Dystopian books.Better than Orwells 1984.

I have read Orwells 1984 and I do like it. I think it was surprisingly prothetic. But I often think it is sort of over-rated. I think I think that because I really dont like Winston. He is not a strong guy and I dont mean his age or health. He is a scared little rat if you ask me. Like I said,I like the book,just not Winston.

My favourite book of the 'orwellian' dystopian breed is Jack Londons The Iron Heel. The main character Ernest Everhard(what a name)is such an awesome strong character whose words 'swing and smash'. The Iron Heel does just as good a job of predicting the way the world would turn out. If you read the first chapter you will read the rest.

Other dystopian books I like include A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, The Time Machine by HG Wells, The Turner Diaries by Andrew McDonald/William Luther Pierce(easy,I have read the Necronomicon too but Im not satanic )

Anyway are there any other books like these that I should read?

And dont you think Winston Sucks? He reminds me of society.

www.online-literature.com...

The Iron Heel by Jack London is an awesome book.

I think 1984 is a fantastic book but then I love the way Orwell writes. Winston is a wimp for sure but I never thought I was supposed to like him. I think him reminding you/being typical of society was probably intentional.

It's a massively obvious one but I noticed you didn't mention it - Brave New World? It's years since I read it but I remember it was pretty good.

Or movies. My favourite would be Demolishion Man with Sylvester Stallone and Welsey Snipes.And Dennis Leary. A close second would be The Running Man with Arnie ( I havent read the book).

reply to post by morkington


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Text It's a massively obvious one but I noticed you didn't mention it - Brave New World? It's years since I read it but I remember it was pretty good.

Thanks I will put it on my reading list hey.

reply to post by morkington

Text I think 1984 is a fantastic book but then I love the way Orwell writes. Winston is a wimp for sure but I never thought I was supposed to like him. I think him reminding you/being typical of society was probably intentional.

And yeah,for sure. I just have this thing where I want to like the main character and I hold them up to Luke Skywalker type standards I do like the book. Maybe instead of saying over rated I should say it seems to suck attention away from alot of other awesome books that are similar. And you have to admit the term 'orwellian' is almost as common as a Che Guevara t-shirt. And I should say I think The Iron Heel by Jack London is underrated.


And I like Orwell too.I read Animal Farm at school.I liked it.

Originally posted by theovermensch
Or movies. My favourite would be Demolishion Man with Sylvester Stallone and Welsey Snipes.And Dennis Leary. A close second would be The Running Man with Arnie ( I havent read the book).

hi
if you get the chance read the running man
its by steven king but he writes under the name of steve bachman
the movie shows its set in a massive arena
in the book its in the streets and the runners get more money for how many people are killed(bit like death race 2000)

anyway its a great read
dave

reply to post by davesmart


Thanks hey, Ive been meaning to read that.The movie is awesome hey. I will put it on my list.

Actually, Star Wars would be the best movie easy. I forgot it. And it is alot like how things are now. Its like we are living under The Empire.

Spares by Michael Marshall Smith.

It's a very good and scary look at the not too distant future.

reply to post by blupblup


I hadnt heard of that. Thanks heaps.

Logan's Run by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson

The Children of Men by P. D. James

Fatherland by Robert Harris (an Alternative History novel about the Nazi's having won WWII)

and depending on your age and gender (these are kind of geared toward teen and young adult women)

The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
The Host by Stephanie Meyer

reply to post by Josephus


Hey. Thanks. Fatherland sounds interesting. That sounds really cool. I like how in The Watchmen they won in Vietnam ( Alternate History). Thanks again

I recommend "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy(it's a movie as well with Viggo Mortensen).This is about the journey of a father and his son in a post-apocalyptic America.For me is one of the best "dystopian" stories i've ever read.
Alternate history masterpiece is "the man in the high castle" by Philip K. Dick(Also with the nazis winning the war).
Some other i really liked:
"The sixth winter" by Douglas Orgill and John Gribbin,a story about a new ice age.
"Brave new world" by Aldous Huxley
"The Chrysalids" by John Wyndham
"Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka
"The trial" by Franz Kafka
"Bring the Jubilee" by Ward Moore(Alternate history about the American civil war)
"The Penultimate Truth" by Philip K. Dick
"Stand on Zanzibar" by John Brunner
"The Lathe of Heaven" by Ursula K. Le Guin
"Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said" by Philip K.Dick
"High Rise" by J.G Ballard

Enjoy

reply to post by Phantom traveller



Wow. Kafka is one of my favourite Authors.I am Gregor Samsa But all the rest of those I havent read. Thanks a heap.

reply to post by Phantom traveller

Text Alternate history masterpiece is "the man in the high castle" by Philip K. Dick(Also with the nazis winning the war).

Will put that one up the top of the list. Thanks again.

The Road- Cormac McCarthy is truly amazing
Nightfall- Isaac Asimov is great too.

Originally posted by theovermensch
reply to post by Phantom traveller

 

Wow. Kafka is one of my favourite Authors.I am Gregor Samsa

But all the rest of those I havent read. Thanks a heap.

You're welcome.
When you read those i have more for you.I just posted my favourites here.

having read most of those already put forward I have little to add bar "Never let me go" by Kazuo Ishiguro.. Not that I think it is better than 1984 as it deals with a narrow but believable premise..

I keep planning to watch to movie but not got round to it yet as movies simply do not seem to really do the original books justice.

Fahrenheit 451
And
Atlas shrugged.

reply to post by thoughtsfull


Thanks mate.