Dystopia Context

• The Begum's Fortune, Verne - 1879

  Utopian and dytopian societies were contrasted for the first time in a novel
• War of the Worlds, Wells - 1898

  The first depiction of an alien invasion of earth
• The Story of Days to Come, Wells - 1899

  The first modern dystopia as it was the first elaborately ideological dystopia and defiently the first anti-capitalistic dystopia
• The War in the Air, Wells - 1908

  The first prediction of air raids against cities
• The World Set Free, Wells - 1914

  The first prophecy of devastatinng nuclear wars that will end human existence
• Herland, Gilman - 1914

  First feministic dystopia
• RUR, Capek - 1920

  Introduces the term roboto and the modern robot concept, and is the first elaborate depiction of a machine take-over. Capek's robots can also be seen as the first androids: they are in fact organic
• The Clockwork Man, Odie - 1921

  The publication of the earliest major cyborg novel. The protagonist's life is regulated by a clockwork mechanism built into his head
• We, Zamiatin - 1924

  The first totalitarian dystopia as well as the first critical comment on the future of the USSR. It will serve as inspiration for Huxley and Orwell
• Daedalus, Haldane - 1924

  Prophesies with remarkable precision about the genetic engineering in the future. It served as inspiration for Huxley's Brave New World
• City of the Living Dead, Manning and Pratt - 1930

  Artificial ilusionary worlds virtual reality or cyberspace is introduced. Interestingly, the novel focuses on the dangers of escaping to such a technology
• Brave New World, Huxley - 1932

  The first depiction of failed paradise-engineering. Among many other things, it introduces the themes of mass culture and technology abuse in dystopian fiction, as well as scientific concepts such as designer drugs, conditioning and cloning
• The Final War, Spohr - 1932

  Prophesises that the world will be divided between 2 superpowers, and that the invention of the atomic bomb will entail nuclear deterrence strategies. The story ends with the annihilation of mankind
• The Cometeers, Williamsson - 1936

  The first modern use of the term android
• Already Walks Tomorrow, Street - 1938

  Probably the first elaborate depiction of environmental collapse
• Who Goes There?, Campbell - 1938

  Introduces the stealthy alien concept. It raises little interest but is later revived in the 80s
• The Big Sleep, Chandler - 1939

  The first major detective story and also a dystopia. Chandler's novel will influence dystopian fiction with their potent mixes of lonely detectives, realistic approaches, urban settings, societal critique and harsh dialogue
• 1984, Orwell - 1949

  The most elaborately anti-totalitarian dystopia and the politically most influential dystopia of all time is published. It advances and consolidates the dystopian themes of systematic oppression and mind control
• The Space Merchants, Kornbluth - 1952

  The first elaborate satire over commercialism and consumerism introduces concepts such as corporate dominion, corporate overexploitation and corporate wars
• Player Piano, Vonnegut - 1952

  The first depiction of a pseudo-utopian society
• Farenheit 451, Bradbury - 1953


  Possibly the most intelelctually advanced dystopian satire. It certainly contributed to the intellectual integrity of dystopian fiction
• On the Beach, Shute - 1957

  A depiction of nuclear holocaust horrors that had a strong emotional impact on the main-stream audience
• Starship Troopers, Heinlein - 1959


  A pro-militaristic and anti-democratic novel, which engenders a heated debate among science fiction writers
• The Man in the High Castle, Dick - 1962

  The first uchronian novel
• Dune, Herbert - 1965

  Introduces dystopian themes in space opera
• Make Room, Harrison - 1966

  The first major over-population dystopia
• Colossus, Jones - 1966

  The first depiction of a global take-over attempt by military computers
• Dangerous Visions, Ellison - 1967

  Makrs the birth of a new science fiction movement called the New Wave
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Dick - 1968

  Advances the androi concept and rasise distubring questions about human identity
• The Andromeda Strain, Kubrick - 1971

  Popularises the modern pandemic theme in dystopias
• As Man Becomes Machine, Rovik - 1971

  Popularises the modern cyborg concept
• Japan Sinks, Komatsu - 1974

  Advances the apocalyptic theme in science fiction, especially the social and psychological aspects
• Engines of Creation, Dexler - 1976

  Popularises the term nano-technology
• The Forever War, Haldeman - 1977

  Debatably the first serious depiction of a brutal ant-war novel that depicts a possible space war and its horrors
• Blade Runner, Scott - 1982

  Sets a new standard for science fiction, especially visually, and influences the dystopia movement immensely in terms of cyberpunk. It engenders debates on hyper-technology and urbanisation for decades to come
• Brazil, Gilliam - 1985

  Revitalises Kafkaesque themes in dystopian fiction and basically defines the visual standards for tech noir
• The Handmaid's Tale, Atwood -1987

  The first largely recognised feminist dystopia. It advances themes of feminism and theocracy within dystopias while also focusing on nuclear fallout and environmental destruction
• The Difference Engine, Gibson and Sterling - 1990

  The first dystopian steampunk novel
• Fatherland, Harris - 1992

  Advances the uchronia and is considered the most popular of its genre to date
• Gattaca, Niccol - 1997

  A major genetic-engineering dystopia