Many readers, especially youngsters may have enjoyed the recent trilogies of dystopian novels like “The Hunger Games”, “Divergent” and “The Maze Runner”, which portrays society that is often characterized by dehumanization, totalitarian governments, environmental or any other form of cataclysmic decline in society, where the story is set. The characters in the dystopian novels often find themselves in negative societies which is reeling under unfavorable conditions such as mass poverty, public mistrust, police state, squalor, suffering, or oppression which the society has most often brought upon itself. The dystopian literature has more than just entertainment as its purpose. It tries to analyze the reason why things got as bad, often as an analogy for similar issues in the real world. It also comes as political warnings to certain unresolved issues in our society. Here is the list of 7 classic dystopian novels of all time that revolutionized the genre, and at the same time picked the brains of its readers.

5. Iron Heel

Author: Jack London

Iron Heel by Jack London is one of the earliest modern dystopian literature works which gives its readers a glimpse into the rise of an oligarchic (controlled by a small group) tyranny in the United States. Jack London used a spoiler by revealing the end at the beginning of the novel, a tactic which caught the reader’s attention and so did his deviation of making a woman protagonist his first person narrative for the book (which was the first considering the book was written by a man). It is amazing to note what a great insight Jack London had in political history, though unfortunately the war was not prevented as mentioned in the book.

4. Children of Men

Author: P.D. James

When we are all worried about population explosion, James introduces us to the world without children in his dystopian book “Children of Men”. Set in England in 2021, infertility has affected human race and the last generation born is already into adulthood. People are giving into the stress and resorting to suicide and despair. Is there some hope left for mankind? James brings out a great mystery thriller, building suspense when at the same time he criticizes our society and moves on to theological reflection as the book progresses.