Favourite Dystopian Novels
- Thread starter BlueBalls
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For plot and for the most realistic envisionment of a dystopian future, I pick 1984 (try to tell me that the "viewscreens" of the novel are not a slightly prophetic precursor to computers and security cameras of today). 1984, among these three, is also hands down the absolute bleakest... in fact, its probably one of the most oppressive novels ever written.
For quality of writing, definitely Brave New World. Aldous Huxley was a man way ahead of his time. I equate the **** Soma to something like prozac.
Ray Bradbury I could never get into...
So for me, the winner is Orwell's 1984.
For quality of writing, definitely Brave New World. Aldous Huxley was a man way ahead of his time. I equate the **** Soma to something like prozac.
Ray Bradbury I could never get into...
So for me, the winner is Orwell's 1984.
dick van cock
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I read Brave New World in school. That spoiled it for me.
While 1984 is a strong contender, I go with Fahrenheit. I like the movie a lot; it's better than the novel.
But what do you expect? Truffaut was a genius.
While 1984 is a strong contender, I go with Fahrenheit. I like the movie a lot; it's better than the novel.
But what do you expect? Truffaut was a genius.
1984 on my part, and I LOVE such novels...
You deserve a rep for bringing up an actually sophisticated subject for once
GP
All good!
1984 was a bottom up view while Brave New World was the elite class view or a bit more sterile environment. Both were good.
Fahrenheit 451 was a really interesting film, I've seen it a lot and like everything about it, but not the ending at all.
What about THX1138? An incredible futuristic view.
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Gattica also has some merit;
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Zardoz;
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I know someone on the board likes Alphaville.
Logan's Run, The Time Machine, and 2001 might also fit this type film well? Possibly Clockwork Orange?
1984 was a bottom up view while Brave New World was the elite class view or a bit more sterile environment. Both were good.
Fahrenheit 451 was a really interesting film, I've seen it a lot and like everything about it, but not the ending at all.
What about THX1138? An incredible futuristic view.
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Gattica also has some merit;
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Zardoz;
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I know someone on the board likes Alphaville.
Logan's Run, The Time Machine, and 2001 might also fit this type film well? Possibly Clockwork Orange?
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I have never read Brave New World. Out of the other two I like 1984 a little better although I remember liking Fahrenheit 451 also. I also remember reading ****** **** way back in school when I was a lot younger.
The sad part is that all of them have a lot of truth to them if you accept the basic underling of human nature and how it works with people that have power and how power corrupts most people.
The sad part is that all of them have a lot of truth to them if you accept the basic underling of human nature and how it works with people that have power and how power corrupts most people.
They are all very good but my sig and Big ******* commanded me to vote for 1984.And I must say I think a lot of those movies AFA referenced fit that mold.Especially the relatively bleak futures as predicted in the "Time Machine"," Fahrenheit 451" and "THX1138".All this new technology has just been used for new and better ways to control us IMO.We really are almost to a point that it will be very possible for Big ******* to always be watching.
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Good subject. I personally preferred 1984 to the other two. Brave New World actually didn't keep me interested very well. That caused me to read it sporadically and I'll have to give it another chance soon. After all, that was many years ago.
Basically I loved 1984 because it just felt so "in-your-face" to me. I don't know if I'm describing that well. The imagery of the novel felt so real to me that I found myself thinking about it all the time for months afterward. Fahrenheit 451 had some good parts, but I didn't get the same feeling from it; and I even read it right after reading 1984. I remember thinking there was "no contest" between the two.:dunno:
PS-Loved THX1138 and Gattaca, mentioned by AFA.
Basically I loved 1984 because it just felt so "in-your-face" to me. I don't know if I'm describing that well. The imagery of the novel felt so real to me that I found myself thinking about it all the time for months afterward. Fahrenheit 451 had some good parts, but I didn't get the same feeling from it; and I even read it right after reading 1984. I remember thinking there was "no contest" between the two.:dunno:
PS-Loved THX1138 and Gattaca, mentioned by AFA.
om3ga
It's good to be the king...
1984 - it still haunts us that our government could become a "big *******" surveillance society - come to think of it....
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:crash:
Funny - there was a program on the BBC last night on the same subject (pretty good too):
THE MARTIANS AND US
[PART] 3. THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT
Thursday 20 December 11.20pm-12.20pm
The annihilation of humanity, as portrayed by British writers such as John Wyndham
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:crash:
Funny - there was a program on the BBC last night on the same subject (pretty good too):
THE MARTIANS AND US
[PART] 3. THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT
Thursday 20 December 11.20pm-12.20pm
The annihilation of humanity, as portrayed by British writers such as John Wyndham
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I watched that. Good program.
Anyone have any other recomendations for other books not listed above
Most of Philip K Dick's books are a future where it's questionable as to whether technology helps or hurts.
In particular A Scanner Darkly is about how a company produces a horrible **** that is instantly addictive and brain damaging so that it can wage a War on ***** and put surveilance and control over everyone. Science fiction? I think not, that's more like science fact.
In particular A Scanner Darkly is about how a company produces a horrible **** that is instantly addictive and brain damaging so that it can wage a War on ***** and put surveilance and control over everyone. Science fiction? I think not, that's more like science fact.
****** **** was a good one too.
I remember, there was talk about the Knoxville, TN World's Fair, the theme being the good old days. Until that time, the history of World's Fairs was always the future would be brighter, and in a peaceful environment solve problems of war, hunger, and everything else. , (in a sense the theme of 1984 and ****** ****, both Orwell).
For Knoxville, and I think Vancouver fairs, it was steps backward. Before that, the two NY fairs and Paris, the Columbian Exposition, and others it was always the future.
I wasn't sure if "alternative futures" count so I was holding off on that one.
A pretty good book is Daniel Quinn's After Dachau. I don't really want to give it away, but I guess I have to. It's a "what if" the ****'s won the war and suceeded in rewriting history so that in the future no one even knows it happened. He uses a pretty original fantasy element as the source of revealing that fact, but it turned off some readers because they felt it was too unbelievable.
I am an enormous Phillip K Dick fan. My favorite is The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch. I honestly think it's one of the best psychological and philosophical analyses of religion in print. Phillip Dick was so subversive and so very good.
I voted to Huxley's book here, largely because 1984 made me want to hang myself. 1984 is still one of the greats and bears re-reading.
Great thread, BB! You got some people to say some pretty interesting things!:thumbsup:
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