21 Books Like ‘1984’ That Will Change How You See The Future

Have books like 1984 ever piqued your interest? The famous dystopian novel 1984 has long been required reading in classrooms. If you are looking for impactful 1984 books, you are on the right page.

books like 1984

George Orwell’s ninth and final book, 1984, was released in 1949. He started the book on a remote Scottish island and finished it during his stay in the hospital for tuberculosis.

Because he believed his message was being misunderstood, Orwell even made remarks from his hospital bed following its publication.

Based on the writings of Yevgeny Zamyatin, the book was initially released in 1948.

The classic novel can sometimes appear intimidating and outmoded, yet works like 1984 are just eternal. The idea is maybe much more terrible today than it was when Orwell published it.

Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart

books like 1984

In a startlingly prescient book published in 2010, Shteyngart imagines a financial crisis-stricken America where social media rules real life and China has called in its loans.

Lenny Abramov is a Luddite who lives both inside and outside of this world. People broadcast their life, concerned with likes and views, but Lenny Abramov is not one of them.

Then, he develops feelings for Eunice Park, a younger Korean American woman, and their romance appears to be the only thing holding their world together.

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Material Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos

books like 1984

Teenagers don’t really establish trends in the real world; they only think they do. However, in the world of Material Girls, they actually do.

The true corporate puppet masters start pulling and snipping their cords when a fashionista and a pop singer begin to criticize the unbridled materialism of their culture.

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Jennifer Government by Max Barry

books like 1984

Future society will be ruled by powerful businesses, and people will receive last names that correspond to the organizations they work for.

Hack To establish a harsh reputation for the business, Nike is tasked with shooting young clients.

But when he declines and makes an attempt to contact the police, the task is given to seasoned hit guys.

Then Nick gets caught up with feisty government agent Jennifer Government, who is recognized by the chip on her shoulder and the barcode tattoo beneath her eye.

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Anthem by Ayn Rand

books like 1984

This succinct, engrossing story presents a warning and was hailed by “The” “New York Times” as a fascinating dystopian look at paranoia from one of our time’s most original and incisive authors.

The action of the narrative takes place in a world where individuality has been completely eradicated from all facets of daily life and the use of the term “I” is punishable by death.

The protagonist, a rebel who learns that pursuing happiness is man’s highest moral obligation, reflects the ideals the author held dear in her own personal objectivism: reason, ethics, volition, and individuality.

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Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Neverlet me go

I’m not sure how to best convey the dystopian setting of this book without giving anything away.

Just to be clear, even when they are well into adulthood, the Hailsham Boarding School students still aren’t aware that something is wrong with them.

They are urged to create art and maintain a healthy lifestyle but are unaware of the benefits or what makes them unique.

When they learn, they have a completely new perspective on their entire life.

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The Giver by Lois Lowry

The giver

All readers will find this classic young adult dystopian book to be fascinating.

Jonas, 12, has grown up in a society where you are given everything, including your job, marriage, and children.

Jonas discovers his world might not be as ideal as he originally believed as he is given the responsibility of becoming the Receiver of Memories.

Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes, and Taylor Swift acted in the 2014 film adaptation.

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The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

books like 1984

This book probably doesn’t require an explanation given how well-known the Hulu series is at this point, but I’ll still provide one.

Patriarchy and religious law have tightened society in a bleak future. Women are compelled to play particular roles, such as wife, cook, or handmaid.

However, handmaids are women whose sole responsibility is to carry the offspring of strong men.

Even as the act is being performed and their spouses are present. The story of one such woman’s vain quest to flee this hellish world of slavery is told in Atwood’s modern classic.

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Animal Farm by George Orwell

books like 1984

Manor Farm’s animals have seized control after a mutiny. Pigs Snowball and Napoleon start a rebellion against Mr. Jones after Old Major dies, forcing him to leave the farm.

The animals adopt the Seven Commandments of Animalism, and life goes on. However, they soon discover that an animal-run farm appears more human than ever.

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Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

books like 1984

A world where reading is prohibited ranks high on the list of worst fears for every book fanatic.

Guy Montag, a firefighter, is the main character of Bradbury’s masterpiece. Instead of putting out flames, a firefighter on this planet burns books and other prohibited materials.

Then, one day, he picks up a book to read. after which another. In this classic, as his thinking grows, his entire universe collapses.

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The Shore of Women by Pamela Sargent

books like 1984

After a nuclear apocalypse, women control the planet and bring back banished males for soulless reproduction.

Birana meets hunter Arvil after being unjustly banished for a crime. In this insightful examination of sex interactions and a dystopian future, their capacity for love and survival is put to the test.

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In the Country of Last Things by Paul Auster

books like 1984

In this dystopian, post-apocalyptic novel by New York Times bestselling author Paul Auster (The New York Trilogy), Auster depicts a troubling Hobbesian society.

In the post-apocalyptic world of Anna, people scrape food from waste bins while buildings collapse around them and a corrupt government rules.

Anna makes an effort to locate her long-lost brother, a reporter who went missing years ago while on assignment while facing suicide cults and rioting.

Readers will continue to ponder about this novel long beyond the last page since there are glimmers of optimism for the future and for mankind itself among the gloomy outlook of this civilization.

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Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Humans have been genetically modified on a planet set 600 years in the future, and their lives have been predetermined from the moment of creation.

To experience this “brave new world,” John the Savage is transported from New Mexico to London.

John finds he is the only one ready to oppose the state-sponsored manipulation and control as he becomes famous in the World State.

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Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson

Brown girl in the ring

The poorest residents of Toronto, a post-apocalyptic metropolis, are left behind by the affluent, and they must learn to farm and trade in order to live.

Ti-Jeanne, who is expecting a child with her drug-addicted partner, asks her grandmother, a Voudoun priestess, for assistance.

Prepare for a trip into the future in this science fiction novel with Caribbean undertones and lots of narrative twists.

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Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Lord of the flies

This well-known dystopian book, which was first released in 1954, has tormented readers for years.

After surviving an aircraft disaster, a group of adolescent boys are left trapped on a barren island and are compelled to establish their own type of society.

Jack the pig-hunter aspires to build his own following while Jack, one of the elder lads, strives to lead with the help of his sidekick Piggy.

You should read this masterwork as an adult, regardless of whether you did or did not read it while you were in high school.

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The Circle by Dave Eggers

The circle

Millennial and idealistic Mae is hired to work for the Circle, a significant online organization where members’ emails, social media accounts, and financial information are all connected to a single online identity.

While fascinated by the incredible amenities and powerful members of the Circle, Mae soon finds herself caught up in the hazy distinctions between privacy breaches and invasions of security.

Read it before (or after) watching the blockbuster movie starring Tom Hanks and Emma Watson.

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Naughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman

Naughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman

People in Blackman’s dystopian society fall into one of two categories: elite Crosses or Naughts, who are both dark-skinned and destitute.

Callum and Sephy, a Naught and a Cross, fall in love in a parody of the classic Romeo and Juliet story.

Their lives and love are utterly upended when a terrorist assault that is connected to both Callum and Sephy takes place.

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Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler

Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler

Making a list of books comparable to 1984 would be incomplete without adding the extraordinary Octavia E. Butler.

Lauren Olamina started Earthseed, a peaceful community built on the idea that God is changing, after fleeing war.

Following several years of economic prosperity, America is evolving under the leadership of a president who is guiding the country into its “golden age,” which includes the abolition of racial equality and religious tolerance.

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Vox by Christina Dalcher

books like 1984

Dr. Jean McClellan and her six-year-old daughter will be shocked by a wrist sensor if they disobey this new law in a country where women are only permitted to utter no more than 100 words each day.

Due to women’s loss of the ability to read, write, and hold employment, Jean must struggle against the loss of both her bodily voice and her cultural voice.

Good Morning America picked this thought-provoking book as one of the “Best Books to Bring to the Beach This Summer.”

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Panther in the Hive by Olivia Cole

books like 1984

The fascinating coming-of-age tale Panther in the Hive is also a spellbinding portrayal of a terrifying future.

Orphan, eccentric, and former fashion junkie Tasha Lockett is by herself in a Chicago overrun by people who have turned into weapons as a result of the cybertronic tragedy that brought the nation to its knees four days ago.

When Tasha, an orphan, receives a letter from her sister informing her that the South Side of Chicago is a safe area, she is struggling to live in the post-apocalyptic metropolis.

Readers will be enchanted by the development of the worldly Tasha, who sets off on her perilous voyage while adamantly holding onto her Prada rucksack.

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Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

books like 1984

This timeless masterpiece, which tells the tale of World War II soldier Billy Pilgrim, has endured. Pilgrim becomes “unstuck in time” after weathering the pain of being a POW and Dresden’s bombing and starts to relive the events of his life in different periods and orders.

A colorful ensemble of characters includes Montana Wildhack, a love interest, and aliens from the planet Tralfamador.

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China Dream by Ma Jian, Translated by Flora Drew

books like 1984

Authoritarian governments actively influencing their population and even policing their beliefs are prevalent in Orwell’s works (via observed behavior, but still).

In China Dream, the government forces the dream of President Xi Jinping into people’s heads while they sleep, although this is still a far cry from that.

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Looking for even more intriguing books to read? Visit our page for many more fantastic books! Find out more right away.

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