royal_Orangeness, SonoranDreamer, gypsysmom, Verkruissen, pan0ramix, ManWithAnAgenda, allyrod113, TheRealLouise
Explanations
sturlington: Feminist dystopia. Society has completely collapsed, and a young woman is driven from her home after her neighborhood is burned and her family murdered. Despite the violence and hopelessness that surrounds her, she is determined to spread her spiritual message.
27
8,418 members
240 reviews
4
13 Members
ShelfMonkey, KimarieBee, PDE, SylviaC, sturlington, Fiamme, greydoll, Bluewolf0411, Jarandel, gypsysmom, ahef1963, Dreesie, jdavidhacker
Explanations
sturlington: Apocalyptic "cozy catastrophe". Blindness epidemic and man-eating plants.
28
18,653 members
366 reviews
4
12 Members
ShelfMonkey, ShellyS, PDE, merrystar, SylviaC, sturlington, alex68, rretzler, SonoranDreamer, gypsysmom, ahef1963, EvolvedMan
Explanations
sturlington: Human colonization of Mars, during which there is a nuclear war on Earth.
29
10,434 members
673 reviews
3.9
30
8,697 members
425 reviews
4.1
12 Members
merrystar, SylviaC, sturlington, eclecticdodo, rretzler, NateK, kara.shamy, Verkruissen, JoyKP, zfak102, awarren1, allyrod113
Explanations
sturlington: Future subterranean totalitarian society. Post-apocalyptic--environmental destruction.
31
26,035 members
418 reviews
3.9
11 Members
hipdeep, ShelfMonkey, ShellyS, PDE, sturlington, alex68, rretzler, gypsysmom, nagasravika.bodapati, ahef1963, EvolvedMan
Explanations
sturlington: Classic cyberpunk. Required reading.
32
15,923 members
689 reviews
3.9
11 Members
ShelfMonkey, KimarieBee, sturlington, Dilara86, rretzler, cej1027, nagasravika.bodapati, ahef1963, Dreesie, awarren1, ManWithAnAgenda
Explanations
sturlington: YA dystopia. Conformity, personal appearance. First of a series.
33
8,196 members
380 reviews
3.9
34
4,141 members
169 reviews
3.9
35
21,996 members
438 reviews
4.1
10 Members
hipdeep, ShelfMonkey, KimarieBee, ShellyS, sturlington, Fiamme, rretzler, gypsysmom, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda
Explanations
sturlington: Cyberpunk (or post-cyberpunk).
36
11,484 members
272 reviews
3.9
11 Members
ShellyS, PDE, sturlington, Bluewolf0411, rretzler, gypsysmom, nagasravika.bodapati, ahef1963, pan0ramix, EvolvedMan, ManWithAnAgenda,aulsmith
Explanations
aulsmith : Clarke didn't mean this to be dystopian, just a sad evolutionary farewell.
sturlington: False utopia. Alien invasion, transhumanism.
37
4,086 members
178 reviews
3.8
38
6,456 members
216 reviews
½ 3.6
9 Members
sturlington, Fiamme, BLBera, rretzler, ahef1963, JoyKP, DavidCady, zfak102, ManWithAnAgenda
Explanations
sturlington: Futuristic dystopia/apocalyptic novel. Male infertility, human extinction, dictatorship. Christian allegory.
39
4,909 members
126 reviews
4.1
9 Members
ShellyS, adara, sturlington, BLBera, Dilara86, Her_Royal_Orangeness, gypsysmom, ManWithAnAgenda, allyrod113
Explanations
sturlington: Sequel to Parable of the Sower.
40
3,545 members
107 reviews
½ 3.7
9 Members
sturlington, thecoroner, alex68, rretzler, ahef1963, Dreesie, JoyKP, ManWithAnAgenda, flemertown
Explanations
sturlington: Feminist dystopia in which suburban housewives are replaced with robot versions of themselves by their husbands.
41
39,143 members
876 reviews
4.2
8 Members
hipdeep, charlenemartel, sturlington, rretzler, gypsysmom, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda, allyrod113
Explanations
sturlington: Comic apocalyptic novel that takes the biblical rapture as its premise.
42
31,024 members
1,507 reviews
4
11 Members
charlenemartel, KimarieBee, Fiamme, BLBera, rretzler, ahef1963, Dreesie, SENSpence, JoyKP, awarren1, allyrod113,konallis ,sturlington ,DavidCady
Explanations
sturlington : YA dystopia. Conformity, totalitarianism. First of a trilogy.
43
14,640 members
432 reviews
4.1
8 Members
sturlington, thecoroner, BLBera, alex68, nagasravika.bodapati, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda, Charon07
Explanations
sturlington: Apocalyptic allegory. Blindness epidemic, extreme regression of civilization.
44
6,045 members
300 reviews
½ 3.7
8 Members
sturlington, BLBera, rretzler, SonoranDreamer, gypsysmom, kara.shamy, pan0ramix, pieperp
Explanations
sturlington: Feminist dystopia in which women gain the power to kill with electrical shocks. Reverse gender roles.
45
5,362 members
142 reviews
3.9
8 Members
ShelfMonkey, ShellyS, PDE, SylviaC, sturlington, greydoll, gypsysmom, ahef1963
Explanations
sturlington: Post-apocalyptic dystopia. Evolution of humanity, development of telepathic powers, theological themes. YA audience.
46
4,266 members
155 reviews
4
8 Members
charlenemartel, ShellyS, aulsmith, sturlington, Dilara86, Her_Royal_Orangeness, pan0ramix, allyrod113
Explanations
sturlington: Far future following an apocalypse; first contact with advanced alien species. First in a trilogy.
47
1,114 members
113 reviews
½ 3.7
8 Members
sturlington, BLBera, rretzler, Her_Royal_Orangeness, Dreesie, dianeham, ManWithAnAgenda, pieperp
Explanations
sturlington: Futuristic dystopia. Organ harvesting, euthanasia of the aged and non-productive members of society.
48
22,313 members
1,387 reviews
4
8 Members
hipdeep, sturlington, rretzler, Dreesie, Verkruissen, dianeham, awarren1, ManWithAnAgenda,Rosenort
Explanations
sturlington: Futuristic dystopia: overcrowding and escape to virtual reality. Video game-like narrative.
49
21,094 members
520 reviews
½ 4.3
8 Members
hipdeep, sturlington, Fiamme, rretzler, ahef1963, NateK, Dreesie, ManWithAnAgenda,cej1027
Explanations
sturlington: Alternate history with superheroes. Dystopian and apocalyptic themes.
50
19,678 members
717 reviews
4.1
8 Members
PDE, sturlington, BLBera, gypsysmom, kara.shamy, Dreesie, allyrod113, midget84,
Explanations
sturlington: This novel takes place in many different time periods, one of which is a mega-corporation dystopia with cloning, and another is a post-apocalyptic scenario featuring a fictional dialect.
51
17,576 members
763 reviews
4
52
16,868 members
854 reviews
4.2
8 Members
sturlington, Bluewolf0411, nagasravika.bodapati, ahef1963, kara.shamy, JoyKP, allyrod113, flemertown,ManWithAnAgenda
Explanations
sturlington: Time travel and alternate history. Dystopia is only at the very end, as a result of changes to the timestream.
53
13,667 members
488 reviews
3.8
8 Members
sturlington, cataloga, Her_Royal_Orangeness, SonoranDreamer, kara.shamy, JoyKP, awarren1, allyrod113,ManWithAnAgenda
Explanations
sturlington: A mysterious dome encloses a small town and civilization regresses quickly. Strong apocalyptic themes.
54
6,963 members
325 reviews
½ 3.7
8 Members
aulsmith, sturlington, rretzler, Jarandel, gypsysmom, Lucy_Skywalker, kara.shamy, ManWithAnAgenda,Her_Royal_Orangeness
Explanations
sturlington: Futuristic biopunk dystopia. Climate change and genetic engineering.
Her_Royal_Orangeness : RapeX1000. *shudder*
55
6,559 members
152 reviews
3.9
7 Members
youthfulzombie, ShelfMonkey, konallis, sallypursell, sturlington, BlueHeaven1969, allyrod113
Explanations
sturlington: Futuristic dystopia. Survival contests. One of The Bachman Books.
56
6,001 members
404 reviews
4
57
4,545 members
100 reviews
½ 3.7
8 Members
ShelfMonkey, ShellyS, merrystar, sturlington, greydoll, rretzler, megschristina, TheRealLouise,DavidCady
Explanations
sturlington: Post-apocalyptic. When the end of America comes, what is the one thing that can bring us back from the brink of complete anarchy? That's right: the U.S. Postal Service.
58
2,895 members
77 reviews
½ 3.5
7 Members
sturlington, rretzler, SonoranDreamer, Dreesie, ManWithAnAgenda, TheRealLouise, midget84
Explanations
sturlington: A utopian all-female society.
59
2,018 members
81 reviews
3.8
7 Members
ShellyS, sturlington, rretzler, gypsysmom, dianeham, EvolvedMan, pieperp
Explanations
sturlington: Post-apocalyptic novel. Cloning, loss of individuality.
60
1,650 members
58 reviews
3.8
7 Members
sallypursell, sturlington, Her_Royal_Orangeness, SonoranDreamer, dianeham, allyrod113, TheRealLouise
Explanations
sturlington: Feminist post-apocalyptic fiction. Regression of civilization, return to the wilderness.
61
21,598 members
358 reviews
½ 3.7
6 Members
ShelfMonkey, sturlington, alex68, gypsysmom, nagasravika.bodapati, ahef1963
Explanations
sturlington: Martian invasion with a strong apocalyptic tone.
62
5,514 members
156 reviews
4
6 Members
sallypursell, sturlington, Bluewolf0411, EvolvedMan, Rosenort, allyrod113
Explanations
sturlington: Classic post-nuclear war apocalyptic fiction. The residents of a small Florida town, having been alerted just prior to an all-out nuclear war, must struggle with the vagaries of small-town politics after the apocalypse.
63
4,580 members
280 reviews
3.9
6 Members
SylviaC, sturlington, rretzler, cej1027, ahef1963, Charon07
Explanations
sturlington: One by one, use of different letters of the alphabet is outlawed in a fictional island country.
64
3,009 members
162 reviews
½ 3.4
6 Members
sturlington, BLBera, SonoranDreamer, gypsysmom, Dreesie, TheRealLouise
Explanations
sturlington: Satirical dystopia in which people volunteer to live in a closed community where they must spend every other month in prison.
65
2,514 members
65 reviews
½ 3.5
6 Members
sallypursell, sturlington, gypsysmom, EvolvedMan, TheRealLouise, Charon07
Explanations
sturlington: Feminist spec fiction set in 4 alternate universes, two of which could be considered dystopias.
66
2,328 members
62 reviews
4
6 Members
ShellyS, sturlington, Fiamme, Her_Royal_Orangeness, SonoranDreamer, gypsysmom
Explanations
sturlington: Feminist false utopia. Post-apocalyptic matriarchal society.
67
2,144 members
103 reviews
3.8
6 Members
hipdeep, sturlington, BLBera, gypsysmom, awarren1, pieperp
Explanations
sturlington: Climate change leads to drought, collapse, and violent clashes over water in the Southwest.
68
1,947 members
133 reviews
½ 3.5
69
6 Members
sallypursell, sturlington, gypsysmom, kara.shamy, ManWithAnAgenda, pieperp
Explanations
sturlington: Collection of three novels. Two are set on alien planets. One is far-future post-apocalyptic Earth following an alien invasion.
70
26,145 members
545 reviews
3.8
5 Members
ShelfMonkey, sturlington, SonoranDreamer, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda
Explanations
sturlington: Post-apocalyptic alternate universe. Mix of western, horror and science fiction. First in a series.
71
11,061 members
447 reviews
4.2
72
10,672 members
292 reviews
3.8
6 Members
Dilara86, cej1027, ahef1963, Dreesie, awarren1, ManWithAnAgenda,sturlington
Explanations
sturlington : Sequel to Uglies.
73
10,447 members
272 reviews
4
5 Members
ShellyS, sturlington, rretzler, gypsysmom, EvolvedMan
Explanations
sturlington: Futuristic dystopia; perpetual war.
74
9,410 members
102 reviews
3.8
75
9,089 members
279 reviews
4.1
5 Members
sturlington, rretzler, ahef1963, kara.shamy, Verkruissen
Explanations
sturlington: Sequel to The Handmaid's Tale
76
8,069 members
66 reviews
3.8
5 Members
ShelfMonkey, ShellyS, sturlington, gypsysmom, EvolvedMan
Explanations
sturlington: Sequel to Count Zero.
77
6,973 members
451 reviews
½ 3.4
5 Members
sallypursell, sturlington, BLBera, allyrod113, skid0612
Explanations
sturlington: Technological dystopia. Social networks, loss of privacy, corporate culture.
78
6,939 members
122 reviews
3.9
5 Members
KimarieBee, sturlington, gypsysmom, AlWheeler, EvolvedMan
Explanations
sturlington: Alien civilization that experiences cyclical apocalypses.
79
6,334 members
448 reviews
4
80
5,625 members
444 reviews
3.8
5 Members
sturlington, rretzler, kara.shamy, awarren1, ManWithAnAgenda
Explanations
sturlington: YA dystopia. Technology implants.
81
5,600 members
217 reviews
4
82
4,710 members
79 reviews
3.9
5 Members
sallypursell, sturlington, Bluewolf0411, gypsysmom, EvolvedMan
Explanations
sturlington: A comet has slammed into the Earth, destroying all governing structures, and within weeks all of the survivors have reverted to feudalism, cannibalism and worse. Fun times.
83
4,485 members
278 reviews
4.1
84
4,156 members
282 reviews
3.9
5 Members
INTPLibrarian, sallypursell, sturlington, nagasravika.bodapati, Verkruissen
Explanations
sturlington: People start seeing something that causes them to go violently insane.
85
3,373 members
245 reviews
3.9
86
2,861 members
55 reviews
3.9
5 Members
sturlington, greydoll, BLBera, allyrod113, Charon07
Explanations
sturlington: A future anarchist utopia presented in contrast with present-day and (briefly) an alternate future dystopia.
87
2,365 members
203 reviews
3.8
5 Members
ShelfMonkey, sturlington, BLBera, rretzler, gypsysmom
Explanations
sturlington: Pre-apocalyptic. Imminent meteor impact causes social collapse. First in a trilogy.
88
1,696 members
124 reviews
3.9
5 Members
aulsmith, sallypursell, sturlington, rretzler, gypsysmom
Explanations
sturlington: WWII alternate history in which England goes fascist. First in a trilogy.
89
1,361 members
66 reviews
½ 3.7
5 Members
sallypursell, sturlington, BLBera, kara.shamy, Verkruissen
Explanations
sturlington: Near-future feminist dystopia in which abortion has been outlawed.
90
464 members
17 reviews
3.9
5 Members
sturlington, Her_Royal_Orangeness, gypsysmom, EvolvedMan, pieperp
Explanations
sturlington: Post-nuclear war. Once the apocalypse is over with, two women survive on a farm on the Oregon coast while trying to preserve the remainder of mankind's knowledge and sparring with the ultra-Christian religious cult down the beach.
91
20,823 members
832 reviews
3.8
92
11,932 members
217 reviews
4.2
5 Members
ShelfMonkey, eclecticdodo, rretzler, ManWithAnAgenda, TheRealLouise,sturlington
Explanations
sturlington : Probably not going to read this since I saw the movie.
93
10,248 members
118 reviews
3.8
94
10,165 members
175 reviews
4
5 Members
ShellyS, PDE, sturlington, NateK, JoyKP,ShelfMonkey
Explanations
sturlington: Short stories, several of which have apocalyptic and dystopian themes.
95
9,187 members
232 reviews
3.8
5 Members
Dilara86, cej1027, ahef1963, awarren1, ManWithAnAgenda,sturlington
Explanations
sturlington : Sequel to Pretties.
96
7,789 members
229 reviews
4
6 Members
PDE, sturlington, rretzler, kara.shamy, EvolvedMan, ManWithAnAgenda,Lucy_Skywalker ,skid0612
Explanations
sturlington: Alternate realities include dystopian and apocalyptic possibilities.
Lucy_Skywalker : a great book, indeed, but it's not really a dystopia
97
7,613 members
87 reviews
½ 3.7
98
5,963 members
311 reviews
3.8
4 Members
PDE, sturlington, kara.shamy, allyrod113
Explanations
sturlington: The last section takes place in a dystopian post-climate change world.
99
5,211 members
113 reviews
3.9
4 Members
sturlington, rretzler, gypsysmom, EvolvedMan
Explanations
sturlington: Futuristic dystopia. Overcrowding, scarcity of natural resources.
100
4,897 members
76 reviews
3.9
4 Members
PDE, sallypursell, sturlington, nagasravika.bodapati
Explanations
sturlington: Futuristic dystopia. Environmental degradation of Earth. Miserable Martian colonies.