Ah, the! 1984’s! Ol’ good days weren’t they? I guess not, at least not in 1984 by George Orwell. I daresay and you might also agree that this is the best Dystopian Sci-fi novel to date, sure there are some other good books but I don’t think that any of them is as good as 1984.
Speaking of those other books, you must’ve recently done reading 1984 and also must’ve genuinely liked it that you’re here looking for books like 1984. I’ve got you covered and this article will provide you the books that quite like the great Orwellian tale.
Here are the Best books like George Orwell’s (1984):
1. The Dispossessed
Author: Ursula K. Le Guin.
There are times when even an untrained and unskilled eye can confirm true works of Art; and Ursula K. Le Guin’s amazing novel “The Dispossessed” is just that true work of art. Normally you’d associate Ursulas’ books with blowing up stuff and monsters’ but this one is completely different and I daresay that this is the “One of the Best Novels of the 20th Century!”; Ursula K. Le Guin has been cited as one of the Greats by Stephen King and after reading her works, I can completely agree with that.
If you’re looking for books like 1984, then you need to try the Dispossessed first as it follows the themes like Politics, Anarchism, Capitalism, Individualism, and collectivism. The story is set in the Tau Ceti System and revolves around 2 twin-planets named Urras and Anarres.
Urras is green and habited by humans while Anarres is just a rough mining planet. Then comes a revolutionary named Odi who rejected capitalism and aristocracy and left for Anarres with her followers.
Now in the present day, a quick-witted Anarresti physicist wants to curb the hatred and bring both planets together. Will he manage to accomplish that or give up? I’d have loved to give a further detailed description but sadly I can’t.
2. Fahrenheit 451
Author: Ray Bradbury.
This article is full of incredible novels and Fahrenheit 451 is one of those. Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 was published in 1953 and is younger than George Orwell’s 1984 by a mere 4 years. Fahrenheit 451 is also considered as one of the best works from Ray Bradbury.
After reading Fahrenheit 451, I truly wanted to travel back into time and beat-up anyone and everyone who tried to burn books. The novel is based on the historical book burning, where books were burnt to suppress the change (Like that’s possible). The novel revolves around a Fireman Guy Montag who instead of saving burning houses; burns them down if the house is suspected of hiding illegal books (Ahhhh!!!).
But one-day things begin to change for Guy after he meets his new teenage neighbor named Clarisse McClellan. Clarisse’s free-thinking ways and spirit make Guy question himself. Clarisse’s uniqueness was her downfall and after he watches an old woman burn with her books he starts changing and begins to save books instead of burning them.
Fahrenheit 451 has been divided into 3 parts–”The Hearth and the Salamander”, “The Sieve and the Sand”, and “Burning Bright”. Don’t miss out on this particular novel, as it can make you cry and want to punch half of humanity (in the book); that might be why it’s a good book if you’re looking for books like 1984.
3. All the Birds in the sky
Author: Charlie Jane Anders.
For some “All the birds in the sky” is an incredible novel, while for others it’s poorly written with a poor story; but I think we all can agree that this is one of the weirdest novels out there.
If I were to categorize this novel, I’d say it’s a Sci-fi and Fantasy novel but that doesn’t do justice as this novel is uncertain in terms of genre. As an amateur author this novel was a blessing to me, when I started writing my novel, I had a hard time picking a genre and by sheer luck, I read this novel and had an inspiration…
This novel sees two protagonists, Patricia and Laurence; Patricia happens to be a witch while Laurence is a genius Mad-scientist who tries to build a time machine in middle school (while I couldn’t even make a volcano…) but their uniqueness causes both of them to be considered as outcasts and become victims of bullying. This part feels too real, as people in a group will never be able to accept uniqueness.
Patricia runs away and is found by a magician who enrolls her into magic school (must’ve been Ilvermorny) while Laurence is sent to the military reform school.
All the birds in the sky are kind of a short novel, but it packs quite a punch (like every other short thing and beings). Even If you aren’t looking for books like 1984 you need to read this one.
4. The Sheep lookup
Author: John Brunner
Published in 1972, John Brunners’ “The Sheep lookup” is a Dystopian novel that portrays the deteriorating United States of America. If 1984 is being used as a guidebook today (and not as a warning), then Job Brunners’ “Sheep look up” might be a prophecy coming true…
If you read this book, there are chances that you might quit due to the grim (and realistic) nature of this novel. John Brunner has written this novel in the same style as he did in his earlier novel “Stand on Zanzibar” and is multi-narrative and has multiple characters who haven’t met each other. I hadn’t read “Stand on Zanzibar” before starting “The sheep look up” so I baffled by the presentation. Instead of chapters, this novel has sections and each section can range from 30-40 words or a couple of pages.
The main plot of the story revolves around the US being suspected of deliberately poisoning Africa and Central America. Whoever ate the food turned into a homicidal maniac. If you’re looking for books like 1984, I think you should begin your turn pile with this one.
5. Brave new world
Author: Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley wrote “Brave New World” in 1932, the novel is set in a world where Humans are engineered through artificial wombs and then through childhood indoctrination, they’re set into their castes which are based on intelligence and labor.
Bernard Marx a psychologist due to his work with Sleep-learning begins to understand and disapprove the society’s method of keeping the people happy; people in this world are encouraged to take a happiness producing drug called Soma. Later on Bernard with a popular woman named Lenina go on a trip outside the World state to the savage reservation of New Mexico and observe natural-born people, culture, and lifestyle. Here they another world state citizen named Linda who was living with her son named John and John happens to be the son of Bernard’s Boss,
They return back and John meets his father but in a world where children are produced artificially the term “father” just brings laughter and jeers. John becomes a celebrity and is spoilt by the attention and that was what becomes his downfall. Brave New World is a good novel but 1984 is still the undefeated king of the Dystopian Sci-fi.
6. We
Author: Yevgeny Zamyatin
Not being a racist but I think Yevgeny Zamyatin might be the easiest Russian name I’ve ever heard (Well there’s Boris too) anyways, according to Me and Orwell, Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” is too much Yevgeny Zamyatin’s “We” as this novel depicts harmony and conformity in a totalitarian State.
Yevgeny Zamyatin’s “We” was published in 1924 and is the oldest book on this list. The novel is set in the distant future where one state conquers all other now has its eyes set on the extraterrestrial planets. Our protagonist D-503 is a chief Engineer charged with the task of building a spaceship and he begins to write a journal over the course of spaceship construction.
But one day he meets a woman named I-330 who does everything that has been deemed illegal by the One state; D-503 is revolted but at the same time fascinated and can’t help but get to know her better. He later discovers her darker identity that might lead him to his death or might save everyone.
7. The Handmaid’s Tale
Author: Margaret Atwood.
I’m willing to bet that you’ve heard, read, and even watched Handmaid’s tale because Margaret Atwood’s noel is just that good. The Handmaid’s tale is sometimes funny, turning to unexpected, and later nightmarish but overall it’s quite a believable novel. The Handmaid’s Tale was also one of those books that might make you pick the book and beat someone (hush! to death).
The Handmaid’s Taleale is about a woman named Offred who has a name and a career but then comes the radical political group known as “Sons of Jacob” who kill the POTUS and most of the Congress and then took control. They turned the USA, into a place known as the Republic of Gilead which was ruled by the military dictatorship.
Offred is one of the women who happen to be fertile and is forcibly assigned (Read: Rape) into producing children for the commanders”. Handmaids are only allowed to go out once a day to buy groceries and once a month she must lie on her back naked and pray for her commander to impregnates her. The Handmaid’s tale can emotionally drain you but it still is one of the books like 1984 and one of the books that you must read before dying.
8. Animal farm
Author: George Orwell.
If you want something like 1984 then why not just pick another novel by Orwell if you haven’t yet. Even if you haven’t read Animal farm (That’s impossible), then you at least most definitely have heard the title somewhere as it’s also a movie. To a kid, it might not mean much except that the pigs are evil and horses work too hard but for adults, it’s about politics.
According to Orwell, the novel is supposed to reflect the Russian Revolution, the Stalinist era, and the Soviet Union. He’s also described Animal Farm as a satirical fable against Stalin; Animal Farm was also the first novel of Orwell in which he consciously fused political and artistic purposes.
The story revolves around a poorly managed farm where animals led by a Pig named Old Major start rebellion to overthrow the humans. After Old Major dies, two pigs named Snowball and Napoleon take up his mantle and lead the revolution. They drive the farmer off the property and rename it as “Animal farm”; they adopt 7 commandments with the most important being “All animals are equals” Snowball and Napoleon together teach the animals to read, write the principles of Animalism.
The farmer tries to take back the farm but fails and the even is named as the Battle of Cowshed. Napoleon later kicks out Snowball and names himself the Supreme ruler. Sorry for the spoiler but it’s not a bad story eh?
9. Lord of the flies
Author: William Golding.
I’m pretty sure you have already read William Goldings’ Lord of the Flies back in school and had mixed reactions, but if you were stranded on an island all your life and haven’t heard of this book– The story is set in the midst of the wartime evacuation where a passenger plane crashes near an isolated island in the Pacific and only a small party of preadolescence children manage to survive the crash.
Two guys named Ralph and Piggy find a conch shell and Ralph uses it to gather all the survivors in one place and which later becomes the symbol of power. Ralph is an optimistic child and believes that the Adults would come to rescue them but only Piggy realizes that they need to organize and Ralph becomes their chief. But there never can be a perfect order can there be? The choir group led by Jack Merridew wants to be the leader too and split from Ralph’s group.
Ralph lays down only three policies; to have fun, to survive, and to constantly maintain smoke signals. With no grownups, they were free to explore the island and have fun. But who knew that their fun can turn into a much darker and destructive thing.
Soon rumors about a vicious beast start floating around and things start going downhill from there; it doesn’t take much time for them to forget about their rescue plan. Soon the sadistic sides of their personality emerge, and they submit to their dark urges.
This book Illustrates human nature, how it gets blinded by the lust of power, destruction, and becomes savage. Lord of the flies is disturbing even for the most determined optimistic person.
10. Vox
Author: Christina Dalcher
What will you do, if you are permitted to speak only 100 words per day? If exceeded, a thousand volts of electricity will rush through your veins. It sounds terrifying, right? (Certain people deserve this). Set up in the United States, Vox is a chilling story of what one woman can do to protect herself and her daughter. Jean McClellan, a Neurolinguist and a mother of four, learn how the world can turn upside down real quick.
When the United States was taken up by the “Pure Movement”, soon women were no longer allowed to speak more than 100 words, they were no longer being taught to read and write, and they can no longer hold jobs. All women fitted with a bracelet which keeps the count of words. Jean worries about her children’s future. But out of all, she worries the most about her six-year-old daughter Sonia.
Who embraced the challenge to remain silent and even won a contest of speaking the fewest words. But Dr. McClellan gets a break from this outrageous structure when her work is needed to save the president’s brother. Will she be able to use this opportunity in order to save her and other’s freedom? Beware this book might make you incredibly angry at times or make you laugh hysterically if you’re psychotic and drink black coffee without sugar.
Author’s Note
If you’re reading this do know that I’m genuinely grateful that you read the whole article. As you might’ve observed I have a bad habit of spilling too much information but that only happens when I like the novel.
There are certain novels in this article that I personally didn’t like but are still worthy of being called books like 1984 hence they made an appearance in this article also there are hundreds of not thousands of books like 1994 but here I’ve written only the one’s that I have read.
If you want to know about my novel or have any suggestions regarding this article; do leave us a comment.